Mission Bay baseball has entered some uncharted waters in 2024. The Bucs have been members of the San Diego City League since 2016. However, with CIF San Diego’s new league realignment, Mission Bay has found a new home in the more robust Eastern League.
With names such as Coronado, La Jolla, Mira Mesa, and Scripps Ranch, wins in the league have been harder to come by than in years past.
Coming into the week, Mission Bay was 0-2 in Eastern League play. That number, though, dropped to 0-3 after a tight home loss to Scripps Ranch by the final score of 4-2.
In the top of the first, Mission Bay found itself in an early hole after a Scripps Ranch solo HR made it 1-0. The Bucs promptly responded in the bottom half of the inning with two runs.
Mission Bay would utilize some small ball, a hallmark of theirs, to bring in two. Emery Semmens would lead off the inning with the walk and then go first to third on a sac bunt. Semmens would then be brought in by a ringing RBI single by Mason Gallego.
After a Gallego stolen base, Jacob Marshall would continue the timely hitting as he would lace a ball to center for an RBI single of his own to score Gallego and give Mission Bay a 2-1 lead.
“We try to create pressure from any way we can do it with the bats and on the base paths early. Especially early in the game and at the top of the lineup” said Bucs head coach Kenny Hood, “For them to come back after a home run, and there are not many home runs hit in this yard, I thought that energy was great.”
In the first inning, Mission Bay did a great job of not only being aggressive but working deep counts. It’s something that this Bucs team is trying to make a conscious effort to do.
“In this league, there are really good pitchers who are accurate, similar to our pitching staff, so we always want to apply that additional pressure of not giving them easy innings.”
After the first inning, the Bucs would be held scoreless and scatter just three more hits.
“We were too much out in front today, and one of the big points of emphasis, which is still a work in progress for us, is not guessing. Good pitchers will reverse pitch you, not give you a predictable pitch,” said Hood.
Despite the lack of run support on the afternoon, Bucs starter Van Playman would deliver a quality start for Mission Bay. The junior right-hander would work six innings, allowing just two earned runs, on four hits, three walks, and striking out four.
The two unearned runs were due to an error in the fourth inning. An error at shortstop allowed two runs to score, which proved to be the game-winning runs.
“Van is always composed.” noted Hood, “I thought he was good, although he would tell you it wasn’t his sharpest with a couple walks and a hit batter, but he battled. His record does not show how well he has pitched this season.”
Following the 4-2 loss, Mission Bay would also drop game two of the series to Scripps on Friday afternoon by the final of 5-1. Errors would again loom large, as the Bucs committed six on the afternoon.
With the record at 0-4 in Eastern League Play, and 12-9 overall, Mission Bay will look to rebound and finally pick up their first conference win of the season this coming week when they take on Mira Mesa on April 24 and 26.
