Post 383's Scott Kinsey (4) heads back into first base ahead of an attempted pickoff throw by Charles Eggen pitcher Paul Barry to first baseman Derrick Lee in the fourth inning of Fair Oaks' 6-1 loss to Eggen on Saturday. Kinsey walked with one out, but was unable to score. The loss was Fair Oaks' first of the season. Photo by John Blenkle
Fair Oaks glad to see error-plagued week end
By Joe Blenkle/Sports Editor
(This article originally appeared in the June 17, 1992 edition of The Orangevale News)
    Three games and 12 errors later, the Fair Oaks Post 383 American Legion baseball team counted its blessings that the weekend was finally over.
    Previously undefeated Fair Oaks lost two out of three games to Charles Eggen, splitting a doubleheader at Renfree Field on Saturday, and dropping a single game on Sunday at Bella Vista High School.
    "We definitely didn't have a good weekend," said Post 383 coach Don Barney, who was at a loss to explain the error-plagued three games. "I think we invented new ways to commit errors."
    Compounding the miscues in the field were sleepy Fair Oaks bats, as the usually heavy hitting legionnaires managed only five hits in each of Saturday's contests and four in Sunday's game.
    Post 383's only win in the series was in the second game of Saturday's doubleheader, as Fair Oaks pitcher Brett Rapozo scattered four Charles Eggen hits on his way to a complete-game 1-0 victory.
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
OVERALL: 5-2    LEAGUE: 5-2
    Post 383 scored the only run of the game in the first inning, as Trace Coquillette singled, went to third on a successful hit and run by Dave Scott, and came home on a fly ball to the outfield by Leon Hamburg.
    Charles Eggen's only serious threat of the game came in the sixth inning, as they loaded the bases with two outs. A ground ball by pinch hitter Jed Leake, however, ended the inning and preserved Fair Oaks' lead.
    Post 383 dropped the opening game of the doubleheader 6-1, committing six errors in the game. Sunday's 6-3 loss to Charles Eggen proved even more frustrating to Fair Oaks, as Post 383 had two chances late in the game to tie things up.
    After four scoreless innings of play, Charles Eggen loaded the bases up in both the fifth and sixth innings, scoring three tunes in the fifth and twice in the sixth to take a 5-0 lead over Fair Oaks.
    Fair Oaks got one run back inthe bottom of the sixth as Scott led off the inning with a solo home run on the first pitch by Eggen's Jason Adge. It was only one of four Post 383 hits on the day as Adge recorded 15 strikeouts.
    Fair Oaks added two more runs in the seventh inning as catcher Kent Guthrie doubled to right field with one out. After the next batter struck out, Coquillette walked, and then Scott hit a ball to third. The throw to first pulled the Charles Eggen first baseman Derrick Lee off the bag - putting Scott on first, Coquillette on second and Guthrie on third.
    Hamburg then singled to left, driving in Guthrie and Coquillette to make it a 5-3 game. Erik Henrikson came to the plate representing the tying run, but struck out to end fee inning.
    Charles Eggen added a run in the top of the ninth to make it 6-3. Fair Oaks again challenged the lead in the bottom of the inning, but could not bring a run home.
    With one out, pinch hitter Tim Fuhrman walked. Coquillette then backed Charles Eggen's left fielder to the fence for an out, and Scott followed with a walk to put two runners on and bring the tying run to the plate. The next batter, Hamburg, grounded the ball to second, however, for a force of Scott to end the game.
    The two weekend losses dropped Fair Oaks' record to 5-2 on the year.
    Post 383 has a busy week ahead, playing five games over the next five days. Fair Oaks hosts Post 61 in a game today at Bella Vista scheduled for a 5p.m. start. Thursday, Post 383 travels to Hiram Johnson High School for another 5 p.m. start against Fort Sutter. Saturday, June 20, Fair Oaks travels to Folsom to take on El Dorado in a doubleheader scheduled for a noon start. Sunday, El Dorado visits Fair Oaks for a single contest at Bella Vista High School slated for an 11 a.m. opening pitch.
    LEGION NOTES: Through Saturday's games, an interesting statistic has arisen between the American and National divisions. The American held a collective 28-11 record, while the National was 12-24. Out-of-district opponents held an 8-13 record. All of Fair Oaks'games this week will be against National and out-of-district teams with losing records. Fair Oaks will be short a few players this week as several starters head out on their senior trips.
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