UPDATE: The Golden Bears were not one of the 64 team selected to participate in the NCAA postseason. We will always wonder What If's with this 2016 Cal Baseball team if/when Daulton Jefferies, Brett Cumberland, etc. turns into MLB players in the future.
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If that's the end of season, Cal Baseball ends it on a high note. Bears routed host Washington State via a 11-5 win. Bears finish the 2016 regular with a record of 32-22 and 14-16 in a very competitive Pac-12 conference.
Senior Ryan Mason picks up another win to conclude his Cal career. Fellow seniors Keaton Siomkin and Jordan Talbot each pitched an inning to end their career.
What a career for this @Cal_Baseball ace! Ryan Mason's final trip off the mound in Pac-12 play is the Bears' #12Best https://t.co/eev2c2wlUi
— Pac-12 Network (@Pac12Network) May 30, 2016
Brett Cumberland hit another homerun, his Pac-12 leading 16th, to further cement his case for the Pac-12 Player of the Year award. He is draft eligible, but maybe he will come back?
B9 | Ground out and that's the game! Cal wins and wraps up the regular season 32-21. #LetsGo #GoBears pic.twitter.com/a0pUDsascP
— Cal Baseball (@Cal_Baseball) May 29, 2016
Coach David Esquer now has 500 wins in his career. No matter what your opinion of the guy is, that's a lot of wins.
And, it's a huge milestone day for the program as head coach David Esquer notches career win No. 500. #GoBears pic.twitter.com/uqqvWVM32r
— Cal Baseball (@Cal_Baseball) May 29, 2016
Win No. 500 means you get dunked during the postgame interview. #LetsGo pic.twitter.com/TdCkaoaUap
— Cal Baseball (@Cal_Baseball) May 30, 2016
The Golden Bears will now hope that the NCAA Baseball selection committee doesn't really use the RPI but instead look at the amount of talent on this roster to give the Bears a chance.
.@Cal_Baseball's got a not-so-subliminal message for the @NCAACWS Selection Committee: #BackThePac pic.twitter.com/i9ovbaB2Io
— Pac-12 Network (@Pac12Network) May 29, 2016
NCAA selection will be announced tomorrow Monday, May 30th at 9 AM PT on ESPNU.
Hopefully not for the last time about Cal Baseball,
GO BEARS!
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California Golden Bears (31-21, 13-16 in Pac-12) at Washington State Cougars (19-34, 11-18 in Pac-12)
Where: Bailey-Brayton Field (Pullman, WA)
When: 2 PM PT
TV: Pac-12 Networks
Radio: KALX
Last Pac-12 game of the year. First pitch at 2 p.m. from Pullman. #LetsGo pic.twitter.com/enHORm9DAM
— Cal Baseball (@Cal_Baseball) May 29, 2016
The 2016 regular season comes to an end for the Golden Bears today. While postseason outlook is not so good for the Bears, due to a lowish RPI (and now seemingly one less berth now that Utah may beat Washington today to clinch the automatic berth - to be honest, it would be a shame for them to win a share of the Pac-12 title and miss the postseason), there is slim hope that the committee might overlook the low RPI and reward the Bears for being back to full health and having the talent to make a run at the College World Series.
Since he didn't go on Friday, I expect senior Ryan mason to make one final (regular season) appearance for the Bears today.
Check out the Pac-12 Networks feature on him below (again):
Sadly, this may be the last Cal game for plenty of players on the roster, leaving via graduation or to go pro. I would not be surprised if 2 or even 3 (or more) of the players on the current roster end up making it to the Big League.
GO BEARS!