After going 16-0 in the second division of the Academic Athletic Association in 2016, the Mission High baseball team was elevated to the first division in 2017. While the Bears struggled to a 3-12 mark in league play last season, they are headed down a different path this season, after beating Lincoln 6-2 on Monday to extend their current win streak to seven games.
Mission got a three-hit performance from senior Lyle Kahney on Monday afternoon, including a double, triple, and three runs driven in. Kahney's day was part of a team-wide effort at the plate, which supported a strong pitching outing from juniors Ahkeem and Azaan Lewis. Ahkeem struck out six and allowed three hits in five innings on the mound, and was relieved by Azaan, who allowed two hits in his two innings to preserve the victory.
Meanwhile, Kahney's triple past the right fielder in the bottom of the fourth inning broke open a game that had been tied at one since the first inning, clearing the bases for a 4-1 Mission lead. Both Lewis' and Will Cohen each drove in runs as well for the Bears.
The win over the Mustangs continued what has been a remarkable run for Mission, which is now 11-6 overall and 7-2 in league play, trailing five-time defending champion Lowell by a single game in the standings. Last week was a dominant sweep of Washington, in which junior CJ Pino tossed a complete game, nine-strikeout five-hitter in a 4-0 victory, and that was followed by a 17-6 shellacking of the Eagles. Azaan Lewis drove in five runs in the latter win, while Carl Muraco pounded out four hits.
The current seven-game winning streak began with a three-game stretch at the Hug Tournament in Reno, beating Quincy, Centennial-Boise, and Innisdale-Ontario to finish the tournament.