Mission Bay High junior Erick Lopez pitched a perfect seventh inning, earning a save in the Bucs’ 6-4 Western League opening win at Point Loma’s David Wells Field on April 11.
The “W” left the struggling Bucs atop the league standings at 1-0 (3-9 overall). The Pointers dropped to 0-1 (2-10-1 overall).
As the final Pointer batter lofted a routine fly ball to center field, the Mission Bay bench and supporters in the stands erupted in a celebration made sweeter after a tough pre-season schedule that saw them outscored 78-34.
Earlier in the week, the Bucs ended a seven-game losing streak with an 11-4 thrashing of rival Clairemont High, giving them their first winning streak of the season.
Against the Pointers, head coach Rick Frink’s team unleashed a potent offense, racking up 11 hits, including two doubles (by sophomores Michael Escoto and Derrick Clark), two triples by senior Jesse Sandoval and a home run by Clark.
Sophomore Tim Daly had two runs batted in.
Sandoval twice benefited from Point Loma fielding miscues as his hard-hit line drives to right field were misplayed on the field’s hard surface. Each team was charged with three errors.
On the mound, another sophomore earned the victory. Angelo Berumen yielded four earned runs on six hits over five innings. He walked five and struck out two before Lopez took over in the sixth.
Lopez gave up one hit and one walk over the final two frames.
Clark’s 335-foot solo blast over the left field wall in the visitors’  seventh inning was particularly devastating to the Pointers, who were hoping to retaliate after the Bucs broke a 4-4 deadlock with a run in the sixth.
On the season, Clark leads the Bucs with a .400 batting average, 16 hits, three doubles and the team’s only home run. Senior Alberto Escoto’s five runs batted-in are tops.
With 11 hits in their rout of Clairemont, the Bucs’ team batting average now stands at .255. 
Mission Bay pitchers have combined for an earned-run average of 4.84, while the team is scoring 3.33 runs per game. 
Next up for the Bucs is a home game against league rival Madison High on Monday, April 21. The first pitch is at 3 p.m., and admission is free. Remaining home games, all starting at 3 p.m., are:
• April 25 vs. La Jolla *
• April 28 vs. La Jolla Country Day
• May 5 vs. Point Loma *
• May 12 vs. Madison *
• May 14 vs. University City *
• May 21 vs. La Jolla *
* Denotes Western League games