The stinging sound of balls hitting mitts reverberates in Evans Diamond. Often the most robust pops come from the arm of the man wearing No. 11 on his back. But sometimes, Mike Neu’s power-packed throws are not accompanied by the smack of the glove. The 33-year-old Neu fires the ball Read More…
This time last year, the Cal baseball team didn’t know if there would be another season. Bleeding money, the campus decided to cut the team on Sept. 28, 2010. One of college baseball’s storied programs appeared destined to become a sad historical footnote. But the Cal baseball community banded together, Read More…
In the spring of 2012, the Cal baseball team will look to build on a magical College World Series run. Luckily, the newest addition to the Bears’ staff is no stranger to success in Omaha, Neb. Former University of Miami (Fla.) closer Mike Neu, who helped the Hurricanes to a Read More…
Looks like there’s no place like home — not even a miraculous season that ended in Omaha. Less than a month after the Cal baseball team exited the College World Series, pitching coach Dan Hubbs is returning to USC, where he took the mound from 1990 to 1993. Hubbs will Read More…
Four young men stand before the entrance to the College World Series. Three are huddled together, caps askew, lifting the other above their heads as he raises a single finger to the sky. They are no one and everyone, ecstasy cast in bronze to represent every player who has stepped Read More…
Since defeating Dallas Baptist to advance to the College World Series, the Cal baseball team has been joking that someone should make a movie out of their storybook season. If Hollywood ever does, they’ll probably write a different ending — one that doesn’t involve the Bears being sent home after Read More…
The ball went off Kenny Swab’s bat and Cal center fielder Darrel Matthews, running forward to make the catch, lost it in the sun. As it bounced past him and rolled away, stopping 408 feet from where it started, so too went the Bears’ dream season. Virginia’s center fielder streaked Read More…
OMAHA, Neb. — After a solo shot by Texas A&M’s Adam Smith broke a scoreless deadlock in the fourth inning, Cal baseball coach David Esquer brought his starters in for a pep talk. “I told them basically, ‘I’ll take bad contact to the middle of the diamond than you trying Read More…
OMAHA, Neb. — Chad Bunting tumbled onto the right field warning track Sunday afternoon, a soon-to-be triple sailing over his shoulder, a cloud of dust billowing up as he hit the dirt. The ball had tipped off the Cal outfielder’s glove and Virginia, with one out in the eighth, plated Read More…
OMAHA, Neb. — Before Sunday’s game, while the rest of his team warmed up, Cal pitcher Justin Jones perched alone on a bucket of baseballs. Though a strained bicep would keep him out of the Bears’ first College World Series game since 1992, Jones was not resting. Instead, he worked Read More…
