After a leadoff hit in the second inning, center fielder Ryan Stevens takes a lead off first in the Oaks game against Folsom. Stevens eventually scored to give the Oaks an early 1-0 lead. Photo by Joe Blenkle

Fair Oaks 7, Folsom 1 (League: 17-1, Overall: 23-2) - July 9 @ Sacramento City College - Fair Oaks started its drive toward the District 6 title Saturday night with a 7-1 victory over the Folsom Flames at Sacramento City College.
    Led by pitcher Tyler Robertson, who pitched a complete game and recorded 18 strikeouts, the Oaks took an early lead with a pair of runs in the second inning.
    Center fielder Ryan Stevens led off the inning with a hit to left field and with shortstop Chris Dennison at the plate stole second base. Dennison walked to put two runners on and then a wild pitch with catcher Joe Holguin at the plate advanced both runners. Holguin's hit up the middle scored Stevens, sending Dennison to third and he scored on a one out ground ball to short by designated hitter Ryan Appledorn.
    The Oaks added another run in the bottom of the fourth as Dennison led off with a bunt down the first base line. The pitcher and catcher both went after it and got tangled up and Dennison made it safely to first with a hit. Holguin advanced Dennison to second with a ground ball back to the pitcher and then with left fielder Jason Lomascola at the plate, a wild pitch sent Dennison to third. Lomascola followed with a hit to left to score Dennison and make it a 3-0 game.
    Folsom got its only run of the game in the top of the fifth on what should have been the third out of the inning.
    Robertson walked the first batter he faced and then struck out the next two, but two more walks followed to load the bases.
    Folsom's pitcher and cleanup hitter Brian Dean was the next batter and Robertson struck him out, but Holguin couldn't hold onto the ball and it rolled a short distance away. Before Holguin could recover it and throw to first for the third out of the inning, Dean threw his bat down as he took off running for first. The bat struck the ball and knocked it all the way to the backstop. Dean reached first safely before Holguin could recover it and Folsom catcher Brent Sponsel, who had been on third, came home to score to make it a 3-1 game. Robertson proceded to strike out the next batter to end the inning without any further damage being done.
    Folsom went out in order in the sixth and seventh innings, with Robertson striking out the side in the seventh. The Oaks went back to work in the bottom of the inning, scoring three more runs to make it a 6-1 game.
    With one out, right fielder Steve Rinaudo got a hit to left field and then scored on second baseman Kyle Richardson's triple to left center. First baseman Mickey Weisser followed with a hit to right - a ball that took a high hop on the infield just out of reach of the first baseman. Richardson came home to score to make it 5-1. Then with two out, Stevens and Dennsion drew consecutive walks to load the bases. Dean pitched one ball to Holguin before being replaced on the mound by Blake Snyder, but Snyder proceded to walk Holguin and force in Weisser from third to make it a 6-1 game.
    Robertson again put the Flames out in order in the top of the eighth and the Oaks came back to score their final run in the bottom of the inning.
    With one out, Rinaudo tripled to right center and then came in to score on a passed ball with Richardson at the plate.
    The Oaks only error of the game allowed one Folsom base runner in the top of the ninth after two were out, but Robertson got the next batter to ground out to end the game and give the Oaks the 7-1 playoff victory.
   

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

Folsom: Pitching - Dean, Snyder (7) and Sponsel.
Fair Oaks: Pitching - Robertson (18 strikeouts) and Holguin. Top Hitters - Rinaudo 2x4, 3B; Richardson 3B; Weisser 2x4.