Fair Oaks 5, Stockton 2 (League: 0-0, Overall: 3-1) - May 26 @ William Land Park - Despite a shaky start by starter Jim Ott, the Fair Oaks Oaks battled for a 5-2 victory over Stockton in the Memorial Day Tournament in Land Park.
Fair Oaks went down in order in the top of the first inning, failing to get the ball out of the infield, but Ed Stewart of Stockton came back in the bottom of the inning to put a scare into the Fair Oaks faithful as two walks, a hit and an error resulted in runners on second and third with two out.
Eric Archuleta dives back into first base on a pickoff attempt in the fifth inning of Fair Oaks' championship game against Stockton in the Memorial Day Tournament at Land Park.
Fortunately for the Oaks, the second out came on a steal attempt as catcher Brad Hicks pegged a perfect throw to second baseman Eric Archuleta for the out, erasing the lead runner - Ott's first walk. After a hit to left, an error on third baseman Justin Hoppes on a ground ball resulted in the runners reaching second and third.
Ott walked the next batter to load the bases, but then got a ground out to end the inning and escape unscathed.
In the Fair Oaks second, a two out double by first baseman Russ Beldi was wasted after Beldi got picked off to end the inning.
Stockton also had its chances in the bottom of the inning, but could not score and despite base runners in both halves of the third, the game remained knotted at 0-0.
Fair Oaks finally broke the ice in the fourth inning with one out as Chris Rhines reached base on an error. Bryan Lynch followed with a hit and then Beldi's hit to left scored Rhines for a 1-0 game.
Brad Hicks then hit a ball to short which was relayed to second for the out, but Hicks made it safely to first to avoid the double play, with Lynch landing on third.
With Hoppes at the plate, Hicks and Lynch executed a deleayed double steal, with Hicks going to second and then Lynch charging home to score and make it a 2-0 Fair Oaks lead.
Stockton came back to load the bases with one out but could not score as Ott struck out the next batter and got the next hitter to ground out.
Fair Oaks padded its lead to 3-0 in the fifth as B.J. Crone got a one out walk. Archuleta's hit to center sent Crone to third and then Garrett Schoenfelder flew to left allowing Crone to tag and score.
Stockton came back for two runs in the bottom of the inning to close the gap to 3-2 as three consecutive hits chased Ott off the mound in favor of Schoenfelder. But that's all they would get as the Oaks held them scoreless the rest of the way.
Fair Oaks wasn't through, however, as two more runs came home in the top of the seventh. With one out, Hoppes walked and moved to third on Matt Blanford's double to right center.
Crone was then hit by a pitch to load the bases and Schoenfelder walked to force in Hoppes with two outs. The final run scored as Dave Yurchak was hit by a pitch to force Blanford in for the final 5-2 tally.
TEAM
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
R
H
E
FAIR OAKS
0
0
0
2
1
0
2
5
5
2
STOCKTON
0
0
0
0
2
0
0
2
9
1
Fair Oaks: Ott, Schoenfelder (5) and Hicks. Top hitters: Beldi 2x3, 2B. Stockton: Mesa, Arceo (6) and Hall.
