Fair Oaks center fielder Ryan Stevens watches a pitch come in during the Oaks' 4-3 District 6 win over Folsom June 1 at Folsom High. Photo by Joe Blenkle

Fair Oaks 4, Folsom 3 (League: 1-0, Overall: 1-0) - June 1 @ Folsom High School - Fair Oaks opened its 2005 District 6 American Legion season with a close 4-3 victory over the Folsom Flames at Folsom High School.
    Folsom staked a 1-0 lead over Post 383 pitcher Trevor Lewis after loading the bases with one out in the bottom of the first inning, but the Oaks came back with a three-run third to take a lead they'd never give up.
    Catcher Joe Holguin led off the inning with a ground ball to short and beat the throw to first to start things off. Center fielder Ryan Stevens then hit a slow roller to the right of the pitcher's mound, eventually being fielded by the Flames' second baseman. Stevens also beat the throw to give the Oaks two runners on base and then second baseman Kyle Richardson bunted toward third for a hit to load the bases.
    A walk to shortstop Steve Rinaudo forced in Holguin to tie the game at 1-1 and then right fielder Mickey Weisser doubled to right center to score Stevens and Richardson to make it a 3-1 game.
    Weisser's double came after a long shot to right field that the Oaks claimed cleared the fence in fair territory before wrapping around the foul pole and landing foul, but the home plate umpire called it a foul ball all the way, denying Weisser a grand slam home run.
    Post 383 scored its final run in the top of the fourth as left fielder Jason Lomascola led off with a hit to center. With Holguin at the plate, a pitch in the dirt sent Lomascola to second and then Holguin's ground ball to short sent him to third. Stevens then hit a fly to right that allowed Lomascola to tag and score and make it a 4-1 game.
   Lewis struck out the first two batters in Folsom's fifth, but then a walk and a double brought home a run to make it 4-2. A wild pitch sent the runner to third and he scored on a ground ball to bring the score to 4-3.
    Robert Beard took the mound for the Oaks in the sixth, getting two quick outs before giving up a lone walk Another out followed, however, to end the inning. Neither team did much after that although the Oaks had two runners on with only one out in the top of the ninth.
    Richardson drew a walk, followed by a hit by Rinaudo to center field, but two fly balls ended the inning and left the score at 4-3 in the Oaks favor.
    Andrew Leduc took the mound in the bottom of the ninth to close out the game. A spectacular diving catch by third baseman Austin Morgan gave the Oaks the first out and a pop to short put Post 383 one out away from their opening victory. Leduc then got into a bit of trouble as he gave up a walk and then hit the next batter, but then a come-backer to the mound and toss to first ended the game and gave the Oaks the win.

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

Fair Oaks: Pitching - Lewis, Beard (6), Leduc (9) and Holguin. Top Hitters - Rinaudo 2x3, Weisser 2B, 2 RBI.
Folsom: Pitching - Davis, Isham (6) and Sponsel.. Top Hitters - Malmander 2B.