The Buccaneer baseball team is battling to hold onto a tie for the Western League title in the final days of the 2008 regular season. After dropping two games 7-0 and 3-2 to Coronado, Mission Bay defeated top-rated Cathedral High 4-3 Monday, May 12.
“We got some timely hits and good pitching,” said head coach Greg Farrar. “Cathedral has some good guys, some real fine players. But (Francisco) Valdez pitched a real solid game while key guys got us the runs we needed to get the win.”
Jesse Moore, Brian Sagun and Evan Taylor were the most productive hitters in the Cathedral victory.
Taylor got the Bucs on the board with a second inning solo home run and slapped a single for the game-winning RBI in the fifth.
“Taylor is a real asset at the plate and good defensive player,” Farrar said.
“I felt more relaxed at the plate. I wanted to do well in our last (regular season) home game,” said senior center fielder Taylor. “Everyone knew ” we’ve got to be more intense, more focused. It was a win we needed.”
The Bucs added another run to Taylor’s homer in the third inning when Moore led off with a double. Then Sagun provided another long double to score Moore.
The pair nearly repeated the sequence in the fifth inning ” Moore led off with a single, then Sagun tripled up the right field line to drive in Moore again.
“Brian has become very disciplined at the plate. He can hit anything,” Farrar said. “He hits the ball where it is pitched ” he has grown into a complete hitter. He is rarely fooled.”
An anchor of the Bucs defense, shortstop Sagun was part of three double plays against the Dons.
Valdez provided a complete game win for the Bucs, including a pick-off at first while improving to 7-4.
“Valdez has great command of his off-speed,” Farrar added. “He was consistent with his location, got ahead of his batters and threw his off-speed for strikes. It was one of his best pitching efforts.”
The Bucs defense committed no errors while Cathedral booted one.
The win improved the Bucs to 19-10 (8-3).
Mission Bay will celebrate the season with their annual awards picnic Sunday, May 18, after learning the playoff seedings on Saturday. CIF playoffs begin next week.
Mission Bay baseball information is available at www.missionbayhigh.com (858) 273-1313 ext. 353.