Oregon parts ways with baseball coach George Horton

EUGENE, Ore. (AP) – Oregon and longtime baseball coach George Horton have mutually agreed to part after 11 seasons at the school.

The school announced the sides agreed not to exercise a one-year contract option for the 2020 season. Horton says it was “not an easy decision but I believe it to be the best at this point of my career.”

Horton, 65, arrived in Eugene in 2007 and was charged with restarting the Ducks’ baseball program two years later after more than two decades when the program was dormant. He went 373-278-1 in his 11 seasons in charge, leading the Ducks to five NCAA regionals and one super regional appearance.

But Oregon struggled in recent years. Oregon finished no higher than eighth in the Pac-12 standings in the past four seasons and had a losing record in conference play in each year.

Horton arrived at Oregon after serving as the head coach at Cal State Fullerton, where he led the Titans to a national title in 2004.