Fair Oaks 15, Grass Valley 6 (League: 0-0, Overall: 1-0) - May 30 @ Nevada Union High School - Fair Oaks blasted Grass Valley 15-6 in its 2000 season opener, pounding out 14 hits in the non-league contest.
The Oaks took a 4-0 lead in the third inning as left fielder Jeff Williams led off with a hit deep on the infield and beat the throw to first. With catcher Doug Matlack at the plate, Williams stole second. Matlack flew to center, but the next batter, center fielder L.J. Sneath walked. Third baseman Joe Liebman followed with a hit to left to load the bases. First baseman Alex Graham hit a high bouncer over third to score Williams and Sneath for a 2-0 lead and right fielder Matt Pudge followed with a hit up the middle to reload the bases. A wild pitch with second baseman Aaron Yurchak at the plate scored Liebman. Yurchak walked and then a ground ball to second by shortstop Ricky Alonso scored Graham to make it a 4-0 game.
Matt Pudge slides safely into third after taking the base on a fly to the outfield by Aaron Yurchak in Fair Oaks game against Grass Valley May 30.
Starting pitcher Josh Gibson shut Grass Valley down in order in the bottom of the third and Fair Oaks came back to score two more runs in the top of the fourth.
With one out, Matlack doubled over the right fielder's head and then a towering home run into the trees in left center field by Sneath made it a 6-0 game.
Graham relieved Gibson to start the bottom of the fourth and several hits coupled with on-field miscues resulted in Grass Valley scoring five runs to make it a 6-5 game.
In the top of the sixth, the Oaks opened their lead back up with seven more runs to make it a 13-5 game.
With one out, Matlack walked and moved to second on Sneath's hit to left. Liebman followed with a hit to center to score Matlack and then Graham's hit to center scored Sneath to make it 8-5. With two outs Yurchak walked to load the bases and then a ball to short by Tim Cook was booted to score Liebman. Bob Churchill followec with a grounder to second that was also misplayed allowing Graham to score. A double by Williams to right then scored Yurchak, Cook and Churchill to make it 13-5.
Fair Oaks added another run in the seventh to make it 14-5 as Liebman walked with one out. Larry Lomascola's ground ball moved Liebman to second and a balk with Ricky LaFavor at the plate moved Liebman to third. LaFavor's ground ball then scored Liebman for the 14-5 lead.
Dan Gemma came in to pitch the seventh for the Oaks and shut Grass Valley down facing only four batters. In the eighth, the Oaks added another run as Churchill got a one out hit to center. Gemma moved him to second on a grounder to short, beating the throw at first for a hit. Mike Wright then hit a ball to short that was booted to load the bases. A grounder to short by Sneath scored Churchill for a 15-5 lead.
Grass Valley loaded the bases in the bottom of the eighth, but managed only one run to cut the Oaks lead to 15-6. Gemma held off Grass Valley the rest of the way as the Oaks recorded the 15-6 victory.
TEAM
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
R
H
E
FAIR OAKS
0
0
4
2
0
7
1
1
0
15
14
2
GRASS VALLEY
0
0
0
5
0
0
0
1
0
6
12
4
Fair Oaks: Pitching - Gibson, Graham (4), Gemma (7) and Matlack, Wright (8). Top Hitters - Gemma 2x2, 2B; Sneath 3x5, HR; Graham 2x4, 2B; Pudge 2x3, 2B. Grass Valley: Pitching - Slauson, Jillard (5) and Davis. Top Hitters - Larkins 3x5; Van Matre 3x5; Sowell 2x5; Wise HR, 3 RBI.
