Justin Haley took the mound for the Oaks in Thursday's game with Post 383 trailing Chico 7-3 and guided them back to an 11-10 lead en route to a 12-10 victory over the Nuts. Photo by Joe Blenkle

Fair Oaks 12, Chico Nuts 10 (League: 13-3, Overall: 32-9) - July 24 @ Laurel Creek Park, Fairfield - It was a seesaw battle that saw eight pitchers used between the two teams, but in the end Fair Oaks Post 383 outlasted the Chico Nuts by a score of 12-10 in the Area 1 Playoffs at Fairfield's Laurel Creek Park.
    Chico roughed up Oaks starter Bryce Bandilla in the opening inning as a combination of hits and walks  spotted the Nuts a 2-0 lead. Bandilla struck out the first batter he faced, but then a string of bad luck hit as three straight hits - including a double by Nuts shortstop Andy Quiring - loaded the bases. A sacrifice fly by second baseman Jesse Morris brought in the first run and then a ground ball to second resulted in another run after the Oaks failed to cover first on the play. It could have been worse as another walk reloaded the bases, but Bandilla got Chico's catcher Russ Gray to fly out to center field to end the inning.
    Not to be outdone, the Oaks came right back to take the lead in the bottom of the inning as center fielder Ryan Dettman hit a high bouncer over the mound that no one could get a glove on. With one out, and Oaks shortstop Cameron Barr at the plate, Dettman stole second. A bad throw sent him to third and then Barr joined him on base via a walk by Chico starter Patrick Randolph. With catcher Bret Gibson at the plate, a double steal brought in Dettman to make it 2-1 and gave Barr second base. Gibson also walked and designated hitter Charlie Robertson got a base hit to right to load the bases. Left fielder Michael Garber then hit a line drive at the second baseman who missed the ball and Barr and Gibson both scored to make it a 3-2 Oaks lead.
    Chico came right back in the top of the second to score five runs and take a 7-3 lead, knocking Bandilla out of the game. Walks to right fielder Wes Skillicorn and center fielder Shane Galbraith led off the inning and then a hit up the middle by Randolph tied the game at 3-3. Quiring's hit to right loaded the bases and a sacrifice to right by left fielder Cody Brown brought in Galbraith to make it a 4-3 Chico lead. Morris then homered to left center to bring in three runs and give the Nuts a 7-3 advantage.
    Justin Haley took the mound for Fair Oaks and struck out two of the three batters he faced to end the inning.
    Chico held onto the lead until the bottom of the third, when the Oaks went back in front 8-7. Barr led off with a ball to third that was booted and then Gibson got a hit to left. With one out, a Garber hit up the middle scored Barr to make it 7-4. Third baseman Andrew Gutierez then hit a grounder to short that went for an error to load the bases. Right fielder Josh Glaser then stepped to the plate and launched the ball over the lect center field fence for a grand slam home run that gave the Oaks an 8-7 lead.
    Chico went right back on top in the top of the fourth, however. A walk to Brown was followed by an out and Haley hitting third baseman Taylor Johnson. First baseman Austin Prott then punched a homer over the right field fence to bring in three runs and give Chico a 10-8 lead.
    The Nuts lead was short lived, however. Fair Oaks tied the game in the bottom of the inning as first baseman Ben Schwefel led off with a solo home run to deep center field to bring the game to 10-9. Barr followed with a hit to right and then a Gibson double to left scored Barr to make it 10-10.
    Haley put Chico down in order in the fifth and the sixth innings and then the Oaks went back in front for good in the bottom of the sixth.
    Barr led off with a hit up the middle and was running as Gibson sent a hit to right. Barr landed on third and scored as Robertson delivered a hit to center to make it an 11-10 game.
    Lyle Hobart took over on the mound in the seventh and despite giving up a leadoff walk and a two out hit, struck out the final batter he faced to shut Chico down. Garber pitched the eighth for the Oaks, also giving up a leadoff walk, but three outs followed to set up the Oaks bottom of the eighth.
    Barr and Gibson drew back to back walks resulting in a Chico pitching change - their fourth hurler of the game. Pinch hitter Jon Lang moved the runners over via a bunt and then Barr scored on a sacrifice fly by Garber to give the Oaks a 12-10 lead.
    Garber put the Nuts down in order in the top of the ninth to eliminate the Chico team from the tournament.  

TEAM	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	R	H	E
CHICO NUTS	2	5	0	3	0	0	0	0	0	10	11	2
FAIR OAKS	3	0	5	2	0	1	0	1	-	12	15	3

Chico: Pitching - Randolph, Sullivan (5), Hames (6), Quiring (8) and Gray. Top Hitters - Randolph 2x4; Quiring 3x5; Prott HR, 3 RBI; Morris HR, 3 RBI.
Fair Oaks: Pitching - Bandilla, Haley (2), Hobart (7), Garber (8) and Gibson. Top Hitters - Dettman 3x5; Barr 2x4; Gibson 3x3; Garber 2x4; Schwefel HR; Glaser HR, 4 RBI.