College Baseball -- Last At-Bats For Providence Program

PROVIDENCE, R.I. - Freshman outfielder Mike Scott knew this was coming since October, but it's still tough to accept.

At the end of May, the Providence College baseball team shuts down after 78 years - a casualty of the school's need to comply with Title IX requirements.

"I've got the team I love to play for," said Scott, who leads the Big East Conference in triples. "It's hard to take it all in, believing they could actually do something like this to us."

The Friars (40-13) are third in the conference with a 15-8 record and looking for a spot in the NCAA tournament. Their last regular-season game is May 15, at home against Villanova.

The Friars have had just one losing season this decade (1993), won the Big East tournament title in 1992 and the Big East regular-season title in 1995.

They earned the school's first trips to the NCAA tournament in 1992 and 1995.

Still, there is no saving this team.

The school said in October it was dropping baseball, men's golf and men's tennis after the academic year in accordance with Title IX, the law barring sex discrimination at institutions receiving federal money.

The same kinds of cuts are being made in colleges across the country. The NCAA says it is unclear how many baseball teams have folded because of Title IX because the organization does not track such statistics.

The number of NCAA schools with baseball teams has remained steady at 84 percent, NCAA spokeswoman Kimberly Dixson said. The losses of some baseball teams can be offset by other schools picking up baseball.

During high school, Scott thought about playing at the University of New Hampshire. Then New Hampshire dropped baseball and he looked elsewhere.

"After they cut the program, my Dad and I looked at PC," Scott said. "We both said, `Nah, it'll never happen there."'

While more women than men attend Providence, the school has a higher percentage of male athletes. Male athletes make up 41 percent of the students and 54 percent of its athletes.

Women make up 59 percent of the students and 47 percent of its athletes.

That disparity would not pass a Title IX test, administration officials say.

Baseball's seven scholarships will be distributed to women's soccer, softball, ice hockey and field hockey as baseball players graduate or transfer. Operating funds will move to the women's athletic program.

Athletic director John Marinatto said Providence did not have the resources to add more women's programs.

Men's tennis and men's golf were supposed to be dropped along with baseball, but they have been temporarily spared.

Supporters of those two programs have pledged to raise the about $10,000 a year for the next three years to allow this year's freshmen players to finish their careers at Providence.

"It's frustrating to our kids, knowing what they've committed to and worked for and the success they've had," Providence baseball coach Charlie Hickey said.

Most of Providence's underclassmen on the baseball team aren't staying. Scott, a Darien, Conn., native, is transferring to Connecticut. Keith Reed, a junior outfielder, probably will be selected in June's major league baseball draft.

"Our motivation is to win the Big East Tournament, get a bid to the (NCAA) regionals and shove it in the face of the administration," Scott said. "Just to come back and say, `Look what you did, look what you're cutting."'