Diemer proud of his Cal Bears

CEDAR RAPIDS - There was little doubt who wrote the message on the bulletin board in the Cedar Rapids Kernels clubhouse.

“Cal Bears,” it said in big letters. “Sunday - 1 p.m. Go Pac 10!”

Brian Diemer is the University of California guy on the Kernels, if you didn't know. He threw six good innings Sunday but was a tough-luck pitching loser as Cedar Rapids ended first-half play in the Midwest League with a 4-1 loss to Wisconsin before 2,518 Father's Day fans at Memorial Stadium.

Diemer's got an obvious rooting interest in the ongoing College World Series, as his Bears - who lost their first game Sunday to Virginia - were one of the eight qualifiers. Most of America is likely pulling for Cinderella Cal as well.

The school announced last fall the baseball program was being dropped as a cost-cutting measure. California has had a team since 1892 and won the first CWS in 1947.

Stunning news, to say the least.

“We pretty much didn't know anything about it until about October of last year. Kind of a surprise,” said Diemer, a sixth-round draft pick of the parent Angels last year. “They announced they were going to cut some teams earlier in that semester, the fall quarter. Pretty much everyone said that baseball was safe. I mean, it's in the Pac 10. It was a surprise. But everyone banded together, which was nice.”

Alumni pledged over $9 million to save the sport indefinitely. A San Francisco lawyer and former Cal player gave $550,000 alone.

Diemer and his family kicked in some cash, too. Then to top off this feel-good story, the Golden Bears - one of the final at-large selections for regional play - fought their way to Omaha.

“It means a lot to me, especially knowing all the guys on that team. I'm so proud of them,” Diemer said. “It means so much that they banded together, made the World Series and were able to bring the program back. It's really satisfying to me as an alumnus.”

The Kernels ended the first half in a suitable way, considering they had just three hits. They have the MWL's lowest team batting average (. 227).

It also was appropriate that what turned out to be the winning run scored with the help of an error. That was a regular occurrence the final month-plus for a team that finished with a 32-38 record.

The Midwest League All-Star Game is Tuesday in Davenport, with three Kernels participating: starting outfielder Travis Witherspoon and pitchers Dakota Robinson and Max Russell. The second half begins Friday with a three-game series at Beloit.