July 8, 1992

Post 383's Mike McDowell dives back into first base ahead of the throw by Yolo pitcher Jason Hatanaka during the second inning of Fair Oaks' American Legion game on Sunday. McDowell got on base after being hit by a pitch and later scored to give Fair Oaks a 2-1 lead. Photo by John Blenkle

Post 383 loses game, but wins protest
By Joe Blenkle/Sports Editor
(This article originally appeared in the July 8, 1992 edition of The Orangevale News)

Sunday's American Legion baseball game between Fair Oaks Post 383 and Yolo Post 77 had a little bit of everything. Hits, walks, errors, extra-innings, home runs...you name it. It also had a bad call by the umpiring crew in the fourth inning which will erase the game from that point on, forcing a replay of the final 5 1/2 innings, which, on Sunday at least, resulted in a 15-12 loss for Fair Oaks.
With Yolo tying the game in the top of the fourth at 5-5, Post 383 came to bat. Center fielder Leon Hamburg led off with a hit to right field, followed by a ground ball to shortstop by first baseman Eric Henrikson. Yolo's fielder booted the ball putting runners at first and second with no outs. The next batter, second baseman Dave Scott, lined the ball to third, where it kicked off the third baseman's glove, going out of play. The umpire ruled that Hamburg was going back to second on the play and therefore was only entitled to third base on the out-of-play ball.

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
7-5	Yolo - PROTESTED
OVERALL: 10-8 LEAGUE: 10-8

    Fair Oaks coach Don Barney argued that Hamburg should be awarded home on the out-of-play ball. The home plate and base umpire consulted briefly, but let the play stand, resulting in Barney lodging a protest. The league reviewed the play the following day and upheld Fair Oaks' protest. The game will be replayed this week from the bottom of the fourth inning, with one run in, two runners on base and no outs. The league was to decide Tuesday night as to a time and date when the game would resume at Bella Vista High School.
    Even though most of the game was erased from the record books, it proved to be an up and down battle for Post 383. Fair Oaks had split a doubleheader with Yolo the previous day, making Sunday's game an important one as the season winds down toward the playoffs.
    Yolo went up 1-0 in the first inning, with Post 383 answering back in the bottom of the inning. Shortstop Greg Kenney led off with a double to center field and moved to second on a bunt by catcher Kent Guthrie. Hamburg's hit to right scored Kenney to tie the score at 1-1. Fair Oaks loaded the bases as Alan Coursey grounded to third with the throw coming home for the force, and right fielder Eric Brolin struck out.
    Fair Oaks made it a 5-1 game in the bottom of the second as pitcher Mike McDowell was hit by a pitch with one out. Kenney popped a ball into center that fell between the fielders, and then McDowell scored on a hit to left by Guthrie. Hamburg then hit a ball just out of the shortstop's reach into center to score Kenney and Guthrie, going to third as the ball got by the center fielder. He then scored on a fly ball to right by Henrikson to make it 5-1.
    Yolo added three runs in the third to make it a 5-4 game, and tied it in the top of the fourth with a lone run, making it 5-5.
    In the controversial fourth inning, Fair Oaks scored twice as Coursey got a bases loaded hit to left to score Hamburg and Henrikson, making it 7-5. Post 383 added another run in the sixth as Henrikson doubled to lead off the inning and scored on a double to left by Brolin.
    Yolo came back in the top of seventh, however, to take a 10-8 lead, as pitcher Curtis Gubler hit a three-run homer to left to tie it at 8-8.
    Chris Kurtz replaced McDowell as pitcher, giving up two consecutive walks and a bunt to third that Coursey couldn't pick up, loading the bases. A ground ball scored one run. An intentional walk re-loaded the bases and then Kurtz hit the next batter to force in run No. 10 for Yolo.
    Fair Oaks came back to take a 12-10 lead in the bottom of the seventh. Kurtz led off with a walk. The next batter struck out, and then Guthrie hit a grounder to shortstop that was booted, putting two runners on with one out. Hamburg walked to load the bases and Henrikson followed with another walk to force in Kurtz to make it a 10-9 game. Scott hit a grounder to short with the throw going to second for the force, but allowing Guthrie to score. Scott made an uncontested steal of second, and then Coursey's hit to right scored Hamburg and Scott to make it 12-10.
    Yolo tied the game with two runs in the top of the ninth inning, with both runs scoring on a dropped fly ball by Hamburg in center field that would have been the third out. Fair Oaks failed to score in the bottom of the ninth despite getting two runners on, and then Yolo scored three times in the top of the 10th inning to make it a 15-12 game.
    With two outs in the bottom of the 10th, pinch hitter Tim Fuhrman walked. Kenney followed with a hit to left and Guthrie walked to load the bases. Hamburg, who had home runs in both games of the doubleheader the previous day, came to the plate with a chance to win the game with one swing of the bat. He sent a towering drive into right field that was barely caught by a diving Yolo right fielder to end the game.
    Fortunately for Post 383, the game-ending play proved to be meaningless because of the protest and the game will be re-played from the fourth inning on.
    LEGION NOTES: Sunday's "loss" would have put Fair Oaks in a tie for fourth place with Citrus Heights, 6 1/2 games behind American Division leader Charles Eggen (17-3). As it stands, there are now three teams with eight losses, with Yolo and Haggin Grant tied for second at 11-8 and Fair Oaks in third at 10-8. Charles Eggen leads the American Division with a 17-3 record. Citrus Heights is half a game back of Fair Oaks at 10-9 and Cordova is in last place at 7-12. Seven of Fair Oaks' remaining eight games will be against teams with losing records.
    Fair Oaks travels to William Land Park today to face National Division leader Kennedy Valley (12-5) in a 5 p.m. contest. Saturday, Post 383 will host Cordova (7-12) in a doubleheader at Bella Vista beginning at 9 a.m. and Sunday, Post 383 travels to Cordova for an 11 a.m. single game. Wednesday, July 15, Fair Oaks hosts Southside (7-13) in a single game, and Saturday, July 18, Roseville visits for a doubleheader. The regular-season concludes Sunday, July 19, as Post 383 visits Roseville for an 11 a.m. single-game start.

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