Fair Oaks 9, Manhart 6 (League: 12-0, Overall: 18-4) - July 14 @ Sacramento City College - In a game that had a little bit of everything including 13 errors and an illegal bat call, Fair Oaks pulled out another victory with a 9-6 win over Manhart at Sacramento City College.
    The Oaks got a 1-0 lead for starter Ryan Knippschild in the bottom of the first inning as left fielder Tim Cook got a hit up the middle to start things off. With right fielder Garrett Holtzen at the plate, a throw back to the pitcher from first on a pickoff play got away and went out of play sending Cook all the way to third base. Holtzen popped out, but then the next batter, center fielder L.J. Sneath, sent a ball to short that scored Cook to make it 1-0.
Tim Cook
    Manhart went out in order in the second and then the Oaks came back in the bottom of the inning for five runs on only one hit - and five Manhart errors. First baseman Manny Parra led off with a double to center field and then shortstop Josh Thompson reached first on a bad throw from third baseman Chris Palma. A sacrifice bunt by third baseman Mike Wright moved both runners over and then a walk to designated hitter Steve Snider loaded the bases with only one out. Catcher Kyle Carden then hit a ball to short. The ball was thrown away at second allowing Thompson and Parra to score and then a ground ball to first by Cook, with the throw going to short, scored Snider to make it 4-0. Holtzen then hit a ball to third that was booted and then Sneath hit another ball to third with the throw going to first. The throw was low, however, and got away, scoring Holtzen and Cook to make it a 6-0 game.
    The Oaks scored two more runs in the third as Justin Cash took the mound in relief of starter Ryan Arrouzet. Parra led off with a triple to center and scored as Thompson hit a ball to third, with the throw going to first. With two outs, Snider walked and then stole second on a pitch in the dirt with Carden at the plate. Carden also drew a walk to put two runners on. The next batter, Cook, got a hit up the middle to score Snider and make it an 8-0 game.
    Manhart got its first run of the game in the fourth and then scored five more times in the fifth - only to have two of those runs taken away on an illegal bat call. After closing the score to 8-4, a walk to left fielder Joseph Liviach loaded the bases with two outs. Pinch hitter Gustavo Martinez came to the plate and belted a hit to right field that apparently scored two more runs to make it an 8-6 game. But the plate umpire ruled that Martinez used an illegal bat, calling the batter out, nullifying the two runs, and ending the inning with the Oaks still leading 8-4.
    The Oaks also had a run taken away in the sixth after apparently expanding their lead to 10-4. A walk to Holtzen led off the inning. With Sneath at the plate, Holtzen stole second. Second baseman Doug Matlack then hit a ball to second that was bobbled, with Matlack reaching first safely. Parra then doubled to left, scoring Holtzen and Matlack. Parra tried to stretch the double into a triple, but was out at third base. Thompson was the next batter, and as he stepped in, Manhart's pitcher threw to third. Matlack was ruled not to have touched the base and was called out, voiding the Oaks' 10th run and leaving the score at 9-4.
    Manhart got single runs off Oaks' reliever Dan Gemma in the seventh and ninth innings to make it 9-6, but their rally fell short as the Oaks held on for the 9-6 victory.

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


Manhart: Pitching - Arrouzet, Cash (3) and Peluso. Hitting - Peluso 3x5; Liviach 2x4.
Fair Oaks: Pitching - Knippschild, Gemma (6) and Carden. Hitting - Cook 2x5, 2 RBI; Parra 3x4, 2 2B, 3B.