1965 Baseball: Cavers Win Seventh Lions Tournament title

The 15th annual Lions baseball tournament began with all eyes on the sky.

Rain had played havoc with the schedule this spring and had a wet and dreary history with the event, actually resulting in cancellation in 1964.

San Diego High, winner of the tournament six times since 1951, was top seed among the 16 Unlimited Division teams, with Monte Vista favored in the 13-team Limited Division.

4/12/65

Tony Pisciotta and Kirk Gurling combined to check Escondido on four hits and top-seed San Diego advanced with a 5-0 victory over Escondido.

Three other ranked squads, Crawford (9-0, Mount Miguel), Hoover (4-0, El Capitan), and Point Loma, (3-1 Lincoln), all moved on in the Unlimited Division.

Hoover’s Greg Verdon pitched a one-hitter.  Crawford’s Bob Boone and Larry Forest scattered three Mount Miguel hits.  Point Loma Paul Ehrich gave up four hits, one a home run to losing pitcher Dennis Webb.

Monte Vista shut out Mission Bay, 5-0. Hilltop scored seven runs in the seventh inning in a 13-1 win over La Jolla. University won its tenth in a row, 3-1 over Mar Vista.

Point Loma’s Al Litten entered game as pinch runner and sustained a broken leg (arrow) in collision with Crawford catcher Tim McClure.

4/13/65

San Diego defeated El Cajon Valley, 4-3, in the morning and came from behind to edge Hoover, 5-4, in the afternoon to gain the championship game against Point Loma, which whipped Clairemont, then turned back Crawford, 1-0.

Trailing, 4-1, in the last of the seventh inning, San Diego got a triple from Clarence Calvin, double from Dennis Maley, bunt single by Louie Panza, pinch-hit single by Lee Wright, Hoover error, and a double steal that stole the win from the stunned Cardinals.

Crawford had 12 base runners, but two were out on plays at the plate, the last which ended the game, and three were cut down at second base, all part of outstanding defensive play by Pointers catcher Tim Faris.

Monte Vista beat Castle Park, 4-2, and Marian, 11-6, to gain the Limited Division championship versus Coronado, which surprised seeded opponents Hilltop, 5-3, and University, 2-1.

Brent Strom (background) picked off Point Loma’s Pete Baumann, tagged out by Steve Shepherd in San Diego’s 3-2 championship-game victory against Point Loma.

4/14/65

Brent Strom was named outstanding player of the tournament, pitching the first four innings and doubling in all of San Diego’s runs in the fifth inning of the 3-2 championship over Point Loma.

The Pointers Mike Adamson walked Dennis Maley and Louie Panza on eight pitches and then yielded an infield single to Steve Shepherd, setting the stage for Strom.

Monte Vista won its second straight Limited title as the game with Coronado was called with one out in the top of the seventh inning when the 12-run rule was activated by a Monarchs run that made the score 13-1.

Lincoln beat Escondido, 12-3, as Dennis Webb hit his second home run of the tournament, and St. Augustine topped Mar Vista, 1-0, for consolation brackets titles.

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0 thoughts on “1965 Baseball: Cavers Win Seventh Lions Tournament title

  1. I was a senior at Point Loma and remember the Lions tournament well. I thought that once we beat Crawford, San Diego would be an easy game but it didn’t happen. If my memory is correct, PL also lost to San Diego in the CIF playoffs.

    1. I should have the full 1965 season posted in a day or so. Yes, San Diego won the playoff, 1-0.

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8-man team
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8 vs 11-man team
~
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All boys, 2x enrollment
4 vs 3 grades, 9-12 vs 10-12
[
]
CA tiebreaker win,
loss
#, ##
!!
Forfeit win, loss
Game called, shortened or postponed
%Citrus-Desert Playoff

This will close in 0 seconds

@
=
Away game
League game
>
>>,>>>,...
Overtime
2x,3x,... Overtime
I-V
A-AAA
O
Division I to V
Division A to AAA
Open Division
1T, 2T, ...
}, {
Final standing tie
Win, loss by 45 pt 'mercy' rule
*
**
***
^

^+
^^
1st round playoff
Quarterfinal playoff
Semifinal playoff
Championship
SoCal Championship
State Championship
8
8*
8**

8+
8-man team
Intraleague playoff
Southern Section playoff
8 vs 11-man team
~
-4
All boys, 2x enrollment
4 vs 3 grades, 9-12 vs 10-12
[
]
CA tiebreaker win,
loss
#, ##
!!
Forfeit win, loss
Game called, shortened or postponed
%Citrus-Desert Playoff

This will close in 0 seconds

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