The long game ended the longest wait in the 18-season history of the San Diego Section.  Hilltop’s 3-1 victory over Vista in the 17-inning 2-A finals marked the first year that a team not from the Eastern, Western or Grossmont leagues had won the title.

Championships had been won by Eastern League schools Hoover (4), Crawford (4), San Diego (1), and Patrick Henry (1), the Western League’s University (2), Kearny (1), Madison (1), and Point Loma (1), or the Grossmont League’s Helix (1), Santana (1) or Granite Hills (1).

Keeping with history, Hilltop coach John Baumgarten’s lineage included a link to the Eastern League.  Baumgartner was a 1958 graduate of St. Augustine.

Baumgarten was head coach at Hilltop from 1972-2001 and posted a career record of 407-299. His teams earned seven league titles and the 1983 and ’85 teams won San Diego Section championships.

5/15/79

Eight schools, half of the 16-team bracket, qualified for the San Diego Section playoffs.

Kearny earned the City Conference Eastern League title with an 8-4 win over Clairemont.  Madison claimed the No. 2 spot despite losing to Patrick Henry, 8-6.

University won the City Western League championship, 1-0, over Serra, and Hoover finished second with a 17-4 victory over Mira Mesa.

Hilltop’s 10-5 win over Bonita Vista gave the Lancers the Metropolitan League crown and a No. 2 qualifier went to the Barons.  Castle Park, 6-0 over Sweetwater and Coronado, 6-5 over Marian, filled out the first eight playoff positions.

—Kearny’s third consecutive title was fueled by the complete-game pitching of Mike Bregante and the hitting of Marty Hunter and John Wynns, who each drove in two runs.

—Gary Harris and Bob Warner combined for five runs batted in for Hoover.

—John Alvarez hit his sixth and seventh home runs and Helix beat Grossmont, 9-5, to tie for first place in the Grossmont League with the Foothillers, each with an 11-3 record. Highlanders catcher Jim Oxe was 4 for 4 and 8 for his last 12 at-bats.

5/18/79

Grossmont League teams concluded the regular season with Helix and Grossmont tying for first place after the Highlanders beat Valhalla, 3-1, and Grossmont defeated Monte Vista, 4-1. El Capitan was in the playoffs after a 11-4 win against El Cajon Valley and Mount Miguel, despite a 5-3 loss to Santana, took the final bid.

School bosses voted for Helix as the league’s No. 1 playoff seed.

—El Capitan lefthander Steve Cook allowed three hits and struck out six and the right-hand-hitting Cook was 2 for 3 at the plate, scored three runs, and slugged a home run.

—Steve Lopez’ four-hit pitching stifled Monte Vista and Helix’ Steve Bazzar went the distance for the win over Valhalla.

FINAL STANDINGS

GROSSMONT LEAGUE

LEAGUE						OVERALL
TEAM	WON	LOST	TIED	Pct.	GBL	WON	LOST	TIED	Pct.
Helix	13	3	0	.829	—	19	4	0	.826
Grossmont	13	3	0	.829	—	14	7	1	.659
El Capitan	11	5	0	.688	2	14	9	0	.609
Mount Miguel	8	8	0	.500	5	11	11	0	.500
El Cajon Valley	7	9	0	.463	6	9	14	0	.391
Santana	7	9	0	.463	6	9	13	0	.409
Granite Hills	6	10	0	.375	7	8	14	0	.364
Monte Vista	5	11	0	.313	8	8	15	0	.348
Valhalla	1	15	0	.062	12	2	19	0	.

METROPOLITAN LEAGUE

LEAGUE						OVERALL
TEAM	WON	LOST	TIED	Pct.	GBL		WON	LOST	TIED	Pct.
Hilltop	13	4	1	.750	—		15	6	1	.705
Bonita Vista	11	7	0	.611	2		14	9	0	.609
Castle Park	9	8	1	.528	3 1/2		12	9	1	.568
Coronado	9	9	0	.500	4		9	13	0	.409
Chula Vista	8	9	1	.472	4 ½		12	12	1	.500
Marion	8	10	0	.444	5		11	11	0	.500
Montgomery	8	10	0	.444	5		9	13	0	.409
San Diego Southwest	7	10	1	.417	5 1/2		11	12	1	.479
Sweetwater	7	10	0	.412	6		10	12	0	.455
Mar Vista	7	11	0	.389	6 ½		9	13	0	.409

EASTERN LEAGUE

LEAGUE						OVERALL
TEAM	WON	LOST	TIED	Pct.	GBL	WON	LOST	TIED	Pct.
Kearny	11	2	0	.786	—	17	6	0	.737
Madison	9	4	1	.679	1 ½	17	6	1	.729
Patrick Henry	8	6	0	.571	3	16	8	0	.667
Crawford	7	6	1	.536	3 ½	13	10	1	.563
Morse	7	7	0	.500	4	10	12	0	.455
Clairemont	6	8	0	.429	5	14	10	0	.583
San Diego	5	9	0	.357	6	10	12	0	.455
Point Loma	2	12	0	.143	9	5	16	0	.238

WESTERN LEAGUE

LEAGUE						OVERALL
TEAM	WON	LOST	TIED	Pct.	GBL	WON	LOST	TIED	Pct.
University	12	2	0	.857	—	20	4	0	.833
Hoover	10	4	0	.714	2	17	6	0	.737
Mission Bay	8	5	1	.607	3 ½	12	10	1	.543
Serra	8	6	0	.571	4	14	9	0	.609
St. Augustine	6	7	1	.464	5 ½	10	12	1	.457
La Jolla	5	9	0	.357	7	9	12	1	.432
Lincoln	4	10	0	.286	8	7	14	0	.333
Mira Mesa	2	12	0	.157	10	4	16	0	.200

AVOCADO WEST

LEAGUE						OVERALL
TEAM	WON	LOST	TIED	Pct.	GBL	WON	LOST	TIED	Pct.
Vista	8	3	1	.708	—	13	6	2	.667
Fallbrook	8	4	0	.667	½	12	12	0	.500
San Dieguito	7	5	0	.583	1 ½	14	10	0	.583
Carlsbad	6	5	1	.542	2 1/2	13	10	1	.563
El Camino	6	6	0	.500	3	9	13	—	.409
Oceanside	4	8	0	.333	4	10	12	0	.455
Torrey Pines	2	10	0	.167	6	5	17	0	.227
Mira Mesa	2	12	0	.157	10	4	16	0	.200

AVOCADO EAST

LEAGUE						OVERALL
TEAM	WON	LOST	TIED	Pct.	GBL	WON	LOST	TIED	Pct.
San Pasqual	9	3	0	.750	—	14	9	0	.609
Mt. Carmel	9	3	0	.750	—	16	7	0	.696
Orange Glen	8	4	0	.667	1	12	10	0	.545
San Marcos	7	5	0	.583	2	12	10	0	.545
Poway	5	7	0	.417	4	8	13	0	.381
Escondido	3	9	0	.250	6	5	16	0	.238
Ramona	1	11	0	.083	8	6	16	0	.273
Mira Mesa	2	12	0	.157	10	4	16	0	.200

5/22/79

SAN DIEGO SECTION PLAYOFFS

FIRST ROUND

University (20-5) 2, @Madison 6.

University’s attempt to be the first team since Crawford in 1964 and ’65 to win back-to-back championships came a cropper when Madison’s Mark Wilson and Bill Watson combined to halt the Dons on five hits.

The Warhawks batted around in the second inning and scored four runs on five singles. Paul Peterson, Steve Clark and Bill Davis paced Madison’s 10-hit attack with two hits each.

Hoover (17-7) 5, @Kearny 6.

—John Wynns hit a two-run home run and Forrest Goodman singled and tripled, and David Buttles pitched a complete-game eight-hitter as Kearny, after losing a five-run lead, scored a run in the bottom of the sixth inning for the victory.

El Capitan (14-10) 2, @Grossmont 5.

—Mike Hook gave up one hit, a fourth-inning, bases-empty home run to John Ramirez, and Grossmont defeated El Capitan, with Hook continuing to enjoy a hot streak.  The 6-foot, 170-pound senior pitched a two-hitter and one-hitter in his previous two starts.

Mount Miguel (11-12) 4, @Helix 6.

The Highlanders’ Phil Oyos pitched a complete game victory…in relief.

Oyos stepped in for starter Joe Carter after the Matadors scored four runs before anyone was out in the first inning and allowed two singles and struck out 13.

Coronado (9-15) 3, @Hilltop 12.

Kerry Everette’s two-run home run was among 12 base hits by the Lancers, who led, 8-0, after three innings.

Castle Park (12-10-1) 6, @Bonita Vista 7.

Fallbrook (12-13) 4, @San Pasqual 11.

Trailing, 4-2, the Golden Eagles scored nine runs in the bottom of the sixth inning.

Mt. Carmel (16-8) 2, @Vista 5.

Bill Baldwin gave up five hits, Tom Davis hit a two-run home run in the first inning, and Vista jumped to a five-run lead in the first three innings.

QUARTERFINALS

5/23/79

Kearny 3, San Pasqual (15-10) 2, @University San Diego.

Kearny players gave coach Jack Taylor a signed birthday card on his 49^th and then delivered a victory.

Steve Dreher relieved starting pitcher Mike Bregante with one out after the Eagles had scored a run and had the tying and winning runs on first and third base.

Dreher got Dan Lane to miss an attempted squeeze bunt that resulted in one runner being tagged out in a run down. Lane then struck out to end the game.

“It was a tough situation but I kind of like pressure,” said Dreher, who moved from his position at third base to the mound.  “I signaled to coach Taylor in the dugout that I was ready if he needed me.”

Hilltop 6, Grossmont (15-8-1) 4, @Grossmont College.

The Lancers rode a five-run first inning to victory.

Vista 5, Madison (18-7-1) 4, @Palomar College.

The Panthers stunned the favored Warhawks with a four-run rally in the bottom of the seventh inning.

Helix (20-5) 3, Bonita Vista 4, @Grossmont College.

Steve Ray worked his way out of a bases-loaded, one-out jam in the sixth inning to preserve the Barons’ win over the favored Highlanders.

5/25/79

SEMIFINALS

Hilltop 4, Kearny (19-7) 3, @University San Diego.

Successive singles in the fifth inning by Todd Fileccia, Bryan Wagner, and Manny Salinas scored one run and a hit batter forced in another run as Hilltop tied the score at 3, and Wagner’s double over the centerfielder’s head, drove in the winning run in the seventh.

Vista 11, Bonita Vista (16-10) 1, @Grossmont College.

Ed Lisi’s three-run home run highlighted a four-run third inning and Doug Moxley’s grand slam in the top of the sixth was the coup de grace as Vista hammered the Barons, handcuffed by Bill Grim’s two-hit pitching.

5/26/79

CHAMPIONSHIP

Hilltop (19-6-1) 3, Vista (16-7-1) 1, 17 Innings, @University San Diego.

The game was so long, five hours, that the 1-A title contest between Christian and Mountain Empire had to be rescheduled to the following Wednesday.

With the score tied, 1-1, Hilltop’s Howard Rasmussen drew a one-out walk in the top of the 17^th.  Rob Hughes’ single advanced Rasmussen to third and Todd Fileccia, hitless in his first five times at bat, singled in Rasmussen.  Hughes scored one out later on a single by Manny Salinas.

Bill Collins pitched the first 8 1/3 innings for Hilltop and Davie Martinez blanked the Panthers over the last 8 2/3 innings.  Panthers starter Bill Baldwin pitched 10 innings before giving way to three relievers.

The sides combined for 28 base hits, all singles.  Collins gave up one run in the first and survived a near disaster in the bottom of the seventh, when the Panthers loaded the bases with none out.

After a walk in the ninth inning, Lancers coach John Baumgartner called on Martinez, normally used in short relief.

Bryan Wagner and Hughes each had three hits for the Metro League squad.  Ron Tart and Charlie Somers had three hits each for the Avocado West representative.

5/30/79

1-A CHAMPIONSHIP

Mountain Empire defeated Christian, 2-0, at University of San Diego, snapping a two-game losing streak to the Patriots this season and preventing Christian from a third consecutive 1-A championship.

Junior Mike Davis cuffed the Patriots on two hits, singles by Dave Tenney and Kenny Watson.  Davis struck out 4 and walked 4.

6/4/79

Helix’ Jim Oxe hit a bases-loaded single in the fourth inning to lead County seniors to a 4-3 win over the City in the annual San Diego Baseball Coaches’ All-Star game at University San Diego.

Dick Serrano coached his second San Diego Section championship team and continued to leave a legacy at the school, from which he graduated in 1961 and which he guided the baseball program for 30 years until his retirement after the 2000 season.

Unlike the 1972 team that finished the regular season with a 12-10 record and third place in the Western League, Serrano’s 1978 club was 21-3 and ranked first in the County by the Evening Tribune heading into the postseason.

The Dons defeated four playoff teams with combined records of 66-33 over a five-day span of solid starting and relief pitching and timely (home runs) hitting and they became the only team other than Santana in 1970 to win their division of the Lions Tournament and a league championship to go with the Section title.

Tom Keating was the ace of Serrano’s pitching staff with a 1.98 earned-run average and 78 strikeouts in 105 innings of a 15-1 season.  Keating threw strikes on 62 of 85 pitches in the championship game.

5/2/78

The San Diego Section board of managers approved a proposal for the 1978-79 school year calling for playoff competition in 3-A, 2-A, and 1-A divisions.  The new setup adds one more classification to the existing 2-A, 1-A alignment.

The move will affect football, boys’ basketball, and baseball, said CIF commissioner Kendall (Spider) Webb.

—Marian hit five home runs, including two by Mike Owens, and won a 13-8 slugfest from San Diego Southwest.

—Future baseball executive Billy Beane, who was played by Brad Pitt in the movie “Money Ball,” homered in Mt. Carmel’s 9-4 win at El Camino.

—Tom Zeithing hurled a no-hitter and battery mate Craig Earley hit a two-run home run in the second inning that was all Zeithing needed in a 6-0 San Pasqual victory over Ramona.

5/5/78

—Orange Glen, a 3-15 team in 1977 and playing with junior varsity graduates who were almost equally unsuccessful last year, beat Escondido and ace Brad Palmer, 4-3, to improve to 7-1 in the Avocado East, a game ahead of the host Cougars.

5/12/78

Billy Beane hit a pair of two-run home runs and Mt. Carmel routed San Pasqual, 14-3.

—Carlsbad overcame a 7-4 Vista lead with five runs in the last half of the seventh inning.   John Hickman tripled with two out and the bases loaded for an 8-7 Lancers victory.

5/18/78

FINAL STANDINGS

EASTERN

LEAGUE					OVERALL
TEAM	WON	LOST	Pct.	GBL	WON	LOST	Pct.
Patrick Henry	10	4	.714	—	18	5	.783
Kearny	10	4	.714	—	16	8	.667
Madison	9	5	.643	1	15	8	.652
Clairemont	8	6	.571	2	15	8	.652
Morse	7	7	.500	3	10	10	.500
California	6	8	.429	4	12	12	.500
Point Loma	4	10	.286	6	8	13	.381
San Diego	2	12	.167	8	5	16	.238

WESTERN                               

LEAGUE					OVERALL
TEAM	WON	LOST	Pct.	GBL	WON	LOST	Pct.
University	12	2	.857	—	21	3	.875
Hoover	12	2	.857	—	18	6	.750
Serra	7	7	.500	5	13	8	.619
Lincoln	7	7	.500	5	11	10	.524
St. Augustine	5	9	.357	7	10	13	.435
Mission Bay	4	10	.286	8	7	14	.333
Mira Mesa	1	13	.071	11	4	16	.200

GROSSMONT        

LEAGUE					OVERALL
TEAM	WON	LOST	Pct.	GBL	WON	LOST	Pct.
Helix	13	3	.829	—	17	5	.773
El Cajon Valley	11	5	.688	2	12	10	.545
Grossmont	10	6	.625	3	13	10	.565
Granite Hills	9	7	.563	4	15	9	.625
Santana	8	8	.500	5	9	13	.409
El Capitan	7	9	.438	6	11	12	.478
Valhalla	7	9	.438	6	12	12	.500
Mount Miguel	4	12	9	9	5	17	.227
Monte Vista	3	13	.188	10	4	16	.200

METROPOLITAN                                       

LEAGUE					OVERALL
TEAM	WON	LOST	Pct.	GBL	WON	LOST	Pct.
Marian	16	2	.889	—	18	2	.900
Bonita Vista	11	5	.688	5	11	9	.550
Montgomery	11	7	.611	6	12	10	.545
Chula Vista	10	7	.588	6 ½	12	10	.545
Hilltop	9	9	.500	7	10	12	.455
Castle Park	7	11	.388	9	11	13	.458
Coronado	6	11	.353	9 ½	9	14	.391
Sweetwater	6	11	.353	9 ½	7	15	.318
San Diego Southwest	6	12	.333	10	8	14	.364
Mar Vista	5	12	.294	11	6	.15	.286

AVOCADO EAST         

LEAGUE					OVERALL
TEAM	WON	LOST	Pct.	GBL	WON	LOST	Pct.
Orange Glen	10	2	.833	—	14	8	.636
Escondido	10	2	.833	—	16	6	.727
Mt. Carmel	8	4	.667	2	15	7	.628
San Marcos	5	7	.417	5	6	16	.273
San Pasqual	4	8	.333	6	5	17	.227
Ramona	3	9	.250	7	7	16	.304
Poway	2	10	.167	8	5	16	.238

AVOCADO WEST                

LEAGUE					OVERALL
TEAM	WON	LOST	Pct.	GBL	WON	LOST	Pct.
Fallbrook	10	2	.833	—	15	5	.714
Carlsbad	8	3	.727	1 1/2	17	4	.810
Torrey Pines	7	4	.636	2 ½	13	7	.650
San Dieguito	5	7	.417	5	9	9	.500
El Camino	4	7	.364	5 ½	5	16	.238
Oceanside	3	8	.273	6 ½	8	12	.400
Vista	2	8	.200	8	5	14	.263

5/23/78

PLAYOFFS

2-A FIRST ROUND (INTRALEAGUE).

GROSSMONT CONFERENCE

4 Granite Hills 5, @1 Helix (17-6) 3.

Kent Paine’s two home runs was the difference for the Eagles, whose Tony Haymes set down the Highlanders on four hits.

3 Grossmont (13-11) 1, @2 El Cajon Valley 5.

Henry Garcia’s three-run homer in the first inning augmented complete-game pitching by Troy Embleton.

CITY CONFERENCE

2 Western Hoover (18-7) 4, @Eastern 1 Kearny 5.

Dennis Jones’s double scored Steve Dreher, who had walked, and Steve Brinkley, who had been hit by a pitch, in the Komets’ walk-off victory.

2 Eastern Patrick Henry (18-6), 4, vs. Western 1 University 5, @University San Diego.

Adam Asaro hit a game-winning home run in the last of the seventh inning, after the Patriots had tied the score at 4-4 with a two-run single in the top of the inning.  Righthander Tom Keating won his 14^th game in 15 decisions.

METROPOLITAN CONFERENCE

4 Chula Vista (12-11) 0, @1 Marian 4.

Paul Kelly’s three-run home run in the sixth inning and Paul Torano’s four-hit pitching advanced the Crusaders.

3 Montgomery 7, @2 Bonita Vista (11-11) 6.

John Rice’s two-run triple sparked a five-run fifth inning for the Aztecs.

AVOCADO CONFERENCE

2 West Escondido 5, @1 East Fallbrook (15-7) 4.

Zac Garcia’s two home runs backed the two-hit pitching of Brad Palmer, who struck out 13 and survived a three-run home run by Mark Fleming.

2 West Carlsbad (17-5) 4, @1 East Orange Glen 5.

Greg West allowed three hits and became a winner when Mark Kubilus doubled in two runs in the bottom of the seventh inning.

1-A SEMIFINALS

2 Coastal Army-Navy 3, @1 Mountain Christian 18.

2 Mountain Mountain Empire 5, @4 Coastal Francis Parker 13.

5/24/78

QUARTERFINALS

Granite Hills (16-10) 2, vs. University 6, @University San Diego.

“Be a hero,” entreated University coach Dick Serrano to relief pitcher Chris Cohn in the first inning.

Cohn, a junior reliever with just 18 career innings, went the last 6 1/3, allowing four hits and single runs in the second and third and the Dons moved on after Dave Martinez’ triple cleared the bases and Ron Egan’s sacrifice fly made for a four-run sixth.

Orange Glen (15-9) 4, vs. Montgomery 7, @Palomar College.

Three Patriots errors led to a five-run first inning for the Aztecs.

Escondido 4, vs. Marian (19-3) 1, @Southwestern College.

The Cougars broke a scoreless tie in the top of the seventh inning with four runs.  Catcher Ron O’Rourke drove in the first run with a triple, scoring pitcher Brad Palmer.

O’Rourke scored on an error and Bryan Luskey’s single off pitcher Bryan Delore’s leg scored two more.

Kearny 10, vs. El Cajon Valley (13-11) 3, @Grossmont College.

The Komets, leading, 3-2, scored seven times in the fifth and sixth innings.  One of Brian Giles’ three doubles ignited a three-run fifth after two were out.  Steve Dreher and Dennis Jones drove in two runs each.

5/26/78

SEMIFINALS

Montgomery (13-11) 1, vs. University 6, @University San Diego. 

Mario Estrada, knocked out of the quarterfinals game with a jammed thumb after flagging down a line drive, came on in relief of Dan Sousa and shut down a bases loaded threat in the second inning and then allowed two hits and an unearned run over the distance.

The Dons’ Dave Martinez had three hits in three times at bat and drove in four runs.  Ron Egan singled in two runs and Dan Anguiano scored three runs.

Kearny (18-9) 5, vs. Escondido 8, @Grossmont College.

“I’ve never seen Brad hit that hard, never,” Cougars coach Bill Townsend told Henry Wesch of The San Diego Union.

Townsend was referring to pitcher Brad Palmer, making his third appearance of the playoffs, following a route-going first round and relief the next day.

“He didn’t have his overpowering fastball; he walked more guys than usual (5) …but still, if we play good defense behind him we probably only give up one run,” said Townsend.

Komets second baseman Brian Giles doubled in leadoff batter Brian Villandre in the first inning and doubled in another run in the third. Giles scored on Steve Brinkley’s single in the fifth.

Six of Escondido’s 10 hits off four pitchers came in a five-run fourth, which featured two-out hits by Mark Schmidt, Ben Sanchez, Zac Garcia, and Brian Luskey.

Kearny managed a 5-5 tie, but the Cougars scored three more runs in the bottom of the sixth on five walks and a bunt single. Palmer closed out the victory with a 1-2-3 top of the seventh inning.

5/27/78

2-A CHAMPIONSHIP

Escondido (19-7) 1, vs. University (25-3) 11, @ University San Diego.

Tom Keating (15-1) set down 18 consecutive batters and took a perfect game into the seventh inning, when an error and infield single ended the University pitcher’s pursuit.

Keating sailed to an 11-1 victory over the Cougars, who did not call on weary ace Brad Palmer to make a fourth consecutive appearance of the week.

“From about the fourth or fifth inning I knew I had the no-hitter, “ the 6-foot, 3-inch junior told Henry Wesch of The San Diego Union.   I wanted it, but it didn’t happen,”

First baseman Dan Souza led the Dons’ 11-hit attack with two prodigious home runs. The first, a three-run shot in the first inning, went over the fence near the 390-foot marker in right center field.  The second cleared trees behind the 375-foot sign in left center.

Souza, a .284 hitter during the regular season, was 5 for 10 in the playoffs with three home runs.

“We know we didn’t face their best pitcher, but that’s part of the game,” said Uni coach Dick Serrano.  “We were hoping to get an early lead so we wouldn’t have to see Palmer in the late innings in relief with the score close.”

1-A CHAMPIONSHIP.

Francis Parker 0, vs. Christian 3, @University San Diego.

The Lancers were shut down by Christian’s Tom Meinhert,  who pitched a no-hitter.

 

San Diego’s march to a Southern Section championship was derailed by Glendale in the most confusing finish in the 20-season career of coach Mike Morrow.

“Bait and switch”  is a often-used political term for what happened to the Hilltoppers.

They were told by CIF boss Seth Van Patten that a victory over Norwalk Excelsior in their second playoff (semifinal) would result in a championship encounter the following week in Lane Field against Compton.

Days later coach Mike Morrow’s team was forced to a second playoff semifinal which they lost to Glendale, 3-2.

STEADY DUO

All-Southern California Al Olsen and Chet Kehn were the  pitchers who delivered most of the Hillers’ success.

Olsen would spend much of 11 seasons pitching for the San Diego Padres and later was athletic director at San Diego State and a California senior tennis champion.

Morrow said of his lefthanded ace: “I never saw a high school pitcher with as much real stuff.  He puts something on each pitch. In the two years Olsen pitched for me I never saw him throw a straight fast ball.  It always has a hop or zip on it. He has wrapped his curve ball around more than one hitter’s neck.”

“Kehn has about the fastest breaking curve ball I ever saw,” added Morrow.

4/1/38

Lefthander Al Olsen gave up three hits and a run in the first inning to Alhambra, but recovered to strike out 15 batters and pitch San Diego to an 8-4 Coast League win over the visiting Moors.

Olsen also was 2 for 4 at the plate and scored two runs.  First baseman Ted Kerr added three hits..

—Burt Kenmuir allowed only four hits, but Long Beach Wilson scored the first half of a weekend sweep with a 1-0 win at Hoover in the afternoon before Wilson’s under-the-lights, dual meet victory in track.

—Sweetwater’s Boyd McGee shut out Point Loma on three hits, 6-0, in a Metropolitan League game on the Red Devils’ diamond.

—The brothers Galindo did it all in a 12-0 Escondido victory at Oceanside.   Adon (Don) Galindo handcuffed the Pirates on two hits, struck out nine, and  hit two doubles and a single.  Battery mate Ursulo had three hits, and first baseman Pete doubled twice and homered.

4/5/38

San Diego Padres owner Bill Lane allowed use of Lane Field to Hoover and San Diego for a night game, which was a preview for Hilltoppers pitcher Al Olsen, who later would go on to an 11-season career with the PCL San Diego Padres.

Olsen struck out 17 Cardinals, gave up two hits to third baseman Ed Neumeister, and hurled a 7-4 victory.

Olsen recovered from a shaky second inning when Hoover scored three runs on five walks, wild pitch, passed ball and Neumeister’s double.

The Coast League game drew an estimated 3,200 persons, according to The San Diego Union writer Mitch Angus.

—The Marine Corps Recruit Depot Devildogs overcame a 4-3 lead by San Diego with four runs in the seventh inning, driving pitcher Duane Pillette from the mound, and two more in the eighth for a 9-6 victory.

Manuel (Nay) Hernandez and Al Olsen each had three hits for the visitors.

4/8/38

John (Red) Keogh pitched St. Augustine to a 6-4 victory over the San Diego State freshmen at Central Elementary playground.  Keogh’s catcher was Benny Hemus, older brother of future major league player and manager Solly Hemus.

—Hoover beat Oceanside Junior College, 11-1, as pitcher Jerry Henlon, exiled for almost eight months in an eligibility beef with the CIF, went the distance on the mound for the Cardinals, allowing four hits.

Cardinals outfielder Doug Donnan led the way with three hits in three times at the plate.

—San Diego amassed 17 hits and won, 14-6, at Long Beach Wilson. Fred Martinez collected four hits and Chet Kehn went the distance on the mound despite giving up 13 hits.

—An eighth-inning base on balls deprived Escondido’s Adon (Don) Galindo of a perfect game. Galindo did not allow a hit and shut out Grossmont, 10-0.  Adon and his battery mate catcher and brother Ursulo each had two hits.

—Boyd McGee walked seven and hit two batters but pitched seven innings of Sweetwater’s 16-6 win at Oceanside.

4/9/38

Al Olsen and guest San Diego High pounded out 17 hits and defeated the Marine Corps Recruit Depot, 13-9. Olsen staggered the distance, giving up 12 hits, but shut out the Devildogs in the last four innings.

Chet Kehn and Stan Sharp homered or the Hilltoppers.

4/13/38

Three San Diego County squads were among the 43 schools entered in the Pomona 20-30 Rotary Club tournament, with Escondido, the defending champion, arriving a day earlier, followed by St. Augustine and San Diego.

Hoover and Sweetwater passed on the event.  The Red Devils cited a lack of players.

—Hoover was not idle, dropping a 3-2 decision to the Marine Corps Recruit Depot on the base diamond when Bob (The Clown) Trometter* tripled in two runs in the bottom of the ninth inning.

*Trometter was better known later as Robert (Bull) Trometter, the no-nonsense and respected football coach of the Devildogs and the University of San Diego High.

4/14/38-4/16/38

San Diego reached the semifinals of the Pomona 20-30 Rotary Club tournament but fell to Long Beach Wilson, 3-2.   Wilson lost to Long Beach Poly, 8-1, in the championship game.

San Diego had advanced by defeating the Riverside Sherman Indians, 7-1; Pomona Fremont Junior High, 10-0, and Pomona, 15-2.

Manuel (Nay) Hernandez struck four singles, double, triple, and 2 home runs in the four games.

Defending champion Escondido defeated Azusa Citrus, 2-0, and Huntington Beach, 8-0, but lost to Long Beach Poly, 7-1.  St. Augustine, after 6-5 and 2-1 victories over Brea-Olinda and Bonita, respectively, dropped a 5-4 decision to Norwalk Excelsior.

4/22/38

Escondido’s Don Galindo gave up one hit and the Cougars claimed their second straight Metropolitan League championship, 8-0, over visiting La Jolla.

In five league victories this season, Galindo gave up one run and five hits in 45 innings, which included a no-hitter versus Grossmont.

—Point Loma won its first Metropolitan League game, 8-2, over Oceanside at Golden Hill playground.  The Pointers’ Chaffey Keiber struck out 10 and gave up four hits.

—San Diego took a two-run lead into the ninth inning at Long Beach Poly, but the Jackrabbits dealt the Hillers their first Coast League defeat, 7-6.

—Pitchers Jerry Henlon and Dell Oliver also homered and Alhambra was faced with a long ride home after the Cardinals, beginning with eight runs in the first inning, cruised to a 16-hit, 16-5 victory.

4/29/38

San Diego was silent for eight innings and then parlayed three hits, two errors, and walk in the top of the ninth inning for a 5-4 victory at Alhambra.  Sore-armed Al Olsen started for the Hilltoppers., but was relieved by Bill Morales, and Chet Kehn, who got the win.

—Point Loma struck 15 hits in a 19-6 Metropolitan League victory at Grossmont.  Chaffey Keiber pitched the victory and Peebles, Paul (Red) Isom, and Mathis combined to contribute 10 hits for the Pointers.

5/1/38

San Diego’s Al Olsen and Manuel (Nan) Hernandez were honored with other high school and collegiate athletes between games of a Hollywood Stars-L.A. Angels Pacific Coast League doubleheader at Wrigley Field in Los Angeles.

Olsen was named most-valuable player in the district, according to Bill Schroeder of the sponsoring Helms Athletic Foundation, although the honor of the first CIF Southern Section player of the year went to Long Beach Wilson’s Bob Lemon.

5/2/38

San Diego clinched its second consecutive Coast League title and 10^th in the last 11 years, 11-3, over Hoover.

The Hilltoppers greeted Cardinals pitcher Jerry Henlon, who transferred from San Diego at the start of the school year, with a five-run outburst in the first inning.

Bert Kenmuir relieved Henlon and gave up two more runs as the Hillers totaled seven on four hits and two errors.

Pitcher Chet Kehn went the distance for San Diego and stranded 13 baserunners while allowing eight hits.  Del Oliver hurled the final eight innings for Hoover, allowing four runs and eight hits.

About 10 donkeys, used in softball games, roamed the outfield, according to Mitch Angus of The San Diego Union. The asses generally were not intrusive except when Cardinals leftfielder Jim Moore found himself in their midst chasing a triple by Mel Skelley.

Originally scheduled at Lane Field, the second Hoover-San Diego game was moved to Hoover and the Monroe Avenue diamond.  The change was necessitated because of a Lane Field boxing card and installation of a ring.

5/3/38

St. Augustine’s Ed Vitalich gave up one hit at Golden Hill Playground enroute to the Saints’ 5-0 victory over Point Loma.  The safety was a single in the last of the seventh inning by the Pointers’ Peebles.

5/6/38

John (Red) Keogh homered and the battery of Ed Vitalich and Benny Hemus led St. Augustine to a 5-1 victory over the Naval Hospital team, 5-1, at Golden Hill Playground.

5/14/38

Visiting San Diego collected 11 hits off Don Galindo and took advantage of seven errors to defeat Escondido, 4-0, in the opening round of the CIF playoffs on the Cougars’ diamond.

Manuel (Nan) Hernandez’ home run, followed by Al Olsen’s triple and Tony Angeles’ base hit gave the Hilltoppers a 2-0 lead in the second inning. Olsen singled in Hernandez an inning later.

Olsen worked his way out of a bases loaded jam in the first inning and gave up three hits in his nine inning complete game.

5/15/38

Ed Vitalich took a two-hitter into the bottom of the ninth inning, tied with San Diego, 3-3, but the Hilltoppers’ Hal Summers doubled and scored on Freddie Martinez’ single for a 4-3 loss for the St. Augustine hurler.

Chet Kehn gave up four hits and was the winning pitcher.

5/24/38

First baseman Ted Kerr was named winner of The San Diego Union trophy as most-valuable player on the San Diego High team.

Kerr led the Hilltoppers with a .328 batting average and was cited for being a leader in citizenship, scholarship, and sportsmanship.

5/28/38

Gamesmanship prevailed in the semifinals playoff game at Lane Field.

San Diego defeated Norwalk Excelsior, 10-5, as “petty squabbles enlivened the game from the spectators’ viewpoint,” wrote Mitch Angus of The Union.

Section commissioner Seth Van Patten assigned the two umpires after Excelsior said it would not play in San Diego with umpires from the San Diego association.

Plate arbiter Sugar Cain heard complaints from both dugouts.  Base umpire E.Y. Johnson also was under fire.

Excelsior pitcher Carl Barnes dug virtual gopher holes in front of the mound rubber.  Hilltoppers pitcher Al Olsen would take his time to cover the holes when he took the mound each inning.

Other than nine bases on balls, Barnes also was charged with a hit batter and six wild pitches, which provided the Hillers with two runs.

Olsen gave up eight hits and weathered a storm in the third inning, when the Pilots took a 5-0 lead on four hits, including a bases loaded triple by Bob Whitts.

The victory sent the Hilltoppers into next week’s finals against Compton.

6/1/38

CIF honcho Seth Van Patten informed the Hillers that they would have to play a “second” semifinal playoff game.   No published reason was given other than that San Diego officials were baffled.

The game would be against Glendale at Brookside Park in Pasadena, with the winner advancing to a championship game against Compton.

6/3/38

The “second” semifinal was disastrous.  Glendale scored a 3-2 victory over San Diego.

Four errors, lack of hits with men on base, and carelessness on the base paths doomed the Hilltoppers, whose runners were picked off base three times.

Losing pitcher Al Olsen gave up four hits in his final game (Olsen would graduate in Jan. 1939) and the Hilltoppers ended their season with an 18-4-1 record.

Granite Hills shook off a tie with Monte Vista, one of the the poorest teams in the County.  The deadlock had prevented the Eagles from a championship tie with Helix in the Grossmont League, but the Eagles went on to win their first San Diego Section title.

3/11/77 

Granite Hills, a preseason No. 2-ranked in the San Diego Section, stumbled in its season opener, losing, 6-4, to less regarded Clairemont.

The Eagles committed four errors in the first three innings and Clairemont, it its third game, took advantage with a 4-3 lead.

The Chieftains’ Byron Eiler followed with a home run in the fourth inning.

—A two-run double in the eighth inning by Vince Angarola broke a 3-3 tie and was the impetus for No. 7 Carlsbad’s 7-3 win over Poway.

—Jeff Mallon allowed only two hits, tripled in the tying run, and scored the winning run on an error in the top of the seventh as No. 9 La Jolla beat  San Dieguito, 2-1.

3/18/77

No. 1-ranked Bonita Vista managed one hit, a run-scoring single by Dave Kinsell, and struggled to a nine-inning, 4-4 tie with Monte Vista in a season opener that was called because of darkness.

—Crawford opened with a 6-0 shutout of Santana, behind the five-hit pitching of right hander Charlie Burkhead and the hitting of catcher Brent Wittmayer, whose home run cleared a 20-foot embankment and 10-foot fence in right field.

A news report declared that Wittmayer’s drive was a not-to-be-believed, paltry 300 feet.

“We’re going to have to scratch and scramble all year, but should have good pitching,” said Colts coach Jerry Tooze.

—Patrick Henry’s Jim Peterson gave up four hits and shut out No. 3 Helix, 3-0, and No. 4 Madison moved to 3-0 with a 3-1 win over Castle Park.

5/11/77

Bob (Rags) Ragland’s no-hitter in a 6-0 win over Marian pushed Bonita Vista closer to the Metropolitan League championship.

—Helix’ Greg Morton struck out 19 El Cajon Valley batters and allowed two hits, but it took Paul Springs’ squeeze bunt that scored Scott Demchak for the game’s only run in the last half of the seventh inning.

—University won its ninth in a row, 9-5 over La Jolla and Kearny claimed a fifth straight, 8-5 over Morse.

5/13/77

David Martinez’ two hits and a triple play helped University to a 5-1 victory over Serra that kept the Dons one game ahead in the Western League.

—Brian Graham’s triple, double, and two singles led Granite Hills to a 6-3 win over Santana and Grossmont beat El Capitan, 6-3.

The winners remained tied for the Grossmont League and El Capitan coach Ed Olsen was not a happy camper, ejected for arguing an interference call on a Vaqueros batter.

—Tim Ellis’ fifth-inning home run was the difference in Kearny’s 4-3 win over Clairemont and maintained the Komets’ one-game lead in the Western League.

5/17/77

Rich Desmond’s two-out single scored Ed Armijo in a 1-0 victory over Mission Bay that allowed the Dons to win the Eastern League championship.

The win gave Uni a two-game lead with one to play over St. Augustine and Mission Bay.

5/18/77

Kearny lost to Point Loma, 4-1, but backed into the Western League title; Crawford and Madison lost to miss tying for the championship, and those two plus Clairemont and Henry deadlocked for second place.

5/19/77

Eastern League vice principals voted for Madison as the circuit’s second San Diego Section playoff team, casting a stink eye at Clairemont, Crawford, and Patrick Henry, which tied the Warhawks, each with an 8-6 loop record, behind Kearny’s 9-5.

5/20/77

Madison (18-6) was ranked No. 1in the Evening Tribune’s Final Top 10.  Bonita Vista (17-5-1) won the honor in The San Diego Union.

STANDINGS

*TIE GAME

WESTERN LEAGUE

	LEAGUE				OVERALL
TEAM	WON	LOST	Pct.	GBL	WON	LOST	Pct.
University	12	2	.857	—	16	6	.727
St. Augustine	10	4	.714	2	12	10	.522
Mission Bay	9	5	.643	3	14	8	.636
La Jolla	8	6	.571	4	14	10	.583
Hoover	8	6	.571	4	12	9	.571
Lincoln	4	10	.286	8	6	15	.286
Mira Mesa	4	10	.286	8	5	15	.250
Serra	1	13	.071	11	3	19	.143

EASTERN LEAGUE

	LEAGUE				OVERALL
TEAM	WON	LOST	Pct.	GBL	WON	LOST	Pct.
Kearny	9	5	.643	—	14	10	.583
Madison	8	6	.571	1	18	6	.750
Clairemont	8	6	.571	1	13	9	.591
Patrick Henry	8	6	.571	1	14	7	.667
Crawford	8	6	.571	1	13	9	.591
Point Loma	6	8	.429	3	11	13	.458
Morse	6	8	.429	3	12	10-1*	.543
San Diego	3	11	.286	6	9	14	.391

AVOCADO EAST

	LEAGUE				OVERALL
TEAM	WON	LOST	Pct.	GBL	WON	LOST	Pct.
San Pasqual	10	2	.833	—	16	8	.667
San Marcos	10	2	.833	—	15	7	.682
Poway	8	4	.667	2	9	11	.450
Escondido	7	5	.583	3	12	10	.545
Mt. Carmel	5	7	.415	5	11	13	.458
Orange Glen	1	11	.091	9	3	15	.167
Ramona	1	11	.091	9	1	21

AVOCADO WEST 

	LEAGUE				OVERALL
TEAM	WON	LOST	Pct.	GBL	WON	LOST	Pct.
Torrey Pines	11	1	.909	—	18	4	.818
Carlsbad	9	3	.750	3	16	6	.727
San Dieguito	7	5	.583	4	13	9	.591
Oceanside	5	7	.417	6	9	10	.474
Fallbrook	4	8	.333	7	12	9	.571
Vista	4	8	.333	7	6	13	.316
El Camino	2	10	.167	9	4	13	.235

 METROPOLITAN LEAGUE

	LEAGUE				OVERALL
TEAM	WON	LOST	Pct.	GBL	WON	LOST	Pct.
Bonita Vista	16	2	.889	—	17	5-1*	.761
Marian	12	6	.667	4	13	9	.591
Mar Vista	11	7	.611	5	14	10	.583
Hilltop	10	8	.556	6	12	10	.545
Montgomery	9	9	.500	7	10	12	.455
Coronado	8	10	.444	8	11	12	.478
Chula Vista	7	10-1*	.417	8 ½	12	11-1*	.520
Sweetwater	7	11	.389	9	9	14	.391
San Diego Southwest	5	13	.278	11	8	15	.348
Castle Park	4	13-1*	.250	11 1/2	4	17-1	.250

GROSSMONT LEAGUE            

	LEAGUE				OVERALL
TEAM	WON	LOST	Pct.	GBL	WON	LOST	Pct.
Helix	11	5	.688	—	14	9	.609
Granite Hills	10	5-1*	.656	½	16	7-1*	.688
El Capitan	9	7	.563	2	11	11	.500
Grossmont	9	7	.563	2	10	12	.455
Valhalla	8	8	.500	3	11	11	.500
Mount Miguel	8	8	.500	3	10	12	.455
El Cajon Valley	7	9	.438	4	10	12	.455
Santana	6	10	.375	5	9	15	.375
Monte Vista	3	12-1*	.219	7 ½	6	13-2*	.333

5/21/77

2-A PLAYOFFS

San Marcos 3, @Torrey Pines (18-5) 2, @Warren Junior High.

The day’s upset hinged on one play.

The Knights’ Bob Schmautz singled in runners from second and third and kept running after the throw to the plate got past the Falcons’ catcher.  Schmautz then drew a wild throw sliding into third base and scored, giving San Marcos a 3-1 lead.

University 7, Madison (18-7) 0, @University of San Diego.

Uni pitcher Mike Thomas allowed two hits, both to leadoff hitter Dennis Brickel.

Kearny 10, St. Augustine (12-11) 2, @USD.

The Komets put together nine hits and seven runs in the third and fourth innings after the Saints took a 1-0 lead.

Carlsbad (16-7) 5, @San Pasqual 6, 10 innings.

El Capitan (11-12) 1, @Helix 2. 

Run-scoring singles by Larry Hayes and Phil Strom in the first inning were enough for Dave Ciampoli, who stopped the Vaqueros on four hits.

Hilltop (12-11) 3, @Bonita Vista 10.

Mar Vista (14-11) 4, @Marian 5, nine innings.

Granite Hills 3, Grossmont (10-13) 2-0.

Lefthander Bill Demo gave up six singles, did not allow a runner past second base, and won his ninth game for the Eagles.

5/23/77

QUARTERFINALS

Helix-San Marcos, @Palomar College, postponed, rain.

San Pasqual-Granite Hills, @Grossmont College, postponed, rain.

Bonita Vista-University, @Hoover, postponed, rain.

Kearny 10, Marian (13-10) 7, @San Diego.

Kearny scored three times to break 7-7 tie in the bottom of the sixth inning and shortstop Jimbo Harris, the Komets’ football quarterback, singled twice, doubled, and walked.

5/24/77

Bonita Vista 2, University (17-7) 0, @Hoover.

San Marcos 3, Helix (15-10) 2, @Palomar College.

Jack Thomas pitched the victory and drove in the winning run.

Granite Hills 9, San Pasqual (17-9) 4, @Grossmont College.

1-A SEMIFINALS

Francis Parker (15-1) gave up two runs in the first inning, but moved on with a 5-3 victory over visiting Mountain Empire.

5/25/77

Army-Navy 1, @Christian 9.

The Patriots gave up a run but Dave Carpenter pitched a no-hitter.

5/26/77

SEMIFINALS

Kearny 5, San Marcos (17-8) 2, @Palomar College.

A throwing error by Bonita Vista attempting to complete a double play opened the door for Kearny to break 1-1 tie in the seventh inning.

“We didn’t have a lot of hits today, but we hit the ball hard at people, so I’m not discouraged (by) our offense today,” said Komets coach Jack Taylor.

Granite Hills 5, Bonita Vista (19-5-1) 1, @Southwestern College.

Henry Coleman was touched for five hits and the Barons did not score on the Granite Hills right-hander until an Eagles error with two outs in the seventh inning.

“I had good control of my curve today and I was able to keep the ball outside,” said Coleman, who had been tagged with all losses in Granite Hills’ 11-5 league record.

Coleman’s teammates gave him a two-run lead in the third inning.

“Some of the games I’ve lost have been 0-0 in the late innings, but with these hitters I knew they could explode at any time,” Coleman said of Granite’s 22-hit attack, led by a single and double by Shawn Davidson that was responsible for three runs.

CHAMPIONSHIP

1-A

Christian 2, Francis Parker (15-2) 1, at University San Diego.

Dan Besieger scored from second base on a fielder’s choice for the winning run in the seventh inning.

2-A

Granite Hills (20-7-1) 8, Kearny (17-11) 4, @USD.

A seven-hits, five-run sixth inning broke a 3-3 tie for the title-bound Eagles.

Mike Vint doubled, Gary Hanson walked, and Duane Antijuntti, Pat Jackson, Glenn Stemmer, Dale Hanson, and Brian Graham singled to close out the scoring. Gary Hanson had tied the game in the fourth inning with a two-run, 380-foot home run.

The hand shake was a vise grip.

I first shook that hand in September, 1964, when Eddie Olsen was hired to manage the Billiard Den, a trendy, new watering hole and pool parlor at 58^th Street and El Cajon Blvd.

I last saw Eddie months before he passed recently at age 89 and the handshake had not lost any of its strength. That was a reflection of Olsen, direct, sometimes blunt, but always honest.

He left with a legion of friends from an almost lifetime of baseball.

ORGINALLY A PADRE

Olsen was in the game from as a pre-teen serving as a ball boy and bat boy and working in the clubhouse for the Pacific Coast League San Diego Padres.

He played baseball for coach Walt Harvey at La Jolla High and earned all-Southern California second team honors as a first baseman and occasional pitcher. The 1953 Vikings ousted San Diego High for the City Prep League championship and advanced to the CIF finals, bowing to Compton, 5-2, and posting a 24-4 record.

Eddie played professional baseball for seven years and served a stint in the Marine Corps before going into coaching, first at Morse High, then as head coach for nine seasons at El Capitan High.

Olsen moved in 1982 to Grossmont College, where his teams posted a 516-373-7 record in 22 seasons before he retired in 2004.  He was inducted into the California Community College Baseball Association Hall of Fame in 2008.

The numbers 1, 2, 4, and 5 seeds were eliminated in the first round of the San Diego Section playoffs.

Only third-ranked Hoover survived and the Cardinals were ousted in the quarterfinals.

That left the door open for No. 6 seed Madison, which edged No. 12 Crawford, 1-0, for the championship.

Probably most disappointed was Clairemont and coach Ernie Beck, whose top-seed Chieftains took a loss to 16th-ranked Torrey Pines, a second-year school with a 12-10 record from the nascent Coast League.

LEGENDARY COACH

Beck held the County record of 454 victories when he retired after winning his first San Diego Section title in 1984 .

Beck also holds the unique distinction of championships in two of the state’s CIF sections. He coached second-year, no-seniors Clairemont to the Southern Section Class AA title in 1960, the last year of San Diego teams’ participation before the first season of the San Diego Section in 1960-61.

5/11/76

Three league leaders met defeat and two league leaders moved closer to clinching championships.

—The San Diego Union No. 1-ranked Hoover was beaten by Crawford right-hander Curtis Burkhead for the second time, 4-1.

—Tim Muser limited Western League No. 1 Madison to four hits as Clairemont scored a 3-2 victory.

—Metropolitan League leader Mar Vista lost a five-run lead and was defeated by Hilltop, 6-5, moving the Lancers to a half-game lead over the Mariners in the Metropolitan League.

—La Jolla took a two-game lead with three to play in the Coast League, 3-2, in eight innings over Mission Bay.

—Grossmont didn’t play but picked up a half game in the Grossmont League and led by three games with three to play.

5/12/76

Writer Henry Wesch compared Montgomery’s Fermin Singson to the fast-working San Diego Padre Randy Jones when Singson needed just minutes more than an hour to blank Hilltop, 2-0, and gain a tie with Mar Vista (9-3) for first in the Metropolitan League.

Singson gave up three singles and raised his record to 9-3.

Mar Vista stayed apace the Aztecs with a 13-3 win over Chula Vista.

—Patrick Henry scored two runs in the ninth inning to edge St. Augustine, 4-2, in the makeup of a rained-out contest.

—Don Slater’s seventh-inning squeeze bunt scored Scott Brazil and Bonita Vista walked off with a 1-0 victory over Sweetwater.

5/13/76

Steve Dergonc drove in seven runs with a grand slam home run batting lefthanded and three-run homer batting righthanded and Madison won a Western League rout over visiting University, 16-3.

5/14/76

Lee Guetterman’s two-run home run and three-hit pitching resulted in a 7-0 Avocado League victory by Oceanside over Fallbrook that knocked the Warriors out of first place, a game behind Carlsbad, 5-0 winner against San Marcos.

5/17/76

El Capitan scored a run in the top of the ninth inning to defeat Grossmont, 6-5, in a game interrupted by a bench-clearing beef, which saw eight players ejected, four from each team.

5/18/76

Patrick Henry stayed alive in the Eastern League by overcoming a 6-1 lead with six runs in the bottom of the seventh inning, shocking Morse, 7-6, to remain one game behind Hoover with one to play.

–La Jolla clinched the Coast League title with a 3-2 victory at San Dieguito.

5/19/76

Clairemont and Patrick Henry earned ties for the Western and Eastern League championships, respectively.

The Chieftains, given an opportunity when Kearny edged Madison, 2-1, rallied for four runs in the seventh inning to defeat San Diego, 5-2.

Coach Ernie Beck’s team also was given the league’s No. 1 seed in the playoffs after defeating league leader Madison twice during the regular season.

—Patrick Henry, aided by three errors, rallied for seven runs in the sixth inning to top Hoover, 10-8, but the Cardinals became the Eastern’s top seed in the playoffs after a vote of league representatives following the game.

5/21/76

Championship of the Lions Baseball Tournament, played on April 15, was decided 36 days later, when Kearny’s Bart Bass pitched a 5-0 victory over Clairemont for the Lions 3-A crown.

Bass was working on a one-hit, 11-0 lead when play was halted after a rainstorm hit Smith Field on the San Diego State campus in the fourth inning on April 15.

Five innings were required for the contest to be considered official.

Bosses agreed to replay the final in toto following the last regular-season game.

STANDINGS

AVOCADO LEAGUE

                        LEAGUE                                                                                          OVERALL

TEAM	WON	LOST	PCT.	GBL	WON	LOST	PCT.
Carlsbad	12	2	.857	—	21	4	.840
Fallbrook	12	2	.857	—	17	6	.737
Oceanside	10	4	.714	2	15	6	.714
San Marcos	9	5	.643	3	17	7	.708
San Pasqual	4	10	.286	8	8	11	.421
Vista	4	10	.286	8	10	13	.435
Escondido	3	11	.214	9	6	17	.261
Orange Glen	2	14	.143	3	15	.167	.833

EASTERN LEAGUE

                       LEAGUE                                                                                           OVERALL

TEAM	WON	LOST	Pct.	GBL	WON	LOST	Pct.
Hoover	11	5	.688	—	20	6	.769
Patrick Henry	11	5	.688	—	15	9	.625
Crawford	9	7	.563	2	17	10	.630
Morse	6	10	.375	5	6	16	.273
St. Augustine	4	12	.250	7	7	16	.304
Lincoln	3	13	.188	8	4	17	.190

WESTERN LEAGUE

                       LEAGUE                                                                                     OVERALL

TEAM	WON	LOST	Pct.	GBL	WON	LOST	PCT.
Clairemont	12	4	.750	—	18	7	.720
Madison	12	4	.750	—	21	6	.778
Kearny	11	5	.688	1	16	9	.640
Point Loma	10	6	.625	2	13	9	.591
University	5	11	.313	7	10	14	.417
San Diego	2	14	.125	10	5	15	.250

OTHER LEAGUE FINAL STANDINGS AND FINAL OVERALL RECORDS NOT PUBLISHED.

5/24/76

2-A PLAYOFFS

PLAY-IN ROUND

Torrey Pines 4, @Oceanside (15-7) 3.

Bonita Vista 17, @Santana (12-11) 14.

Scott Brazil had three hits, including a three-run home run, drove in seven runs, and then picked up the victory with two shutout innings in relief after the Barons, trailing, 9-0, in the first inning and 14-12 in the top of the seventh, pulled out the victory.

Tom Tussell was four for five, doubled twice, and drove in four runs, and Dan Meza hit a 340-foot home run for the Sultans.

5/25/76

FIRST ROUND

Patrick Henry 8, @Fallbrook (17-6) 7.

Two-run home runs by Patriots Dave Miller, Mike Messina, and Jim Minerd were enough to offset John Christensen’s 4 for 4 that included a two run homer and run-scoring double.

Montgomery 1, @No. 5 La Jolla (20-4) 0.

Joe Williams’ fourth-inning home run backed Felmir Singson’s 10-strikeout, three-hit pitching.

Torrey Pines 3, @No. 1 Clairemont (18-7) 1.

John Kentera’s three hits and Steve Summers’ four-hit pitching marked the second-year Falcons’ seventh straight win and a stunning playoff loss for the top-seeded Chieftains.

No. 9 Bonita Vista 4, @No. 2 Carlsbad (22-4) 1.

Scott Brazil’s two-run single in the fifth inning provided the winning runs and Brazil’s three-hit pitching shut down the Lancers, whose run was on Brazil’s first-inning balk.

Crawford 5, @No. 4 Grossmont (15-8) 2.

The Colts moved on after Brent Wittmayers’ grand slam home run in the fifth inning.

Kearny (16-9) 3, @No. 3 Hoover 4.

Helix 6, @Mar Vista (16-7) 3.

Mission Bay (14-9) 3, @Madison 6.

Paul Wirkus’ three-run homer and Raymond Lane’s pitching advanced the Warhawks.

1-A CHAMPIONSHIP

Christian (12-6) 10, Francis Parker (11-7) 9, @El Capitan.

The Patriots stole nine bases and built a 10-3 lead, but five bases on balls, two errors, and a hit batsmen had them hanging on to a one-run lead after the Lancers crossed home plate with six runs in the top of the seventh inning.

Patriots pitcher Steve Stockwell weathered the baseball version of a Category Level 4 hurricane, striking out Patriots freshman John Mansfield for the final out with the bases loaded and the ball-strike count 3-2.

QUARTERFINALS

5/26/76

Torrey Pines 12, Patrick Henry (15-9) 3.

The Falcons continued to impress as former San Diego State football great Craig Scoggins’ club rode with first baseman John Kentera, who singled, doubled and tripled, scored three runs and knocked in a run. Paul Salgado and Bryan Bowen drove in three runs apiece.

Crawford 4, Montgomery (18-8) 1.

Leading, 2-1, Crawford scored four times in the sixth inning. Greg Smith and Ken Vasquez combined to hold the Aztecs to seven hits and Brett Wittmayer singled in two runs and scored on a wild pitch.

Helix 4, @No. 3 Hoover (20-6) 3, (8), @Southwestern College.

Chris Myers scored on Larry Fixen’s squeeze bunt in the eighth inning and the Highlanders ushered out the favored Cardinals.

Madison 12, Bonita Vista (18-7) 7.

Brent Hillenga and Steve Derganc hit back-to-back home runs in the first inning and the Warhawks built a 6-1 lead after three innings against last year’s playoff runner-up.

5/28/76

SEMIFINALS

Madison 6, Helix (16-11) 3, @University of San Diego.

Raymond Lane (9-1) survived a three-run first inning and struck out 11 for the complete-game win.

The Warhawks were hitless for the first four innings against Al Knerr, who gave up a single to Lane in the fifth inning after a leadoff walk to John Nelson.

Dennis Brickel followed a squeeze play that scored Nelson with a triple that tied the score at 3-3.  Another squeeze, by Scott Fowler scored Brickel.

I had a sore back in practice yesterday and I didn’t think I would start,” said Lane, “but coach (Bob Roeder) likes to keep the rotation and he said I’d have to suck it up and go today.”

Crawford 5, Torrey Pines (15-11) 1, @Mesa College.

CHAMPIONSHIP

5/29/76

Madison (21-6) 1, Crawford (17-10) 0, @San Diego State.

“We’re the first Madison team that didn’t choke,” shouted centerfielder John Nelson.

“We’ve never had a team get past the second round before,” said coach Bob Roeder, “but this team never got down.”

Scott Fowler blooped a single down the leftfield line to score Dennis Brickel in the bottom of the sixth inning for the game’s only score.

The Colts, who had runners in scoring position in the first, fifth and sixth innings, could not get to Warhawks starter Rich Leahy, who worked out of trouble each time and gave up three hits.

The Colts’ Mike Martinez and Ken Vasquez almost matched Leahy’s gem and the Colts, seeded 12^th at the start of the postseason, drew praise from coach Jerry Tooze.

“Not many thought we’d make it (this far), but I did and you couldn’t ask for a much better game than we played,” said Tooze.