Oaks second baseman Chris Rinaudo takes aim at a sixth inning pitch in Post 383's playoff game for the Area 1 Championship at Clark Field in Woodland.

Novato 7, Fair Oaks 6 (NOTE: Fair Oaks wins due to Novato using illegal player) (League: 16-4, Overall: 24-8) - July 25 @ Clark Field, Woodland - As the last out was recorded, the scoreboard showed Novato 7, Fair Oaks 6. "Fair Oaks had a good season," I thought, as I headed out the gate at Clark Field. "It was too bad they couldn't have gone to the State Championship again." As I approached my car down the left field line I heard a stir from the crowd. Someone began shouting, "Fair Oaks won, Fair Oaks won...". My journalistic instincts kicked in and I thought I had better return to the field to see what happened.
    What happened was that Novato had used an illegal player and thus forfeited the game to Fair Oaks -- meaning the Oaks will now advance to the State Championship held in Yountville beginning July 31.
    Not that it really matters because of the forfeit, but Novato scored once to open the game, with the Oaks coming back in the bottom of the first to score three times for a 3-1 lead.
    Second baseman Chris Rinaudo led off the first with a double to right field and then scored as center fielder Ryan Stevens doubled to left to tie the game. With first baseman Mickey Weisser at the plate, Stevens stole third. Weisser walked and eventually stole second with pitcher Tyler Robertson at the plate. Robertson struck out, but the next batter, left fielder Charles Smith, got a hit to left to score Stevens. Third baseman Larry Lomascola followed with a ground ball to short to score Weisser and give the Oaks a 3-1 lead.
    Fair Oaks added another run in the third after two were out as Smith doubled down the left field line. With Lomascola at the plate, Smith stole third with the throw from the catcher going into left field. Smith then scrambled home to score and give the Oaks a 4-1 lead.
    Poor play on the Oaks part in the top of the fourth led to four Novato runs as a leadoff error on shortstop Derek Chase got the Raiders going. A hit, wild pitch and three more hits led to a 5-4 lead for Novato. Robertson finally settled down, striking out two of the last three batters in the inning.
    A leadoff walk in the bottom of the inning to right fielder Joe Burson is all the Oaks could manage and Novato came back with a leadoff hit in the fifth which prompted a pitching change as Smith came in from left field to replace Robertson.
    Novato still managed to score another run, however, taking a 6-4 lead over the Oaks.
    In the bottom of the seventh, disaster struck for Post 383 after a promising start. Stevens led off with a hit to right field, followed by a walk to Weisser. Robertson then got a hit to center and Stevens tried to score. He collided with the catcher at home plate and was called out. In the collision, Stevens injured his knee and the game was delayed several minutes until he finally got to his feet and hobbled into the dugout. The next two batters recorded outs to end what could have been a promising inning.
    Stevens returned to center field to start the top of the eighth, but after a hit to center field it was apparent he was hurt too bad to continue and was replaced by Kyle Richardson. Novato scored another run in that inning to take a 7-4 lead.
    The Oaks came back in the bottom of the eighth to score two runs and close the margin to 7-6. Burson led off the inning with a hit to center, followed by a hit to left by shortstop Derek Chase. This prompted a Novato pitching change as Tim Rodriguez took over for starter Colin Dietz. Catcher Joe Gaggero walked to load the bases, but then disaster struck again for the second straight inning. The next batter, Rinaudo, hit into a double play. It scored Burson from third, but also gave the Oaks two outs. One more run scored on a Richardson hit to left before Novato again changed pitchers. The new hurler got Robertson to ground out to end the inning and leave the score at 7-6.
    Novato managed a leadoff hit to left to start the ninth, but Smith struck out the next two batters and got a fly ball to right to end the inning. The Oaks came up in the bottom of the ninth, getting a leadoff walk to Smith, but the next three batters went out to end the game...or so it seemed.
    Some fans exited the ball park. Others stayed around. And then the cheers went up from the Fair Oaks side as it was announced the the Oaks had won the game due to Novato's use of an illegal player.
    The 2004 State Championship in Yountville will be the Oaks second outing in state competition -- the last being in 1995 after their Area 1 victory at Renfree Field. This was Fair Oaks second Area 1 title and fifth time Post 383 has competed in the Area 1 playoffs.

TEAM	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	R	H	E
NOVATO	1	0	0	4	1	0	0	1	0	7	11	0
FAIR OAKS	3	0	1	0	0	0	0	2	0	6	11	1

NOTE: Fair Oaks was awarded a victory in this game after it was determined that Novato used an illegal player.

Novato: Pitching - Dietz, Rodriguez (8), Campbell (8) and Simmons. Top Hitters - Nosti 2x5, 2B; Norris 2x3.
Fair Oaks: Pitching - Robertson, Smith (5) and Gaggero. Top Hitters - Rinaudo 2x5, 2B; 2x4, 2B; Smith 2x4, 2B; Chase 2x4; Lomascola 2 RBI.