Charles Smith connects with the ball in the Oaks game against Galt on July 11 at Sacramento City College. The Oaks won the game 12-7.

Fair Oaks 12, Galt 7 (League: 16-4, Overall: 19-5) - July 11 @ Sacramento City College - In what turned into a see-saw battle for much of the game, Fair Oaks finally broke away in the late innings for a 12-7 victory over Galt to stay alive in the District 6 playoffs at Sacramento City College.
    Fair Oaks took a 2-0 lead in the first inning for starting pitcher Brian Janowiak as second baseman Chris Rinaudo led off with a double to left field. Center fielder Kyle Richardson followed with a bunt that took a bounce in front of the plate. The catcher tried to grab it, but couldn't find the handle and Richardson was safe at first with Rinaudo advancing to third. Rinaudo scored on a fly to left by designated hitter Mickey Weisser to give the Oaks a 2-0 lead.
    Galt came back in the bottom of the inning, however, to score three times to take a 3-2 lead, but the Oaks answered back in the top of the second with two runs to go back in fromt 4-3.
    With one out, catcher Joe Gaggero doubled to center field. He moved to third on a hit to left by Rinaudo and then scored on a fly to center by Richardson. With Weisser at the plate, a passed ball moved Rinaudo to third and he scored on Weisser's hit to left center to make it 4-3.
    Galt went back up by a run at 5-4 after scoring a pair of runs in the bottom of the third, as Janowiak gave up three hits and hit a batter. He was replaced on the mound by Dustin Aimes who got the final out of the inning.
    The Oaks tied the game in the fifth as left fielder Charles Smith hit a ball to short and beat the throw to first. Third baseman Jason Lomascola walked, but then the Oaks found themselves looking at two outs as right fielder Joe Burson hit a ball to third. Galt's third baseman stepped on the bag to erase Smith coming in from second and then threw to first to complete the double play. Fortunately for the Oaks, however, shortstop Derek Chase got a hit to left to bring in Lomascola and tie the game at 5-5.
    Galt went back ahead with a run in the bottom of the fifth, but the Oaks began to edge away from their opponents in the sixth as they scored three times to take an 8-6 lead.
    Rinaudo led off with a hit to center, followed by a walk to Richardson. This forced Galt's third pitching change of the game. Nolan Hummel replaced Matthew Brunswick and got a quick out, but then first baseman Tyler Robertson got a hit to center to score Rinaudo and Smith walked to load the bases. Lomascola followed with a ground ball to short that scored Richardson and then Burson hit a ball to third. The throw to first pulled the first baseman off the bag and Burson was safe with Robertson scoring to make it an 8-6 game.
    Galt closed the game to one run at 8-7 in the seventh. Aimes gave up two hits and then was replaced by Smith on the mound. An error at second that probably would have been a double play brought in Galt's run, but the Oaks still owned the lead.
    In the eighth, Fair Oaks broke the game open with four runs for a 12-7 lead. Robertson led off with a hit to left and then Smith was hit by a pitch. He was erased on a Lomascola ball to short, but the relay to first was too late and the Oaks had runners at the corners. With two outs, Chase hit a ball to third. The throw pulled the first baseman off the bag and Chase was safe with Robertson scoring to make it 9-7. Gaggero then hit a ball toward short. Only a diving stop saved it from going through, but Gaggero was safe at first and the bases were loaded. With Rinaudo at the plate, a wild pitch scored Lomascola and then Rinaudo's hit to center scored Chase and Gaggero to make it a 12-7 game.
    Smith put down Galt in the final two innings allowing only a pair of walks and hitting one batter as the Oaks recorded the win and avoided being eliminated from the tourney.

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

Fair Oaks: Pitching - Janowiak, Aimes (3), Smith (7) and Gaggero. Top Hitters - Rinaudo 4x6, 2B, 3 RBI; Weisser 2 RBI; Robertson 4x6, 2 RBI; Smith 2x5; Chase 2x5, 2 RBI; Gaggero 2x5, 2B.
Galt: Pitching - T. Quarisa, Brunswick (4), Hummel (6) and J. Quarisa. Top Hitters - Mooney 2B; Weathers 3x5, 2B, 2 RBI; T. Quarisa 3 RBI; Smith 2x5, 2B, 2 RBI.