After a tumultuous year and a half, the NYU athletic department has decided to discontinue the school’s baseball program for the second time in its history, sources close to the situation said Thursday. University president Andrew Hamilton proclaimed his disappointment in the team in a town hall yesterday.

“After an extended evaluation of the team’s performance, we have decided to cease its operations effective immediately,” Hamilton said.

Citing the team’s disappointing record, Hamilton said the money saved from cancelling the program would go towards some of the other NYU athletic programs, specifically the softball team.

“This move will allow the women of NYU’s softball team to come back to their true home park, in beautiful Coney Island,” Hamilton said, hinting at a renovation of MCU Park.

However, sources familiar with the university’s discussions have revealed to WSN that Hamilton, capitulating to intense pressure from the board of trustees over university development, accepted the sacrifice of the baseball team to help fund a new, state-of-the-art theater and performance center for the Tisch School of the Arts.

“Hamilton is actually quite fond of the baseball program,” an anonymous source said. “His family has a long history in cricket and his ancestors were captains on one of the best rounders teams in the British Isles years ago. He knows the game, but as a president just getting started, the board had the upper hand.”

The athletic department vehemently resisted the move, threatening to temporarily prevent all teams from competing. However, sources have also confirmed that a deal was established — in exchange for the baseball team, several NYU programs would move to Division II with hopes of being eligible to apply for Division I status in the near future, specifically golf, swimming and the men’s and women’s basketball teams. Hockey also finally gained its long sought-after NCAA status.

The sudden decision to end the season at its midway point has rocked the team to its core, from the coaches down to the freshmen.

“For the school to do this out of nowhere is one of the stupidest things I’ve ever seen,” said a freshman player who wished to remain anonymous. “Another theater? Seriously? I heard they’re naming it after Lady Gaga too.”

Others are disappointed the team didn’t have a chance to grow past its sophomore year.

“I think we really had a great thing going here,” said a team coach who also wished to remain anonymous, fearing administrative repercussions. “Sure, things didn’t start off so well, but how can anyone blame us? How many people do we expect to come all the way out to Coney Island to see us play?”

The baseball program was revived after four decades when NYU bought out the Polytechnic Institute of Technology. John Sexton, the university’s tenacious former president, helped reinstate the team, also bringing in softball. After rallying to finish close to .500 in their first season, the Violets have struggled this year, tallying a 7-13 record before play was halted.

Email Jim Nasium at [email protected]. This report has been a part of our special April 1 parody coverage. Check back next week when we get back to business.