Fair Oaks first baseman Bryan Carter takes the throw to record an out against Haggin-Grant's third baseman Derek Schajahn during Sunday's 7-1 victory by Fair Oaks at Bella Vista High School. Photo by Joe Blenkle
Fair Oaks team wins big in weekend baseball action By Joe Blenkle/Sports Editor (This article originally appeared in the July 11, 1990 edition of The Orangevale News)
The Fair Oaks American Legion Post 383 baseball team completed a successful weekend of action taking two out of three games from Haggin-Grant.
Fair Oaks, made up of players from Casa Roble Fundamental and Bella Vista high schools, defeated Haggin-Grant in the opening game of a doubleheader at Rio Linda High School on Saturday 17-3, lost the second game 8-6, and then bounced back to take a single game at Bella Vista High School, 7-1.
In Saturday's 17-3 icing of Haggin-Grant, Fair Oaks pounded out 22 hits. Brett Rapozo picked up the win, giving up only five hits over nine innings.
Brian Prehoda and Matt Faulkner led Fair Oaks, both going 4-for-5, with one double each.
Brent Massoth and Aaron Thompson were both 3-for-5, with Thompson having two home runs and three RBI. Bryan Carter went 2-for-4, and Tyler Imus rounded out the top Fair Oaks hitters with a triple.
In the second game, the Fair Oaks squad was not as fortunate as Haggin-Grant jumped off to an early 1-0 lead in the first inning.
Fair Oaks came back to score three runs in the second, but Haggin-Grant answered back with five runs to take a 6-3 lead, eventually winning 8-6.
Massoth and Eric McDowell both went 2-for-3 to lead Fair Oaks, and Prehoda added a double to round out the top hitters.
In Sunday's game, Andy Bagnall scattered eight hits as he pitched Fair Oaks to a complete-game victory, 7-1.
Fair Oaks scored four times in the first inning off Haggin-Grant pitcher Leonard Carter. With one out, Fair Oaks first baseman Bryan Carter got a hit up the middle and Prehoda followed with a solid single to center field. Imus was the next batter, and he sent a high fly ball into center that was dropped, loading the bases. McDowell then came to the plate and singled to center, scoring both Carter and Prehoda. Catcher Matt Borcich continued the Fair Oaks shelling of center field with another hit that scored Imus and McDowell to make it 4-0.
Fair Oaks added another run in the second as Massoth walked with one out. Haggin-Grant's pitcher tried to pick Massoth off first, but the ball got away and Massoth moved to second. Carter then doubled over the center fielder's head to score Massoth, making it 5-0.
Fair Oaks scored its final two runs of the game in the third inning as Imus led off with a grounder down the right field line that went under the first baseman's glove. With McDowell at the plate, Imus tried stealing second, but was thrown out. McDowell walked and Matt Borcich followed with a single to right. Carl Heaton then walked to load the bases and Chris Borcich's hit to left scored McDowell from third.
With the bases still loaded, Haggin-Grant brought in a new pitcher, Mike Baroni. With a 1-2 count on the next batter, Bagnall, Baroni wild pitched, allowing all the runners to advance and sending Matt Borcich home to score.
Haggin-Grant scored its only run of the game in the top of the fourth as catcher Shane Maynard led off with a double and advanced to third on right fielder James Borges' fly ball to center. The next batter, first baseman Lo Novey, hit a soft grounder back to the pitcher. Bagnall fielded it and threw home to get the runner, but Maynard beat the throw, scoring Haggin-Grant's only run of the game.
Fair Oaks plays West Sacramento at River City High School today at 5 p.m., and will travel to Woodland for a doubleheader on Saturday at Clark Field. Game times are 4 and 7 p.m.
Sunday, Fair Oaks will close out its regular season against Woodland at Bella Vista High School with a single game beginning at 11 a.m.
