The NCAA canceled all spring sports with U.S. coronavirus numbers on the rise. The 2020 Cal Poly baseball team had a ton of talent and was looking to do some damage in the Big West, but now they’ll have to wait until at least next year to get back on the field.
"I was kind of shocked” and "I couldn't really believe it” were the reactions Taylor Dollard and Bradlee Beasley had when they got the news from their coach, Larry Lee, that their season was canceled.
Three-quarters of a season unfinished, and maybe the last outings for some of the seniors.
"It was super deflating. You could just see it in their eyes sitting in the dugout; heads down, tears for a couple guys,” Beasley said. “Just a really sad situation.”
“We'll never get this year back. I thought we had something really special going, especially playing against the good teams that we were,” Dollard said. “It's just a shame that we didn't get to see it play out the way we wanted to."
If they’ve played their final game at Baggett Stadium, Dollard and Beasley say they have no regrets about their time in green and gold.
“My career at Cal Poly? Probably the best experience I've had in my life. I wouldn't trade it for anything. I wouldn't trade any experience I've had,” Dollard said. “I think that the friendships that I've made with my teammates and other guys involved in the program is something that can't be replaced.”
"It's been the best. I honestly couldn't have wished for anything more,” Beasley said. “Coach Lee is a great coach. I have the best teammates. We're all here for each other. We have a beautiful stadium. We have a beautiful clubhouse, so there's really no complaints."
Going forward, the program will continue to put the best product possible on the field, regardless of service time within the program.
“I made a statement to our players that what you do from now until when we step back onto the field can separate you, give you an edge, or allow you to get passed up,” Lee said. “That's the difficult thing. A lot of things have been taken away. The weight rooms are closed, there's only so many things that they can do, but you need to find a way to better yourself as a player or as a coach."
