GCCL Bucs Stage Ninth-Inning Rally to Defeat LA Mission 8-6

Michael Choi finishes his swing against the LA Mission Eagles at El Cariso park July 5, 2022. Photo by Maddy Whiting

The GCCL Bucs rallied from a 5-2 deficit in the 7th inning to earn a 5-2 win over LA Mission on the road at El Cariso Park Tuesday afternoon. Michael Choi capped the rally with a 3-run home run in the ninth inning giving the Bucs an 8-5 lead.

“I was looking for fastballs down the middle half and trying to hit it the opposite way, and good things happened,” Choi said.

The Bucs took an early 2-0 lead in the 2nd inning after a Ryder Edwards RBI groundout and an Evan Kang RBI single scored Jaden Rez and Yahir Garcia. LA Mission responded with 3 runs in the 3rd and 2 runs in the 4th inning to take a 5-2 lead.

The score remained 5-2 during the 5th and 6th innings as both teams squandered opportunities with runners in scoring position. In the 7th inning the Bucs fought back, scoring two runs off of a Troy Leaf RBI single and a fielder’s choice to cut the deficit to 5-4.

It was do-or-die coming into the 9th inning for the Bucs, where they responded by tying up the game with a Tejeda RBI single that also left a runner on first and third with 1 out. When Michael Choi came up to the plate next, he took a pitch over the fence in left center and hit a clutch 3 run home run to give the Bucs a comfortable 8-5 lead.

LA Mission plated one run in the bottom of the 9th but it was not enough as Logan Tourville closed out LA Mission to secure the victory and earn the win. The Bucs will look to build off of the win when they take on the California Bucs on Friday afternoon.