Fair Oaks 7, Post 61 2 (League: 17-4, Overall: 29-7) - July 14 @ Renfree Field - Post 383 kept its title hopes alive with a 7-2 victory over Post 61 in Game 3 of the District 6 playoffs.
    The Oaks took a 1-0 lead in the top of the second as right fielder Jason Wilkerson led off with a walk. A passed ball with third baseman Justin Hoppes at the plate sent Wilkerson to second and then Hoppes' hit up the middle sent Wilkerson home for a 1-0 lead, with Hoppes taking second on the throw to the plate.
    Post 61 tied things up in the bottom of the second with a solo home run to left by Ryan Tash off Oaks' starter Russ Beldi, but Beldi didn't let the blow bother him as he shut Post 61 down over the next three innings.
    The Oaks went back in the lead in the fifth as designated hitter Nick Palumbo led off with a walk. Center fielder Matt Blanford moved him to second with a bunt and with two outs, Palumbo scored on an error on a ground ball hit by first baseman Jim Ott to give the Oaks a 2-1 lead.
    Post 61 came back in the bottom of the inning to tie, once again, and the score stayed knotted at 2-2 until the seventh when Fair Oaks scored four times take a 6-2 lead.
    Palumbo led off with a hit to left. Blanford got hit by a pitch and Bryan Lynch walked to load the bases.
    The next batter, Chris Rhines, sent a ground ball to short. The throw went to second for the force, but the relay to first was low and got away allowing both Palumbo and Blanford to score for a 4-2 lead. Ott followed with a double to center, forcing starting pitcher Jonathon Samlley off the mound in favor of Howie Correa.
    Correa got Garrett Schoenfelder to ground out, but then Jason Wilkerson hit a ball to short that was booted, allowing both Rhines and Ott to score for a 6-2 lead.
    The Oaks added their final run in the top of the ninth as Ott led off with a double to right center. Schoenfelder was hit by a pitch to put two runners on, but Wilkerson then hit into a double play to erase Schoenfelder and himself from the bases.
    Hoppes followed with a double to left center to score Ott, however, making it a 7-2 lead for the Oaks.
    Post 61 failed to get anything going in the bottom of the ninth and the Oaks recorded the 7-2 victory.

TEAM	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	R	H	E
FAIR OAKS	0	1	0	0	1	0	4	0	1	7	8	1
POST 61	0	1	0	0	1	0	0	0	0	2	8	5

Fair Oaks: Beldi, Ott (6) and Crone, Palumbo (6). Top hitters: Ott 2x5, 2 2B; Hoppes 2x4, 2B, 2 RBI; Palumbo 2x4.
Post 61: Smalley, Corea (7) and Watts. Top hitters: Tash 2x3, HR; Schultz 2B.