Fair Oaks 8, Rio Loma 7 (League: 10-7, Overall: 10-8) - June 30 @ Rio Americano High - Fair Oaks clinched the No. 5 seed in the playoffs with an 8-7 victory over Rio Loma at Rio Americano High School.
    The Oaks got on the scoreboard first with a lone run in the second inning. Shortstop John Perkins started things off with a leadoff hit to center. With Perkins running, first baseman Pat Bryant followed with a hit to left that moved Perkins to third. Perkins then scored on a ground ball to short by third baseman Joe Liebman to give the Oaks a 1-0 lead.
    Rio Loma came back in the bottom of the inning to take a 2-1 lead, but the Oaks went back in front in the fourth with a pair of runs of their own.
    With one out, catcher Todd Jennings snuck a ball by Rio Loma's third baseman for a hit. With Perkins at the plate, Jennings stole second. The throw from the catcher went into center field, and Jennings made it safely to third base. Jennings scored on a grounder to second by Bryant. Liebman then drew a walk and second baseman Nic DeRose followed with a hit to center that was bobbled allowing Perkins to score. Liebman also tried for the plate, but was out, leaving the score at 3-2 in the Oaks' favor.
    Rio Loma came right back in the bottom of the inning for four runs to move back ahead by a score of 6-3, driving Fair Oaks starter Robert Wilkerson out in favor of Manny Parra. With two outs, Parra struck out the first batter he faced to end the inning.
    Neither team scored again until the top of the eighth when the Oaks exploded for four runs to take a 7-6 lead.
    Left fielder Ryan Mink led off with a walk and the next batter, designated hitter Aaron Yurchak was hit by a pitch to put two runners on. With center fielder L.J. Sneath at the plate, a wild pitch advanced both runners. Sneath struck out, but the next batter, Joe Caffrey, doubled to center to score two runs and make it a 6-5 game. Jennings followed with a double to left to score Caffrey and tie the game, and then Perkins moved Jennings to third with a ground ball to short off a new Rio Loma pitcher. Bryant was next up and he struck out. But the ball got away from Rio Loma's catcher allowing Jennings to score and Bryant reach first safely. Liebman then grounded out to end the inning, but the Oaks had recaptured the lead 7-6.
    Rio Loma came back to tie the game in the bottom of the eighth. A hit sandwiched by two walks loaded the bases for Rio Loma. Parra exited the game in favor of Alex Graham. Graham got two straight outs, but a ground ball with one out allowed a runner to come in to tie the game.
    Fair Oaks came back in the top of the ninth to get its eighth - and the deciding - run en route to the 8-7 win.
    DeRose started things off with a hit to center and was moved to second on a sacrifice bunt by Mink. DeRose then scored on Yurchak's hit to center to give the Oaks the winning run. Graham put Rio Loma down in order in the bottom of the ninth, including two strikeouts, to pick up the win.

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


Fair Oaks: Pitching - Wilkerson, Parra (4), Graham (8) and Jennings. Top Hitters - Caffrey 2B; Jennings 2B; DeRose 2x4, 2B; Yurchak 2x3.
Rio Loma: Pitching - Vaughn, Duncan (8) and Shelton. Top Hitters - Ja. Crider 2x6; Garcia 2x4; Ji. Crider 2x5; Shelton 2B.