Mission exiting the baseball wilderness
Mission’s motto when 1983 graduate Chris Ayag took over the program in 2015 was “Bring Mission baseball back to the glory days.”
This year, it has been modified to “Our time is now.”
The Bears, who sent eight players to the major leagues from Julio Bonetti (Class of 1919) to “Dirty Al” Gallagher (1963), haven’t won a San Francisco Section crown since 1990.
Frankly, they haven’t been close.
Mired in the lower division of the Academic Athletic Association, Mission has been a league doormat.
But this season, with a deep pitching staff buoyed by All-Metro selection C.J. Pino, eight savvy seniors, a cohesive coaching staff and three key transfers, Mission is contending with perennial big brother Lowell for AAA supremacy.
“There’s no doubt Lowell and Mission are the two best teams in the league,” said former Lowell coach John Donohue, who retired in 2015 as the state’s eighth winningest coach (735) but still attends every game. Mission “plays sound, fundamental baseball in all facets. Chris and his staff have done a tremendous job.”
The team’s 11-8 record (7-4 in AAA) deserves some explanation. The Bears have lost five walk-off one-run games, including two eight-inning decisions, 3-2 to Sacred Heart Cathedral on Feb. 20, and 5-4 to Lowell on March 8.
“Growing pains,” Ayag said. “We’ve lost some tough ones, but won some also. I can honestly say this is the best team we’ve had since 1990.”
That’s even after back-toback losses 8-3 and 7-3 last week to Lowell. Both games were tight until late-inning rallies by the Cardinals (14-9, 8-1 AAA), who have won five straight section crowns, seven of 11, 10 of 16 and 15 of the past 23.
That’s how Mission used to roll way back when, winning 11 titles from 1931 to 1949. But since then, the Bears have claimed but three titles: 1979, 1980 and 1990.
“It’s a new era,” Ayag said. “It’s a new culture.”
The school’s basketball team won a state crown in 2017 and the football squad is a regular in the Turkey Day Game. The baseball team, sporting a 2.84 ERA, looks primed to play on the AAA’s biggest stage: AT&T Park, site of the league title game May 7.
“We’ve got a lot of really focused kids and a staff that keeps them so on and off the diamond,” said Ayag, noting oncampus assistants Dan Nemiroff and Juan Garcia, along with volunteer assistant Dan Pino.
C.J. Pino, a junior, is 3-1 with a 2.67 ERA and six complete games. The third-year starter is also hitting .359 with six doubles and 11 RBIs. “He came in highly touted and has been good as advertised,” Ayag said.
Senior Adam Sabatino (2-2, 2.07) and junior Will Cohen (2-1, 3.50) are the other mainstays on the mound. The infield consists of catcher Zeke Belino, Cohen at first, second basemen Carlos Ramirez (.364), shortstop Sabatino (.294) and third baseman Ahkeem Lewis (.316).
The outfield has Azaan Lewis (Ahkeem’s twin), who is batting .438, leadoff hitter Artus Tran (.370) and Carl Muraco (.394). Honoring ‘Wild’ Bill: The Bears and Lowell honored former Mission coach “Wild” Bill Mustanich (1953-64) before their game Thursday at USF.
Mustanich, 99, was scheduled to throw out the first pitch, but he died two days earlier. Mustanich’s son, Bill Jr., then threw out the pitch to Donohue: “I was saddened for the reason, but regardless of the outcome, it was a great day to honor a great man and celebrate high school baseball,” Donohue said.