Magical Season Comes To A Harsh End As Virginia Dominates

by norcalnick on Jun 23, 2011 7:23 PM PDT in California Golden Bears Baseball

To send your thoughts and thanks to Cal baseball, click here.

All season long Cal faced a series of seemingly overwhelming odds, some handed to them by outside forces, and some they created themselves. Today the Bears finally dug themselves a hole too big to escape, falling 8-1 to the Virginia Cavaliers. Cal fans held some optimism that the Bears would do more damage against a less heralded Virginia pitcher, but Tyler Wilson turned in an even better performance than Danny Hultzen's World Series opener.

Unlike Sunday's opener, Cal's pitching and defense wasn't able to keep the game close. Virginia certainly earned a number of their base runners, but the Bears handed them a few breaks to make things easier. Three plays in particular stand out: Dixon Anderson's throwing error on a 3rd inning sacrifice bunt attempt that put runners at 2nd and 3rd with no outs, Anderson's wild pitch that allowed both runners to advance, and Darrell Matthew's three base error that allowed Kenny Swab to come all the way around the bases after singling.

It's disappointing that the Bears were eliminated without playing their best baseball, but that's the only thing anybody should be disappointed about. Their talent, grit, and effort turned the darkest year of Cal baseball into what must be the single most successful, entertaining season in memory for the vast majority of Bear backers. There's no shame when your season ends in Omaha, particularly when both losses come at the hands of a very deserving #1 team in the nation.

Cal's best chance to grab momentum came when Austin Booker reached on an error to start the bottom of the first. Later in the inning Chadd Krist doubled. Unfortunately, that didn't result in a Cal run because in between Booker was caught stealing after sliding past the bag. I'm on record as being against Cal's risks on the base paths, but for better or for worse that's how this team plays baseball. It likely lost Cal an early run today.

With Erik Johnson and Kyle Porter likely unavailable except in emergencies, and Justin Jones injured, Cal had to get solid performances from either Dixon Anderson or Kevin Miller, preferably both. Unfortunately neither were able to come through, and Coach Esquer probably stuck with Miller a little to long as he got hit hard during the 6th inning. Justin Jones's injury really left no margin for error, but Cal was very error prone today in all phases.

We'll have more on Cal's season later. For now, all I want to say is thanks. Thank you, Cal baseball, for one of the most thrilling, entertaining three weeks of sports I've ever enjoyed. And I'm so happy knowing we'll see you all again next year!

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GO BEARS!!!

And with that, the end of the Pac-10. May the Pac-12 treat us better.

The internet's most successful troll!
www.CaliforniaGoldenBlogs.com

by TwistNHook on Jun 23, 2011 7:25 PM PDT reply actions

GO BEARS!

Be proud boys.

by North Side Chicago Expatriate Giants Fan on Jun 23, 2011 7:25 PM PDT reply actions

Cal baseball is back. They can't take our team away.

I’m going to sit back and let that one sink in, all over again. GO BEARS!

cal: 5 - 1 - 2 lad: 6 lal: 16 cfc: 4 lag: 1 - 2 gbp: 13
twit | The Bison • Michael Essien • Matt Kemp •

by CalLadLal on Jun 23, 2011 7:32 PM PDT reply actions

Proud to be a Bear

Great run against all odds. The CWS run may have ended, but your legacy will endure as long as Cal plays baseball — which, hopefully, will be for a loooooooong time to come.

Keeping January 2 open. You know, just in case.
www.CaliforniaGoldenBlogs.com

by Ohio Bear on Jun 23, 2011 7:37 PM PDT reply actions

Best part of the CWS run

My daughter tells me, “I like the GoBears, DaDa. Can I play, too?”

Thanks for staying together and hanging tough. We’re all proud of you.

Go Bears!

Old Toothwrangler

by Kodiak on Jun 23, 2011 7:38 PM PDT reply actions 7 recs

Goo Bay!

Official Acceptor of TwistNHook's Unconditional Surrender Person of CGB and Queen of Spite Recs

by CalBear81 on Jun 23, 2011 7:39 PM PDT up reply actions

Seriously.

I still have the Cal Women’s Softball win over KU on the DVR because she likes watching it.

/proud Papa Bear

Old Toothwrangler

by Kodiak on Jun 23, 2011 7:41 PM PDT up reply actions

Raising a daughter: ur doin it rite!

Cal Football: I loved them once and they broke my heart. Let that be a lesson to you. Never love anything.

by CalBandGreat on Jun 23, 2011 7:56 PM PDT up reply actions

I like the GoBears, too.

"Thanks. Go Bears!" - Ernest Owusu: the next great Cal DE

by SoCal Oski on Jun 23, 2011 8:36 PM PDT up reply actions

Are you Kodiak’s daughter?

The internet's most successful troll!
www.CaliforniaGoldenBlogs.com

by TwistNHook on Jun 23, 2011 9:28 PM PDT up reply actions

There is no evidence to suggest he is not, plus Kodiak always talks about how much his daughter hates on teams from LA

"Remember the Maine! TO HELL WITH STANFORD!"

by CruzinBears on Jun 24, 2011 9:00 AM PDT up reply actions

I got my son (almost 2) to start GO….BEARS!

"We lose to Stanford in many sports, but if you want to make a Cal team quit, bring a weapon."
--Coach Clark

by carp on Jun 24, 2011 12:37 PM PDT up reply actions

Cal Baseball gave us the Axe

They gave us two CWS championships. Now they’ve given us this season. Not bad.

Official Acceptor of TwistNHook's Unconditional Surrender Person of CGB and Queen of Spite Recs

by CalBear81 on Jun 23, 2011 7:39 PM PDT reply actions 1 recs

You write fast, norcalnick.

Also, love this team. Haven’t been this inspired by a sports team of any league in a long time. So proud of Cal Baseball. Go Bears!

Cal Football: I loved them once and they broke my heart. Let that be a lesson to you. Never love anything.

by CalBandGreat on Jun 23, 2011 7:39 PM PDT reply actions

Go Bears!

I’m proud of you for making it this far!

2011 World Cup Champions Team India

by Rishi on Jun 23, 2011 7:55 PM PDT reply actions

I'm not over the bitterness of the season ending just yet

But this is no doubt still quite a remarkable and memorable season. My biggest regret,however, is that I didn’t donate all the money that I spent drinking out while watching the game toward the athletics endowment.

I’m looking forward to next year and beyond for Cal baseball (and all other Cal sports). Its great to know that every sports would be back and hopefully we can expand more in naturally fitting new sports such as beach volleyball (or whatever it’s PC name is).

Go Bears! Thanks for a very memorable run these past month.

by LEastCoastBears on Jun 23, 2011 7:57 PM PDT via mobile reply actions

Magical year indeed.

Thanks for letting us ride along guys.
Last team from the pac10 and west coast standing
and tied for top 5 in the nation….
Remarkable effort.

by gratefuldude on Jun 23, 2011 8:26 PM PDT reply actions

Last Pac10 to ever play!

The internet's most successful troll!
www.CaliforniaGoldenBlogs.com

by TwistNHook on Jun 23, 2011 9:28 PM PDT up reply actions

Go Bears!!

Thanks for a great season and many more to come.

And Thank You Nick for all of your Cal baseball coverage this year.

Go A's!!!!

by Lodgeman on Jun 23, 2011 8:34 PM PDT reply actions

Yes, NorcalNick has truly done a great job with the baseball coverage. He’s got a lot more great stuff in store, too!

The internet's most successful troll!
www.CaliforniaGoldenBlogs.com

by TwistNHook on Jun 23, 2011 9:29 PM PDT up reply actions

Congratulations Bears!!! GREAT year and I’m hoping for better things next year!

Bring back the Pac-10!!!

by calas on Jun 23, 2011 8:36 PM PDT reply actions

Bravo!

Too bad about the loss, but to paraphrase a great quote: We may have lost, but we are not defeated.

Congratulations for a fantastic season – longer than any other conference team. Proving, once again, that Uclol and furd got nothing on us.

Go Bears!

"Thanks. Go Bears!" - Ernest Owusu: the next great Cal DE

by SoCal Oski on Jun 23, 2011 8:36 PM PDT reply actions

A year for the ages.

From Death Row to an amazing tournament run, and it took two shots from the #1 team in the country to finish them off – this team deserves to go down in history with anything Clark or Newell or Waldorf or Smith ever did. You couldn’t sell the movie rights because nobody would believe it.

Congratulations on the single greatest comeback since Jesus got Lazarus up off the DL. If we can keep those Gators below you in the cup race, we’ll do our best to skin that lizard…

"Well, if that ain't a show, I'll kiss your ass." - Gov. Jim Folsom Sr. (D-AL), 1948-52

by VandyImport on Jun 23, 2011 9:04 PM PDT reply actions

Go Vanderbilt!

Am I known as Cugel the Clever for nothing?

by Cugel on Jun 23, 2011 9:21 PM PDT up reply actions

Yea right.

Ursus arctos californicus – California golden bear

by berkeleyboy510 on Jun 23, 2011 9:31 PM PDT up reply actions

The #1 greatest threat to America: BEARS

by norcalnick on Jun 23, 2011 10:12 PM PDT up reply actions

+ 2

Keeping January 2 open. You know, just in case.
www.CaliforniaGoldenBlogs.com

by Ohio Bear on Jun 24, 2011 6:18 AM PDT up reply actions

Was Lazarus on the 15 or 60 day DL?

The internet's most successful troll!
www.CaliforniaGoldenBlogs.com

by TwistNHook on Jun 23, 2011 9:30 PM PDT up reply actions

He was day-to-day.

by LeonPowe on Jun 23, 2011 10:43 PM PDT up reply actions

Through thick and thin from here on out. You made me a believer. Thanks for a great seasson. Go Bears!

Ursus arctos californicus – California golden bear

by berkeleyboy510 on Jun 23, 2011 9:32 PM PDT reply actions

go bears!

they win this season ‘cause there’s a next season.

by j.lee on Jun 23, 2011 11:14 PM PDT via mobile reply actions

dream season

it was a wild ride….congrates

by No.8 on Jun 23, 2011 11:29 PM PDT reply actions

Just wanted to come in and say

thanks to this team. Following them the whole year, I’ll admit I had no idea they would make it even close to this far. After they fell behind 4-0 to Alcorn State, I thought the season was over. Just goes to show how much I know. It’s been a terrific year and they helped unite Bears from California to the east coast (and beyond!). I’m so proud of each of these guys and I know great things are in their futures, in baseball or in whatever field they dedicate themselves into. They’ve made memories that’ll last a lifetime. Go Bears!

Adopted Giant: Ryan Verdugo. The next Javier Lopez.
goldenbearlair.com

by MadBum on Jun 23, 2011 11:44 PM PDT reply actions

Looking ahead to 2012

“Sky’s the limit,” says Tony Renda

What will the Bears do for an encore in 2012? “The sky’s the limit,” sophomore Tony Renda said.

Cal will lose many players who are seniors or juniors likely to turn pro, including pitcher Erik Johnson, catcher Chadd Krist, shortstop Marcus Semien and outfielder Austin Booker.

“We’re going to have a lot of holes we need to fill,” Renda said. “But when you look at our team, we can fill them. We have a lot of key guys coming back.”

Derek Campbell, who played second base in the College World Series, probably will switch to shortstop. Louie Lechich is expected to play the outfield and join two other left-handers, Kyle Porter and Justin Jones, in the weekend rotation.

Keeping January 2 open. You know, just in case.
www.CaliforniaGoldenBlogs.com

by Ohio Bear on Jun 24, 2011 6:20 AM PDT reply actions

Beaver born and bred but

thrilled that you kept baseball, and did great in the playoffs.

Congratulations, and see you next year.

by tradernum1 on Jun 24, 2011 8:05 AM PDT reply actions

Thanks, man. Looking forward to next year and Pac-12 play.

California Golden Bears: 2nd place is nothing to sneeze at!

by atomsareenough on Jun 24, 2011 9:36 AM PDT up reply actions

Go Bears! Great season gentlemen, I’m very happy to see the team stick around, as I hadn’t been paying as much attention as I should have been these past few years. Luckily I now have future teams to look forward to. Congrats!

"Remember the Maine! TO HELL WITH STANFORD!"

by CruzinBears on Jun 24, 2011 9:05 AM PDT reply actions

Hmmm....

….the only thing I found frustrating is that much of the team couldn’t read the fastballs, continually swinging under the pitch. Of course, I’m more than thrilled to have a chance to express frustration with a game that occurred in late June.

by ososdeoro on Jun 24, 2011 9:37 AM PDT reply actions

"We lose to Stanford in many sports, but if you want to make a Cal team quit, bring a weapon."
--Coach Clark

by carp on Jun 24, 2011 12:59 PM PDT reply actions

And Virginia just got eliminated by losing in the 13th inning

two errors late allowed the winning run to score for South Carolina

I was hoping that Virginia would win it all. Somehow Hultzen only went 3.

by LEastCoastBears on Jun 24, 2011 8:41 PM PDT reply actions

Final score was 3-2 South Carolina

USC vs. Florida in a best-of-3 for all the Tostitos.

Keeping January 2 open. You know, just in case.
www.CaliforniaGoldenBlogs.com

by Ohio Bear on Jun 24, 2011 8:43 PM PDT up reply actions

And he struck out eight in those 3 innings. Evidently he was sick, necessitating the early hook, which begs the question: How good would he have been healthy?!?

The #1 greatest threat to America: BEARS

by norcalnick on Jun 24, 2011 9:01 PM PDT up reply actions

What I learned on the Garnet & Black Attack gamethread

1. South Carolina would have won anyway

2. South Carolina was glad they didn’t play us because ESPN was “rooting” for us in the CWS and it was sickening to them

Keeping January 2 open. You know, just in case.
www.CaliforniaGoldenBlogs.com

by Ohio Bear on Jun 24, 2011 9:45 PM PDT up reply actions

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Oregon St. Building The Dam	Sat 11/12	W 23 - 6
@ Stanford Rule Of Tree	Sat 11/19	L 28 - 31
@ Arizona St. House Of Sparky	Fri 11/25	W 47 - 38
@ Texas Burnt Orange Nation	Wed 12/28	L 10 - 21