Fair Oaks' Jason Wilkerson (14) gets back to first base ahead of a pickoff throw in Post 383's American Legion game against Auburn on Sunday at Bella Vista High School. Fair Oaks swept all three games of their weekend series to move to 5-2 on the season. Photo by John Blenkle
Post 383 sweeps Auburn Legion team
By Joe Blenkle/Sports Editor
(This article originally appeared in the June 15, 1994 edition of The Orangevale News)
    Capitalizing on Auburn's poor pitching and last place standing in the American Division, Fair Oaks Post 383 American Legion baseball team swept three games from Auburn this week to move into second place only one half game behind El Dorado.
    Fair Oaks visited Auburn's James Field on Saturday evening for a doubleheader, winning both ends of the twin bill by big margins.
    In game No. 1, both teams struggled early with only three Fair Oaks batters reaching base through the first three innings - and none of them on what could be considered well hit balls. Second baseman Regan Reynolds led off the first with a ground ball to short, but a bad throw to first allowed him safe passage to the base. In the second, pitcher Andy Tews drew a one out walk and was moved to second as the next batter, shortstop Dennis Hunt hit a check-swing bouncer to third. The ball took a bad hop and went off the third baseman's chest and both runners were safe.
FAIR OAKS 1994 RESULTS
Date Opponent Score
Memorial Day Tournament
5-28 Kennedy-Valley W, 6-5
5-29 Fort Sutter L, 11-5
5-29 Atwater L, 4-3
5-30 Winters W, 9-8
District 6 League Games
6-4 Citrus Heights L, 12-6
6-4 Citrus Heights W, 1-0
6-5 Citrus Heights W, 8-2
6-7 Yolo L, 3-1
6-11 Auburn W, 11-5
6-11 Auburn W, 10-4
6-12 Auburn W, 12-4
LEAGUE: 5-2   OVERALL: 7-4
    Auburn was equally inept, getting only two base runners through the first three innings on a leadoff double in the first and an error in the third. Tews struck out five batters in the first three innings.
    Post 383 got on the board in the top of the fourth as third baseman B.J. Green led off the inning with a grounder to third. The throw to first pulled the first baseman's foot off the bag, however, and Green was safe. Catcher Shawn Lucchesi was hit by a pitch to put two runners on and then first baseman Trevor Surratt walked to load the bases. Tews aided his own cause by getting a hit to left to score Green and keep the bases loaded. Hunt followed with another hit scoring Lucchesi and Surratt to give Fair Oaks a 3-0 lead and then Justin Massoth walked to reload the bases. That walk drove Auburn's pitcher out of the game. The new hurler struck out the first two batters he faced, but then issued a walk to Kevin McKeown to force in Tews from third base and make it a 4-0 game.
    Tews walked the leadoff batter in the bottom of the inning, but got the next three outs - including two strikeouts to put out the Auburn threat.
    Fair Oaks scored run No. 5 in the fifth as Lucchesi led off with a smash to short. The throw to first sailed high and out of play and Lucchesi was awarded second base. Surratt then hit a grounder to short. The throw went to third to get Lucchesi, but the next batter Tews hit another ground ball to short and this time the throw went to second - or in that general direction - and kept going into right field, with Surratt going to third. Hunt then flew to center allowing Surratt to tag and score making it 5-0.
    Auburn finally got a run in the bottom of the sixth, but Fair Oaks came back with four more runs in the top of the seventh for a 9-1 lead.
    Lucchesi led off with a hit to left center and with Surratt at the plate stole second. Auburn's pitcher tried to pick him off second, but threw the ball away allowing Lucchesi to move to third. A balk then sent Lucchesi home to make it a 6-1 game. Surratt walked and Tews followed with a hit to center, sending Surratt to third. With two out, Steve Santich sent a double into left, scoring Surratt and Tews. With Reynolds at the plate, Santich stole third. The throw went into left field, allowing Santich to score and make it a 9-1 game.
    Auburn added a run in the bottom of the seventh and in the eighth got three more on two consecutive walks and a home run to left, bringing the score to 9-5.
    Fair Oaks added its final two runs in the top of the ninth, as Tews doubled to right center with one out. Hunt followed with another double into the exact spot Tews had placed his, with Tews coming home to score. With Brandon Muskopf at the plate, Hunt took third on a passed ball and then scored on Muskopf's hit up the middle for the final 11-5 margin. Tews picked up the complete-game victory, as did Chris Read in the second game. Read gave up only three earned runs in a 10-4 Fair Oaks win.
    Sunday, Auburn visited Bella Vista High School for the final game of the series, but couldn't salvage a win as Post 383 completed their sweep, 12-4.
    Auburn jumped on starter Sam Moses for two runs in the first inning on a leadoff home run to right, a triple and another hit. Auburn added a third run in the second, but Fair Oaks came back in the bottom of the inning to take a 6-3 lead.
    After Surratt flew out to center, Reynolds drew a walk. With catcher Jason Wilkerson at the plate, Reynolds stole second and then went to third as Wilkerson got a hit just by the shortstop. Moses followed with a hit to left, scoring Reynolds and sending Wilkerson to third. McKeown then got a hit to center to score both runners and tie the game at 3-3. Muskopf followed with a walk after McKeown stole second. Lucchesi hit a grounder to third to force McKeown, but the throw to first was bad and Lucchesi was safe. Green followed with a hit to left to score Muskopf and Lucchesi to make it 5-3. Greg Efstratis' hit to left scored Green and Post 383 had a 6-3 lead.
    Three more runs crossed the plate in the third for Fair Oaks off a new Auburn pitcher. With one out, Wilkerson walked. With Mark Scott at the plate, Wilkerson stole second and then third on a grounder by McKeown to shortstop. Lucchesi followed with a hit to center that tipped off a leaping center fielder's glove, scoring McKeown and Muskopf for the 9-3 advantage. A walk to Green drove Auburn's pitcher out of the game, but with Efstratis at the plate, Green was thrown out stealing to end the inning.
    Jason Chaney came in to do Fair Oaks' pitching in the top of the fourth, facing only three batters despite giving up a hit.
    In the bottom of the inning, Fair Oaks scored again after two were out as Reynolds got a hit to left. With Wilkerson at the plate, Reynolds stole second and Wilkerson followed with a hit by shortstop to score Reynolds making it 10-3.
    Post 383 added another run in the fifth as McKeown led off with a hit up the middle, followed by a hit to left by Muskopf. Lucchesi's hit by short loaded the bases and then Green hit a ball to center field that dropped in scoring McKeown. Muskopf was tagged out at third on the throw in after holding up thinking the ball was going to be caught.
    Auburn added a run in the seventh to make it an 11-4 game, but Fair Oaks got the run back in the eighth for the final 12-4 tally.
    Reynolds led off with a hit to center and then with two outs moved up on a hit to right by McKeown. The ball scooted past the right fielder and Reynolds was able to come all the way around to score.
    Auburn went down in order the top of the ninth, giving Fair Oaks the three-game sweep over the visitors. The three wins improved Post 383's record to 5-2, only half a game behind El Dorado's 6-2-record.
    Today, Fair Oaks hosts National Division leader Post 61 in a 5 p.m. contest at Bella Vista High School. Post 61 entered Sunday's late game at Woodland with Yolo undefeated at 7-0. Saturday, Fair Oaks hosts Fort Sutter in a doubleheader beginning at 10:30 a.m. and then visits Fort Sutter at Land Park No. 3 on Sunday for an 11 a.m. start.
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