It’s another sad day for college baseball. UC Berkley has announced that it will cut baseball, men’s and women’s gymnastics and women’s lacrosse as varsity sports after the conclusion of the current academic year.
The pending cuts are an effort by Cal to trim an athletics department deficit of nearly $13 million. Baseball has been a sport at Cal since 1892.
The Golden Bears won the first ever College World Series in 1947 and won another national championship in 1957. Under Bob Milano Cal advanced to the CWS three more times from 1978-1999. Milano was inducted into the American Baseball Coaches Hall of Fame earlier this year.
Cal placed fifth in the Pac 10 in 2010 and advanced to the NCAA Tournament where they competed in the Norman, OK Regional (the host Sooners advanced all the way to the College World Series).
UC Berkley is the latest college baseball program to fall victim to budget cuts. Duquesne was axed last year and will not field a team in 2011. Vermont and Northern Iowa both cut baseball teams the year before that.
Cal will be the only Pac 10 school without a baseball program in 2012. Colorado will join the league for the 2012-2013 academic year. The Buffs do not currently field a baseball team.