Fair Oaks 4, Fort Sutter 3 (League: 3-1, Overall: 4-1) - June 6 @ Hiram Johnson High - The Oaks came from behind with a pair of runs in the sixth inning to defeat Fort Sutter 4-3 at Hiram Johnson High School.
    Post 383 staked starting pitcher Robert Barrett to a 1-0 lead in the top of the second as shortstop Ricky Alonso walked with one out. Second baseman Aaron Yurchak followed with a hit to center field to advance Alonso to second. The next batter, first baseman Bob Churchill hit a ball to short. The throw went to second to try to get Yurchak, but all runners were safe. Right fielder Ricky LaFavor then grounded a ball to second to drive in Alonso and make it a 1-0 Fair Oaks game.
     Unfortunately for the Oaks, Fort Sutter came right back in the bottom of the inning to load the bases with one out. A double to left sent three runners home and gave Fort Sutter a 3-1 lead.
    The Oaks were probably hurt by the fenceless outfield as several drives by center fielder L.J. Sneath that probably would have cleared the fence in other parks went for long outs at Hiram Johnson.
    Fair Oaks closed the gap to one run in the fourth as Alonso led off with a hit up the middle. Yurchak followed with a shot to short that was booted, sending Alonso to third. Churchill's grounder to third scored Alonso to make it a 3-2 game.
Josh Gibson, who took the mound in the third replacing Barrett, put Sutter down in order in the bottom of the inning, including two strikeouts and in the fifth, Gibson also sent Fort Sutter down 1-2-3.
     In the top of the sixth, the Oaks scored their final two runs of the game as Yurchak led off with a double to left center field. With one out, pinch hitter Dan Gemma got a hit to left that scored Yurchak. Gemma motored into second on the throw home and was replaced by pinch runner Matt Pudge. Pudge moved to third on a ground ball to second by left fielder Tim Cook. He then scored as catcher Doug Matlack sent a swinging chop down the third base line. Fort Sutter's third baseman couldn't field it and the Oaks led 4-3.
     Gibson allowed only one base runner in the sixth and one in the seventh, as the Oaks escaped on a somewhat bizarre play. With one out and a runner on first, a ground ball to short with the runner going gave Fort Sutter the potential tying run on second. A Gibson pitch to the plate escaped Matlack and the runner charged for third. Unfortunately for Fort Sutter, Hiram Johnson's backstop isn't very spacious and the ball bounced right back to Matlack who pegged the throw to third baseman Joe Liebman for the tag and the final out of the game to preserve the Oaks' victory.

TEAM
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
R
H
E
FAIR OAKS
0
1
0
1
0
2
0
4
9
2
FT. SUTTER
0
3
0
0
0
0
0
3
6
3


Fair Oaks: Pitching - Barrett, Gibson (3) and Matlack. Top Hitters - Sneath 2B; Liebman 2x3; Yurchak 2x3, 2B.
Fort Sutter: Pitching - Crane and Hopkins. Top Hitters - Facino 2B, 3 RBI.