Cal Baseball Foundation

T he Cal Baseball Foundation (CBF) participated in a very special event at Evans Diamond on May 2 when John Wilton, University Vice Chancellor of Administration and Finance, was sworn in as a United States citizen before a record crowd in attendance for the opening game of the Cal vs. Oregon State series. Joining the on-field ceremony were John's wife, Deborah, his children, Alexander and Sophie, and members of the CBF Board, the University Administration, and Cal Athletics Department. The ceremony featured the U.C. Police Department color guard, the Cal Band, and the Berkeley Unified School District Advanced Music Students. Following his Oath of Allegiance, John threw out the first pitch and became an honorary member of the Cal Baseball team following the presentation of a framed jersey and his own bat, glove, and hat by senior players Devon Rodriguez and Derek Campbell. Vice Chancellor Wilton assumed his duties in February 2011 and has been a strong supporter of Cal Baseball following its reinstatement that year. He was instrumental in accelerating facility improvements at Evans Diamond, including lights, a new video scoreboard, and temporary restroom facilities, and supporting improvements to the game- day experience with the introduction of the beer garden and improved concessions. John's willingness to partner with the CBF and the Cal Athletics Department has resulted in more stable revenue generation for the program. The CBF is honored that John chose Evans Diamond and America's favorite pasttime as the venue for this very special occasion. Stars, Stripes, and Golden Bears Baseball Foundation 2 W inning four of the last five conference series helped close out the 2014 season on a positive note. Playing in the country's best conference poses a perennial challenge, but series wins on the road against Stanford, USC, and Oregon added to home series wins over Utah and Arizona (the 2012 national champs) showed that we could be a force in the conference when playing our best. A glance back at our early season wins over non-conference powerhouses Texas, Arkansas, Auburn, and Baylor should also serve as inspiration as we look ahead to the 2015 season. Much of our competitive strength came from the leadership demonstrated by our eight seniors: Devon Rodriguez, Kyle Porter, Derek Campbell, Vince Bruno, Mike Reuvekamp, Trevor Hildenberger, Jacob Wark, and Michael Theofanopolous. This group accomplished a lot both on and off the field in their time at Cal. Most importantly, we want to congratulate all eight on the successful completion of their degree programs. Happy graduation! Additional congratulations go to Devon for his selection to the All Pac-12 Conference First Team, and Derek and Trevor for garnering Honorable Mention kudos. For many of our players, baseball does not end with the conclusion of conference play. Many of them will play a full summer schedule of games, filling roster spots in the country's premiere wood bat leagues: the Northwoods League (centered in Minnesota, Wisconsin, Michigan, and Iowa), the Cape Cod League, and the West Coast Collegiate League. Summer play will give the entire returning roster a chance to further improve their games and to proudly represent the University. For the coaches, it is back to recruiting and the start of our summer skills and games camps for the youth of the East Bay. Looking ahead to 2015, we are progressing toward our goal of returning to post-season play and the chance to return to the College World Series. With the experience gained in 2014 by our four full- time freshman players, a group of hungry sophomores and juniors, and a solid recruiting class coming on board in September, the future of Cal Baseball looks bright. Coach David Esquer Coach's Corner:

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