Nathan Martorella

Ultimately, the Bears’ 7-2 run in their last nine games demonstrated an impressive backbone and resolve that all Cal fans should be proud of.

If the Bears see any success in this first-ever Pac-12 baseball tournament, it will be the greatest underdog story Cal fans would have experienced in recent years.

The Utes sit just one spot below the Bears in the conference standings, so the winner of the series will earn the final spot in the Pac-12 tournament as the No. 8 seed.

This year’s Big Series proved to be no competition at all as the Bears dropped each game of the series, going 0-3 against the Cardinal.

Head coach Mike Neu’s confidence is admirable, especially considering how well the Cardinal have played at Sunken Diamond in Palo Alto this season.

Martorella, who was named Pac-12 player of the week, continued his red-hot streak at bat with a two-run homer.

Finding solid pitchers to take the mound on ace Joseph King’s off days has been the ultimate challenge for Cal head coach Mike Neu this year.

Evans Diamond erupted with cheers from Cal fans as they celebrated the play that would end up securing the Bears’ win over nationally ranked Sacramento State.

For a team that slots in the top half of the conference in most pitching categories, the Bears’ recent offensive outburst is a strong sign of a budding Pac-12 contender.

The Cal lineup had high expectations for the 2020 season, but the Bear hitters severely underperformed, a trend that is clearly exposed when evaluating the advanced statistics behind their performance.