First baseman Chris Harms waits for a pickoff throw from Brian Kennedy in the sixth inning of the Oaks game against West Sacramento. The runner got back safely, but the Oaks came out winners in the game by a score of 6-4. Photo by Joe Blenkle

Fair Oaks 6, West Sacramento 4 (League: 2-1, Overall: 6-2-1) - May 31 @ Bridgeway Lakes Park, West Sacramento - Fair Oaks finished its three-game series with West Sacramento with a 6-2 victory at Bridgeway Lakes Park in West Sacramento.

    The Oaks jumped on West Sac. for three runs in the opening inning as second baseman Josh Britt got a one out hit, and then right fielder Jon Lang and first baseman Chris Harms drew back-to-back walks to load the bases. With two outs, catcher Mike Nantze's hit to left field scored both Britt and Lang to make it 2-0. The action wasn't over, however, as Nantze got caught in a rundown between first and second. Harms had kept moving on the play and came home to score while West Sacramento was trying to tag out Nantze. They eventually did, but the run had already crossed the plate and the Oaks had a 3-0 lead.

    West Sacramento got one run back in the bottom of the inning after starting pitcher Justin Haley hit the first batter he faced. A passed ball sent the runner to second and then a double brought him home to close the deficit to two at 3-1.

    Another run in the third cut the Oaks lead to 3-2, but Post 383 went up 5-2 with a pair of runs in the top of the fifth after two were out. Shortstop Ryan Dettman drew a walk and with Britt at the plate stole second. Britt hit a ball to short, but the throw to first was low and got away allowing Dettman to score and Britt to reach base safely. With Lang at the plate, a wild pitch sent Britt to second. Lang then hit a ball to the second baseman who couldn't find the handle. Coupled with a bad throw to first, Britt scored and Lang was safe at first. A fly ball to center by the next batter ended the inning, but the Oaks owned a 5-2 lead.

    West Sacramento wouldn't give up though and came back to close the score to one with a pair of runs of their own in the bottom of the fifth to make it a 5-4 game. The damage could have been worse, however, as West Sac. loaded the bases with two outs. Interference was called on the next batter though as he dribbled the ball just fair to the right of the plate and got in Nantze's way as he tried to pick it up.

    The Oaks added an insurance run in the top of the sixth after two were out as center fielder Branden Lang tripled over the head of the West Sac. center fielder. Taylor Sanders got the run home with a hit to right to make it a 6-4 Oaks lead.

    Brian Kennedy took the mound for the Oaks in the bottom of the seventh and held West Sacramento scoreless the rest of the way for the win.

Fair Oaks: Pitching - Haley, Kennedy (6) and Nantze. Top Hitters - Nantze 2x4, 2 RBI; Lang 3B.

West Sacramento: Pitching - Meggam, Sheya (8) and Chappan. Top Hitters - Maranga 2x4, 2B, 3B.