After an impressive second half of the season, Mission Bay won the Western League for the first time since 1987. Mission Bay has won other league titles in 2017, 2018, and 2019.
“It’s a great accomplishment for the girls,” said head coach Vincent Ichihara. “Almost every player had a moment that contributed to our overall success.”
Among those players was pitcher Keira Bucher, who was named Pitcher of the Year, and CIF First Team All-League. Shortstop Kira Monji also received accolades being named to CIF First Team All-League, while centerfielder Kylie Maratea made Second Team All-League, with Ichihara receiving Western League Coach of the Year honors in the first year this category has been awarded.
“We had a lot of great moments, but overall the camaraderie this season was through the roof,” he Ichihara added.
The team was able to accomplish this thanks largely to a 9-2 finish in its final 11 games of the regular season after starting off with a 6-5 record. Mission Bay was also able to win all three games decided by one run, unlike the first half of the season when the team lost all three.
The only two losses that Mission Bay suffered during the second half of the season came against Patrick Henry and Cathedral Catholic. But the Bucs outscored their other opponents 47-17, which included wins over those same two schools finishing the regular season with a 15-7 record.
The first opponent Mission Bay faced in the playoffs was Olympian High on May 17 who they defeated convincingly by a score of 8-2. Mission Bay would then go on to face Helix High two days later dropping a close one 2-1 and forcing the team into a must-win scenario versus Valhalla on May 21. Despite a valiant effort, the team would fall 7-6 after giving up two runs in the bottom of the 7th inning to close out the season.
“It was a tough way to end the season, but this group of graduating seniors was a part of the Div. III CIF championship team, and two league championships, so they left their mark on the program,” said Ichihara. “I’m looking forward to next season and hopefully make another run at a league championship and hopefully another playoff run.”
