Shortstop Ryan Dettman records the out at second and then fires to first to complete a double play against West Sacramento. Photo by Joe Blenkle

West Sacramento 5, Fair Oaks 3 (League: 0-1, Overall: 4-2-1) - May 30 @ Bella Vista High School, Fair Oaks - Fair Oaks Post 383 opened its 2009 District 6 season at home against West Sacramento, but the Oaks struggled on offense and dropped the opening game of a doubleheader at Bella Vista High, 5-3.

    West Sacramento took a 1-0 lead in the first inning despite only getting one hit. The Oaks managed to tie the game in the bottom of the second as right fielder Bryce Bandilla tripled over the head of the center fielder to lead off the inning. With one out and third baseman Ryan Hall at the plate, Bandilla scored when Hall hit the ball toward short and it took a bad bounce past the infielder.

    Starting pitcher Taylor Sanders held the game close through the first three innings, but then West Sacramento put three more runs on the board to take a 4-1 lead. With one out, an infield hit put a runner on and then with two outs, an error on a bouncer through the infield toward third kept the inning alive for West Sacramento. A passed ball allowed the runner to come home from third to make it 2-1 and another error on a ball hit to third loaded the bases for the visitors. A walk forced in the next run and a low pitch that got away from catcher Mike Nantze allowed the third run of the inning to score to make it a 4-1 game.

    The Oaks finally showed some life in the sixth as two Post 383 runs came home to close the score to 4-3. Center fielder Jon Lang led off with a ball to second, but beat the throw to first for a hit. Bandilla then sent a ball toward first that went off the first baseman's glove and giving the Oaks runners on first and third. With Sanders at the plate, a passed ball scored Lang. Then with two out and Josh Paige at the plate, a passed ball on a strikeout allowed Paige to reach safley and moved Bandilla to third. The catcher pegged a throw toward third to try to get Bandilla, but the throw went into left field and Bandilla scored to make it a 4-3 game. A hit by Nantze and walk to left fielder Andrew Gutierrez loaded the bases, but a bunt attempt by the next batter Ryan Dettman popped to the pitcher to end the inning.

    Paige, who had come on in the sixth to pitch, held West Sacramento scoreless in the seventh, but West Sac. managed a lone run in the eighth to up their lead to two at 5-3.

    The Oaks couldn't muster a rally in the final two innings, going out in order in both the eighth and ninth and giving the West Sacramento team the 5-3 victory.

West Sacramento: Pitching - Gualco, Jablosky (7) and Connoly. Top Hitters - Romero 2x5; Maianchi 2B.
Fair Oaks: Pitching - Sanders, Paige (6) and Nantze. Top Hitters - Bandilla 2x4, 3B.