A UC Berkeley senior and former Cal baseball player was found dead in his apartment Sunday afternoon, according to Berkeley police.

Investigators at the Alameda County Coroner's Bureau speculated that Cyrus Allizadeh, 22, died of self-strangulation.

A Berkeley police officer arrived shortly after 5 p.m. at Allizadeh's apartment on the 2400 block of Parker Street, where the officer found the deceased body, said Berkeley police Lt. Andrew Greenwood.

Friends said that Allizadeh may have been going through a stressful period.

"He had been going through some tough times recently I think with his girlfriend, and with graduating this semester. I guess (he was) just stressing pretty hard about it," said junior Cal outfielder Tyler Waddell. "But he was always pretty reserved."

Allizadeh, who was an infielder for the Bears, was a redshirt freshman on the team during the 2005 season.

Senior second baseman Josh Satin, who said he saw Allizadeh every couple of weeks, said Allizadeh suffered a shoulder injury that year and then decided to give up playing for Cal.

"He wasn't going to be a huge contributor, and I think he realized that and so he pursued other interests," Satin said. "But he lived with some of the guys on the team and was just always (around)."

He went on to work for Cal event management, which staffs sports events, and continued to closely associate with the team and the program.

"I saw him Saturday at the game," said junior pitcher Tyson Ross. "He was smiling, joking around, same old Cyrus, always the happiest guy."

The team had a meeting yesterday morning with a therapist to discuss how to deal with the loss.

"One thing he recommended was not self-medicating or being alone-just stick together and talk through it, that this should bring the team together," said senior designated hitter Jordan Karnofsky.

Satin recalled how the two shared a mutual love for the Los Angeles Dodgers. Allizadeh was from Claremont, Calif., and Satin hails from Calabasas, Calif.

"I only saw him every couple weeks, but I always enjoyed seeing him," Satin said. "We shared a lot in common. He was from L.A., a huge Dodger guy. I'd love running into him and get a 10-minute update on what he thought about the upcoming season, about the trades, about whatever the Dodgers were doing."

Many members of the baseball team said they were "confused" to hear about the unexpected death.

"He was one of those people you see every day, and they brighten up your day a little bit more," Ross said.

Tags: CYRUS ALLIZADEH, BASEBALL