Oaks right fielder Jon Lang dives back into first base on a fourth inning pickoff attempt in Fair Oaks game against El Dorado. Photo by Joe Blenkle

Fair Oaks 10, El Dorado 3 (League: 0-0, Overall: 3-0) - May 24 @ William Land Park, Sacramento - Improving its record to 3-0 on the year, the Fair Oaks Post 383 American Legion baseball team advanced to the championship game of the District 6 Memorial Day Tournament with a 10-3 victory over El Dorado.

    The Oaks wasted no time getting on the scoreboard as Post 383 jumped out to a 6-0 lead in the first inning. Second baseman Josh Britt led off with a walk and Fair Oaks center fielder Ryan Dettman followed by getting hit by a pitch. Right fielder Jon Lang loaded the bases with an infield hit up the middle and then a walk to third baseman Taylor Sanders forced in Britt to make it 1-0. With one out and the bases still loaded, designated hitter Justin Haley was hit by a pitch to force Dettman in for a 2-0 lead. Left fielder Josh Paige then hit a ball to short. The throw went to second, but got away and both Lang and Sanders scored to improve the Oaks lead to 4-0. A walk to first baseman Chris Harms re-loaded the bases and a walk to catcher Mike Nantze forced in Haley for a 5-0 lead. The Oaks final run of the inning came on a fly to right by Britt. Paige tagged at third and came home for the 6-0 advantage.

    Despite giving up single hits in each of the first two innings, Oaks pitcher Zane Hemphill faced only the minimum six batters as two pickoffs erased the base runners. The Oaks scored again in the bottom of the second after two were out as Haley powered a home run deep to right field for a 7-0 Oaks lead.

    El Dorado scored its first run of the game in the top of the fourth off Taylor Hickman who replaced Hemphill on the mound. A one out error put a runner on, with a walk pushing the El Dorado runner to second. He scored as the next batter got a base hit to center to make it a 7-1 game.

    Post 383 came right back in the bottom of the inning, however, scoring three more runs to take a 10-1 lead. Lang led off with a bad hop single to short and with one out shortstop Andrew Gutierrez doubled to right field sending Lang to third. Both runners scored as Haley sent a hit through the infield to give the Oaks a 9-1 lead. With two outs, Harms hit a ground ball to third. The throw to first got away and Haley went home ahead of the throw to score and make it 10-1.

    El Dorado came back to score two more runs in the top of the sixth to make it a 10-3 game, but that's as close as they would get. Gutierrez came in to pitch the top of the seventh and sent El Dorado down in order to give the Oaks the win and a trip to Monday's championship game against Napa.

El Dorado: Pitching - Baker, Hutchins (5) and Heinzer. Top Hitters - Hemington 2x4; Hutchins 3x3, 2B; Cunningham 3x3.
Fair Oaks: Pitching - Hemphill, Hickman (4), Gutierrez (7) and Nantze. Top Hitters - J. Lang 2x3; Gutierrez 2B; Haley 2x3, HR, 4 RBI.