Our history

Bay Park’s first travel team

Long before weekend travel tournaments filled every corner of Southern California, the Bay Park Piranhas helped write the blueprint for competitive neighborhood baseball in San Diego.

Founded in 1995 by Craig Rustich and Steve Randel, the Piranhas were the first travel baseball team in the area's history. The founding grounds were the fields at Tecolote, in the canyons above Mission Bay. The standard was simple: take Bay Park kids, teach them fearless, fundamentally sound baseball, and compete against anyone.

In red caps and white shirts, the Piranhas went from San Diego dirt fields to national competition. They competed for the AAU championships every year, won Triple Crown World Series titles, and played at Cooperstown Dreams Park. Along the way they earned a reputation for relentless hustle, high baseball IQ, and a refusal to be outworked.

More than three decades later, the Piranhas are back. The uniforms are sharper and the players are just starting out, but the program runs on the same rules it always did.

The original Bay Park Piranhas team portrait with coaches, mid-1990s, in red Bay Park caps and white Piranhas shirts
The original Piranhas, mid-1990s. Craig Rustich stands in the back row. Brant Rustich, about 10 years old, is the second kid from the right in the back row, and his older brother is on the roster too.

Since 1995

One name, three eras

1995

The founding

Craig Rustich and Steve Randel start the Piranhas. Craig coaches the original group, including his sons, through age 14.

2000s

The restart

A decade later Craig rebuilds the team from scratch with his youngest son's group, coaching them from 8U through 13U.

2026

The return

Brant Rustich brings the Piranhas back with a 6U roster, in the same neighborhood his father started it.

The original Bay Park Piranhas team hamming it up for the camera on Tecolote Bronco Field, scoreboard behind them
Same team, less serious. Martin Atkins stands at far left, and his son Lance Atkins kneels at bottom left. The Atkins family is part of the 2026 team.

Then and now

Same neighborhood. Next generation.

Some of the families on today's roster have roots in these photos. The kids who wore the first Piranhas shirts are now the parents in the stands, and their kids are taking the field.

  • Brant Rustich played for his father, Craig, and is now the 6U head coach. His son, Francis, wears No. 17.
  • Chris Fransway played three seasons for the Piranhas, also coached by Craig Rustich. Today he’s an assistant coach, and Reese F. wears No. 21.
  • Martin Atkins is in the original team photos, and his son, Lance, played for the Piranhas. Martin’s grandson, Walker C., wears No. 9.