Trace Coquillette turns a double play during one of Post 383's playoff games in Woodland. Coquillette was one of the top players for Fair Oaks this season. Photo by Joe Blenkle
Post 383 season ended too soon
By Joe Blenkle/Sports Editor
(This article originally appeared in the Aug. 5, 1992 edition of The Orangevale News)
    "We had hoped to go a little bit farther," said Don Barney, coach of the Fair Oaks Post 383 American Legion baseball team.
    Fair Oaks was eliminated from the American Legion playoffs July 25 after winning its first two games the tournament. Post 383 defeated Fort Sutter and Kennedy Valley before dropping its next two contests to Citrus Heights and Charles Eggen, to drop out of the double-elimination tourney.
American Legion - Post 383
Date Opponent Score
6-3 W. Sacramento W, 4-1
6-6 Citrus Heights W, 10-1
6-6 Citrus Heights W, 12-11
6-7 Citrus Heights W, 7-6
6-13 Charles Eggen L, 6-1
6-13 Charles Eggen W, 1-0
6-14 Charles Eggen L, 6-3
6-17 Post 61 W, 13-0
6-18 Fort Sutter L, 6-5
6-20 El Dorado L, 4-1
6-20 El Dorado W, 4-1
6-21 El Dorado L, 12-10
6-27 Haggin Grant W, 12-11
6-27 Haggin Grant W, 5-3
6-28 Haggin Grant L, 4-0
7-1 Auburn L, 7-2
7-4 Yolo L, 14-3
7-4 Yolo W, 4-1
7-8 Kennedy-Valley L, 5-4
7-11 Cordova W, 11-10
7-11 Cordova W, 5-3
7-12 Cordova L, 4-1
7-15 Southside W, 5-4
7-16 Yolo W, 18-10
7-18 Roseville L, 11-4
7-18 Roseville W, 5-4
7-19 Roseville W, 10-6
DISTRICT 6 PLAYOFFS
7-22 Fort Sutter W, 19-10
7-23 Kennedy-Valley W, 3-2
7-24 Citrus Heights L, 21-2
7-25 Charles Eggen L, 16-6
OVERALL: 18-13 / LEAGUE: 16-11
    Both Citrus Heights and Charles Eggen advanced to last week's Area 1 playoffs in Susanville. Post 383 ended its season in third place in District 6 after taking the second place spot behind Charles Eggen in the American Division with a 16-11 record.
    "We had a pretty good season considering everything that happened," said Barney. "We had a lot of injuries through the season. But in the end, we rallied when we had to."
    Barney believes the turning point of Post 383's season was their July 11-12 series with Cordova. A comeback from a 10-1 deficit for an 11-10 win in one of the games got the team going.
    "I think that was the turning point," said Barney. "We were struggling up to that point in the season. The win gave the team some confidence and things just seemed to take off."
    Fair Oaks won five of its next seven games to take second place in the American Division and enter the playoffs along with first place Charles Eggen (24-3) and third place Citrus Heights (16-11).
    Although Fair Oaks and Citrus Heights finished the season with identical records, Post 383 was able to take the second spot by virtue of its three-game series sweep over Citrus Heights June 6-7.
    Next to injuries this season, one of Fair Oaks' biggest problems was errors. Post 383 committed 82 in 31 total games, and had several games during the season where the miscues came in bunches, turning what would have been wins into losses.
    "There was a lack of concentration in some of the games," said Barney. "There were a few where we booted the ball up pretty good."
    Looking ahead to next year, Post 383's chances of making another playoff appearance look pretty good. Thirteen players out of 17 on the roster this year should be back and as Barney says, "I'm sure we'll pick up some good ones that develop this year during the high school season, as well."
    Barney believes his 1993 team will have the potential to advance even farther than the 1992 squad did. "We should be strong in pitching and will have some very good players back," said Barney. "As long as we can stay healthy, we should be very strong."
    Some notable players who should return next year include Leon Hamburg, Tim Fuhrman, Mike McDowell and Eric Henrikson. Hamburg, who split his time between the outfield and third base, topped the team in several categories including runs scored (30), home runs (12), average (.410) and RBI (38).
    Fuhrman and McDowell - both pitchers - accounted for 12 of Fair Oaks' 18 total wins during the season, with Fuhrman leading the team in innings pitched (52), ERA (2.42) and strike outs (61).
    Henrikson, a sophomore, saw action on both the mound and infield, hitting .293 with three home runs, seven doubles and 13 RBI.
    The season might have ended a little sooner than Fair Oaks would have liked this year, but you can bet when June rolls around in 1993, Post 383 will be ready to once again challenge for the American Legion American Division crown.
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