After a two-year hiatus, Moorpark College has announced the reinstatement of the Baseball program for next spring in a press release, Thursday.

“It is an unbelievable feeling to have these opportunities restored to the deserving student athletes of East Ventura County,” saidMoorpark College Athletic Director Howard Davis.
In 2011 Moorpark suspended baseball, men’s cross country, and men’s track and field, beginning with the 2012 year, due to budget cuts.
The decision was made after the school district as a whole was asked to make $12 million in cuts, and athletics accounted for a huge chunk of that. Since 2001, eight programs have been suspended.

The reason the program was cut in the first placed is still a mystery, Baseball had one the highest number of scholarships and transfers at the time it was cut.

AD Davis, commented on how hard the decision was at the time.

“We went to a meeting to petition the suspension,” said Davis. ” But then two days later we were notified baseball was gone.”

Baseball will be revived for the 2015-16 season, and will be expected to begin next spring.

The announcement has caused quite a stir around Moorpark College. The week leading up to the press release, the rumor of a baseball resurrection had been circling the campus. Many Raider athletes had claimed to have known about the decision for a while.

Samantha McCarthy, Sophomore women’s basketball guard at Moorpark, claimed to be one of those athletes.

“People have been talking about it for a while,” said McCarthy. “I just thought everyone knew already, but it’s great.”

The coaching staff has been announced and former manager and VC assistant Mario Porto, will lead the Raiders. Porto has already begun recruiting.

Baseball will begin in the summer with workouts, and the new-look Moorpark Baseball Raiders will debut next spring. Davis gave a final assertion of the good news.

“While we suffered the darkest days in Raider Athletic history two years ago, we will not only put this crisis behind us,” said Davis. “Our athletic program will come back stronger, healthier, and more fruitful than ever before.”