Dylan Beavers

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.

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.

It’s a team racked with talent yet incapable of making big strides. Even so, the Bears look to pick up big wins over the upcoming competition.

After this weekend’s results, the blue and gold find themselves at the .500 mark. Their unremarkable record reveals one thing about this squad: They are remarkably average.

With more than half the season played already, the blue and gold have an uphill climb if they wish to escape last year’s fate.

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.

Since dropping the series to Oregon State, the Bears have fallen to ninth in Pac-12 standings — a position that, if they maintain it, will see them excluded from the inaugural Pac-12 tournament.

The blue and gold suffered an embarrassing home defeat after two stellar away wins against USC. Cal will be looking to bounce back as it faces off against No. 6 Oregon State and Saint Mary’s.