Oaks pitcher Ryan Stevens sends a pitch home in the Oaks 12-4 win over Sonoma July 3. The victory put the Oaks in the July 4 championship game against Yolo Post 77. Photo by Joe Blenkle

Fair Oaks 12, Sonoma Rebels 4 (League: 16-1, Overall: 20-2) - July 3 @ Laurel Creek Park, Fairfield, CA - Facing Sonoma for the second time in the Western Amateur Baseball Federation Tournament, the Oaks turned the tables on the Rebels as Post 383 came up with a 12-4 victory. In the two teams' previous meeting, Sonoma beat Fair Oaks 13-3 in a five-inning game.
    The win puts the Oaks in tomorrow's championship game against District 6 rival Yolo Post 77.
    Fair Oaks got on the board early, scoring in the first inning as left fielder Steve Rinaudo was hit by a pitch to lead off the game. Second baseman Kyle Richardson bunted Rinaudo over to second and then with right fielder Mickey Weisser at the plate, a pitch in the dirt sent Rinaudo to third. Weisser's fly ball to left then allowed Rinaudo to tag and score to make it a 1-0 game.
    Sonoma came back to tie the game in the bottom of the inning, however, and then took a 2-1 lead in the second off Oaks starting pitcher Ryan Stevens.
    The lead was short-lived, however, as Fair Oaks scored three more runs in the top of the third to go up 4-2 and take a lead they'd never give up.
    With one out, first baseman Tyler Robertson got a hit to left center. Robert Beard was inserted as a pinch runner for Robertson, but he was erased as Rinaudo hit a ball to third with the throw going to second. Rinaudo beat the relay, however, so the Oaks were able to keep the inning alive. Richardson then hit a ball to short, Sonoma shortstop Pat Ross was able to knock the ball down, but Richardson beat the throw to first to give the Oaks a pair of runners.
    Weisser, the next batter, then sent a pitch over the right field fence for a three-run homer to give the Oaks a 4-2 advantage.
    Sonoma closed the gap to one run in the fourth, as the Rebels scored to make it a 4-3 game, but the Oaks padded their lead two innings later as Post 383 scored three times in the sixth to make it a 7-3 game.
    With one out, third baseman Austin Morgan walked. The next batter, Stevens, hit a ball back to Sonoma pitcher Casey Slate. The throw went to second - or in that general direction - as the ball was thrown away and Morgan made it to third. Catcher Joe Holguin then got a hit to right field that scored both Morgan and Stevens to make it 6-3. Center fielder Nikolai Rowe was next up and he hit a ball to first that was booted. Shortstop Chris Dennison then got a hit to left to score Holguin and make it 7-3. The ball got away from the left fielder and Rowe made it into third with Dennison advancing to second. After a strikeout by Jason Lomascola, an intentional walk to Rinaudo loaded the bases, but a groundout to first by Richardson ended the inning and the Oaks scoring spree at 7-3.
    Trevor Lewis took over for Stevens on the mound midway through the sixth inning and held Sonoma scoreless with two quick outs after the Rebels had gotten a one out base hit. The Oaks also faced a new pitcher to start the seventh as Jon Martinez took over for Slate.
    Martinez got a fly out to center by Weisser, walked Morgan and then struck out Stevens, but the Oaks seem to toughen up with two away and went on to score five more runs for a 12-3 lead.
    Holguin hit a ground ball to first that resulted in a tough play at the bag and the ball got away allowing Morgan to score. Rowe then hit a ball to third that was booted and Dennison followed with a ball to second that was also misplayed, with Holguin and Rowe scoring to make it 10-3.
    Lewis followed with a double to right field to score Dennison and then Lewis scored on a hit up the middle by Rinaudo to make it a 12-3 game.
    Andrew Leduc came in to pitch the bottom of the seventh for the Oaks and immediately got in trouble. After striking out the first batter he faced, Leduc gave up a hit and a walk before getting the next batter to pop to first. But another walk loaded the bases and then his third walk in four batters forced in a run to make it a 12-4 game. Leduc went to a 3-2 count on the next Sonoma batter before striking him out to end the inning and the game with the Oaks taking the contest and advancing to the championship game on July 4.

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

Fair Oaks: Pitching - Stevens, Leduc (7) and Holguin. Top Hitters - Weisser HR, 4 RBI; Holguin 2x4, 3 RBI; Lewis 2B.
Sonoma: Pitching - Slate, Martinez (7) and Ius. Top Hitters - Steiner 2x4; Ius, 2x3, 3B.