Rio Loma 11, Fair Oaks 8 (League: 7-5, Overall: 7-6) - June 24 @ Bella Vista High - In an important Eastern Division matchup, Fair Oaks came from behind to tie the game against Rio Loma, only to lose it 11-8 in the ninth inning.
    Rio Loma took a 2-0 lead in the first on a two-run homer off Fair Oaks starter Alex Graham, but the Oaks managed to get one run back in the bottom of the inning to close the gap to 2-1.
    With one out, second baseman Nic DeRose walked. With catcher Todd Jennings at the plate, a pickoff from the pitcher to first got away and DeRose advanced to second. Jennings then walked and with two outs, third baseman Joe Liebman sent a bad hop double down the third base line to score DeRose.
    Rio Loma went up 4-1 in the second, but the Oaks came back to take a 5-4 lead in the bottom of the inning. Left fielder Jeff Williams started things off with a hit to left, followed by an RBI double to right by first baseman Pat Bryant. Right fielder Joe Caffrey then hit a ball to second that was booted and then with one out, Bryant scored on a ground ball back to the pitcher by DeRose. Jennings sent a fly into center that was dropped, scoring Caffrey to tie the game. With shortstop John Perkins at the plate, Jennings stole second. Perkins hit a ball to short that was booted, and Jennings scored to give the Oaks a 5-4 lead.
    Rio Loma came back to tie the game 5-5 in the third and despite the Oaks loading the bases in the bottom of the inning, Fair Oaks failed to score to break the tie.
    Rio Loma went up by one, 6-5, in the fourth and added another run in the sixth for a 7-5 lead. Fair Oaks came back in the bottom of the sixth, however, to tie the game at 7-7.
    With one out, DeRose got a hit to right and then Jennings blasted a two-run shot to left center to tie the contest up.
    The see-saw battle continued in the seventh as Rio Loma went back in front by an 8-7 score. The Oaks came right back to tie the game again in the bottom of the inning as designate hitter Ryan Mink led off with a hit to right. Williams followed with a bunt down the third base line for a hit and then Bryant was hit by a pitch to load the bases. Caffrey then hit into a double play, but Mink was able to score from third to make it an 8-8 game.
    The game stayed tied until the top of the ninth when a walk, double and base hit brought home two runs off Graham to make it a 10-8 game. Jake Jerue took the mound for the Oaks, but facing his first Rio Loma batter, a wild pitch put a runner on third. The batter then got a hit to left to score the runner and give Rio Loma an 11-8 lead.
    The Oaks have come back from greater deficits in the past, but in this game it wasn't to be. Mink led off with a hit to right, but the next batter, Williams, hit a ball to short, with the throw to second erasing Mink. Bryant then grounded out to first advancing Williams to second with two outs. Caffrey drew a walk to put two runners on and the tying run at the plate, but the next batter, Sneath, could only manage a fly ball to left to end the game.
    Fair Oaks only has five league games remaining and are currently in third place in the Eastern Division. Interestingly enough, the Oaks' five games are with the two teams - Charles Eggen and Rio Loma - who occupy the No. 1 and No. 2 spots ahead of the Oaks in the Division standings. The Oaks are currently only two games out of first place in the East.
    A different team - yes - but the Oaks are in a similar situation to what they found themselves in during the 1995 season. In that year, Fair Oaks won its final seven games (including a three-game sweep of Citrus Heights to end the regular-season) to capture the division title over Citrus Heights.
    The '95 team went on to place second in the Division Playoffs and then won the Area 1 Championship to advance to the State Playoffs.

TEAM	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	R	H	E
RIO LOMA	2	2	1	1	0	1	1	0	3	11	15	3
FAIR OAKS	1	4	0	0	0	2	1	0	0	8	12	2

Rio Loma: Pitching - Ackerman, Bowler (6), Duncan (8) and Shelton. Top Hitters - Crider 3x5; Garcia 2B; Brown 2x5, HR, 2 RBI; Spooner 2B; Shelton 2B; Loeffler 2 RBI.
Fair Oaks: Pitching - Graham, Elmendorf (6), Jerue (9) and Jennings. Top Hitters - Jennings HR, 2 RBI; Perkins 3x5, 2B; Liebman 2B; Mink 2x4; Williams 2x5; Bryant 2x4.