Bill Beane of Mt. Carmel was a star player for the Sundevils and the first player selected in the 1980 major league draft by the New York Mets.
“Billy” Beane played five seasons in the majors and joined the Oakland Athletics as an advance scout in 1990, beginning a front office career in which today Beane is part owner of the team and was the subject of the movie “Money Ball” in 2011 starring Brad Pitt.
5/2/80
Mark Davis, the third brother to play for Hoover since 1971, homered as the Cardinals defeated Crawford, 4-3.
Mark was preceded by John and Mike Davis. The latter went on to a nine-season major league career.
—Brian Tuller’s double scored Tony Johnson from first in the bottom of the ninth inning for a 4-3 Clairemont victory over Kearny, snapping the Komets’ seven-game Eastern League winning streak.
Tuller, who pitched a no-hitter against Bonita Vista in the Lions tournament, went the distance for the Chieftains, scattering 10 hits.
—Joe Bautista’s first-inning grand slam home run led Mar Vista to a 5-4 in over Chula Vista.
—Borrego Springs Mark Giberti pitched a no-hitter as the Rams defeated Cal Lutheran, 10-2, in the Southern League and Poway’s Tim Lund allowed one hit in a 3-2 win over Oceanside.
5/6/80
Nestor Rosas’ fourth-inning homerun was the difference in unbeaten Mar Vista’s 19th straight win, 4-3 over Coronado.
—Home runs by Charlie Steele and Garry Harris powered Hoover to a 13-4 win over Lincoln.
—Madison’s Gene Sgambelluri pitched a no-hitter and struck out 14 in a 7-0 win over San Diego.
5/16/80
Mar Vista’s 23-game, San Diego Section winning streak ended with an 8-6 loss to Coronado.
The Mariners, whose run included four games at the end of the 1979 season, backed into the Metropolitan League championship when Southwest defeated second-place Hilltop, 3-2.
Mar Vista, 15-1 in league and 19-1 overall, earlier broke the Section record for most consecutive wins. Oceanside won 18 in a row in 1970.
San Diego High had a 23-game winning streak as a member of the Southern Section in 1954 and streaks of 21 in 1959 and 19 in 1952 and ’57.
—Tom Katomski, Matt Nokes, Scott McKee, and Tom Weikel hit run-scoring singles and the first six Patrick Henry batters hit safely in the first inning as the Patriots defeated Kearny, 6-3, short circuiting the Komets’ attempt to clinch the Eastern League championship.
5/23/80
Regular-season play concluded in the Eastern, Western, and Metropolitan Leagues, with eight of 16 playoff berths in accounted for.
Kearny, Clairemont, and Patrick Henry (Eastern) advanced in 3-A, as did Mission Bay and University (Western), and Mar Vista and Chula Vista (Metropolitan) in 2-A.
—Joe Blas homered twice and drove in four runs as Kearny routed Morse, 23-4. Tom Katomski pitched Patrick Henry to its ninth consecutive win, 5-2 over Point Loma. Western League champion University lost to La Jolla, 3-2, and Clairemont, despite losing, 8-5, to Madison still finished ahead of the Warhawks.
Although losing to Mar Vista, 7-6, Hilltop qualified. Chula Vista earned the third bid, 11-7 over Bonita Vista.
—Santana, picked to finish seventh in the nine-team Grossmont League, rode the three-hit pitching of Ray Brown as the Sultans beat Grossmont, 1-0, at El Capitan.
The win marked the first time since 1970 the Sultans had won or shared the league title.
STANDINGS
EASTERN LEAGUE
LEAGUE OVERALL
| Team | Won | Lost | Pct. | GBL | Won | Lost | Pct. |
| Kearny | 12 | 2 | .857 | — | 17 | 5 | .773 |
| Patrick Henry | 10 | 3 | .769 | 1 ½ | 13 | 6 | .684 |
| Clairemont | 9 | 5 | .643 | 3 | 14 | 8 | .636 |
| Madison | 8 | 5 | .615 | 3 ½ | 11 | 8 | .579 |
| Point Loma | 7 | 7 | .500 | 5 | 11 | 9 | .550 |
| Morse | 5 | 9 | .357 | 7 | 6 | 14 | .300 |
| San Diego | 3 | 11 | .214 | 9 | 4 | 16 | .200 |
| Mira Mesa | 1 | 13 | .071 | 11 | 3 | 17 | .150 |
WESTERN LEAGUE
LEAGUE OVERALL
| Team | Won | Lost | Pct. | GBL | Won | Lost | Pct. |
| University | 11 | 3 | .786 | — | 15 | 7 | .682 |
| Mission Bay | 9 | 5 | .643 | 2 | 14 | 7 | .667 |
| Hoover | 8 | 5 | .615 | 2 ½ | 12 | 7 | .632 |
| Lincoln | 8 | 6 | .571 | 3 | 11 | 8 | .579 |
| Crawford | 7 | 7 | .500 | 4 | 10 | 10 | .500 |
| La Jolla | 6 | 7 | .462 | 5 | 10 | 9 | .526 |
| Serra | 5 | 9 | .357 | 6 | 7 | 12 | .368 |
| St. Augustine | 1 | 13 | .071 | 10 | 3 | 18 | .143 |
GROSSMONT LEAGUE
LEAGUE OVERALL
| Mount Miguel | 12 | 4 | .750 | — | 15 | 5 | .750 |
| Santana | 12 | 4 | .750 | — | 14 | 8 | .636 |
| El Capitan | 10 | 6 | .625 | 2 | 13 | 8 | .619 |
| Valhalla | 9 | 7 | .563 | 3 | 12 | 9 | .571 |
| Helix | 9 | 7 | .563 | 3 | 11 | 10 | .524 |
| Grossmont | 7 | 9 | .438 | 5 | 12 | 10 | .545 |
| Granite Hills | 7 | 9 | .438 | 5 | 11 | 10 | .524 |
| Monte Vista | 4 | 12 | .250 | 8 | 6 | 16 | .273 |
| El Cajon Valley | 2 | 14 | .125 | 10 | 3 | 16 | .158 |
AVOCADO LEAGUE
LEAGUE OVERALL
| Carlsbad | 9 | 3 | .750 | — | 13 | 8 | .619 |
| San Pasqual | 8 | 4 | .667 | 1 | 14 | 8 | .636 |
| Escondido | 6 | 6 | .500 | 3 | 8 | 10 | .444 |
| San Marcos | 6 | 6 | .500 | 3 | 8 | 12 | .400 |
| Ramona | 5 | 7 | .417 | 4 | 5 | 13 | .278 |
| Oceanside | 5 | 7 | .417 | 4 | 5 | 15 | .250 |
| El Camino | 3 | 9 | .250 | 6 | 6 | 14 | .300 |
PALOMAR LEAGUE
LEAGUE OVERALL
| Vista | 9 | 3 | .750 | — | 15 | 6 | .714 |
| Poway | 9 | 3 | .750 | — | 13 | 6 | .684 |
| Orange Glen | 7 | 5 | .583 | 2 | 12 | 8 | .600 |
| Mt. Carmel | 5 | 7 | .417 | 4 | 11 | 9 | .550 |
| Torrey Pines | 4 | 8 | .333 | 5 | 11 | 9 | .550 |
| Fallbrook | 4 | 8 | .333 | 5 | 9 | 11 | .450 |
| San Dieguito | 4 | 8 | .333 | 5 | 9 | 13 | .409 |
METROPOLITAN LEAGUE
LEAGUE OVERALL
| Mar Vista | 17 | 1 | .944 | — | 21 | 1 | .955 |
| Hilltop | 12 | 6 | .667 | 5 | 16 | 7 | .696 |
| Chula Vista | 11 | 7 | .611 | 6 | 14 | 8 | .636 |
| Sweetwater | 9 | 9 | .500 | 8 | 10 | 10 | .500 |
| Montgomery | 9 | 9 | .500 | 8 | 9 | 11 | .450 |
| Coronado | 8 | 10 | .444 | 9 | 11 | 11 | .500 |
| Marian | 8 | 10 | .444 | 9 | 8 | 10 | .444 |
| Bonita Vista | 8 | 10 | .444 | 9 | 8 | 12 | .400 |
| Southwest | 7 | 11 | .389 | 10 | 8 | 12 | .400 |
| Castle Park | 1 | 17 | .056 | 16 | 1 | 19 | .050 |
5/27/80
SAN DIEGO SECTION PLAYOFFS
QUARTERFINALS
3-A
El Capitan 2, @Kearny (17-6) 0.
An error, balk, walk, and single by John Ramirez loaded the bases, and another walk to Tate Velau forced in a run in the top of the third inning that was the difference.
Vaqueros pitcher Jim Kurzinger gave up five hits, including two by Komets pitcher Billy Eggert, who allowed four hits and struck out 11.
Vista (15-7) 1, @Mount Miguel 5.
Rick Bighames and Tom Toledo homered for the Matadors.
Patrick Henry 2, @Santana (14-9) 0.
Mike Fazekas’ six-hit pitching led the Patriots to their 10th consecutive win.
Clairemont 5, @Poway (13-7) 1.
Doug Fess tripled twice and Chieftains pitcher Mike Weinbrecht struck out 10.
2-A
San Marcos (14-9) 3, @Mar Vista 10.
Doug Reynolds hit a grand slam home run and Regan Owen added a two-run clout in the Mariners’ nine-run first inning.
San Pasqual (14-9) 3, @Hilltop 9.
The Lancers broke the extra-innings tie with six runs in the eighth.
Chula Vista (14-9) 1, @University 3.
Carlsbad (13-9) 6, @Mission Bay 8.
Mike Burrows went all eight innings for the Buccaneers, was 3 for 5 at the plate, and singled in the winning run.
5/29/80
SEMIFINALS
3-A
Patrick Henry 10, @Clairemont 4 (15-9).
Trailing, 4-2, the Patriots exploded for six runs in the sixth inning.
El Capitan 7, @Mount Miguel 6 (16-6).
2-A
Mission Bay 4, @Mar Vista 2 (22-2).
Mission Bay coach Dennis Pugh surprised by giving the ball to John Henderson instead of ace Art Rodriguez, and Henderson, who had not made a start this season and had appeared only twice in relief, survived a shaky first inning and pitched a complete game.
Pugh thought Henderson’s sidearm delivery and variety of “junk stuff” would work. “I wanted to give them something they’ve hadn’t seen yet,” said Pugh.
“Besides,” the coach added, “we’re a better team defensively with Art at shortstop.”
Hilltop 2 (16-6), @University 3.
1-A
Army-Navy 4, @Borrego Springs, 11.
Santa Fe Christian 3, @Mountain Empire 9.
The Redskins’ Bob Price gave up two hits and struck out 10.
5/31/80
CHAMPIONSHIPS
3-A
Patrick Henry (16-6) 10, El Capitan (15-9) 4, @University San Diego.
The Patriots, hitless through 5 1/3 innings, exploded for nine runs in the sixth.
“I guess the sixth is a good inning for us,” said Patriots coach Bob Imlay, recalling a similar outburst in the semifinals two days before.
Tony Sharamitaro led off with a triple, Scott McKee doubled, and Rodney Ellis added a two-run single.
Greg Perry relieved starter Jim Kursinger and was on the mound for seven more runs, with the Vaqueros’ third error and a passed ball contributing.
The win, behind Mike Fazekas’ six-hit pitching, was Patrick Henry’s 13th in a row.
2-A
University (18-7) 4, Mission Bay (16-8) 3, @University San Diego.
Both pitchers, Mike Correia for the Dons and Mike Burrows for Mission Bay went the entire 13 innings.
Correia’s single drove in the deciding run after Burrows had almost worked out of a bases-loaded jam with two force outs at home plate.
Correia had worked a complete-game seven innings in the quarterfinals, added 1 1/3 innings in the semifinals and finished the week with 21 1/3 innings pitched.
“I feel this is the last game I’m going to want to pitch for a long time,” Correia told Linda Murphy of The San Diego Union. “I told coach I probably couldn’t pitch the next inning.”
The win was coach Dick Serrano’s second championship in three years and Correia closed with a 14-1 record.
1-A
Mountain Empire (10-3) 4, Borrego Springs (9-4) 3, @Imperial High.
The Redskins’ second straight title was achieved without a base hit in the bottom of the seventh inning.
Tom Harkness was hit by a pitch. A base on balls and a fielder’s choice moved Harkness to third. He scored on a passed ball.
Dan Mady’s two-run single in the fourth tied the score after Borrego took a 3-1 lead in the third on Paul Giberti’s double and Jim Streit’s two-run single.
