Aug. 9, 1995

Fair Oaks catcher Shawn Lucchesi tags a Lodi runner out at the plate during the American Legion State Championships in Yountville on Saturday. After an early Fair Oaks lead, Lodi went on to win the game by a score of 11-5. Photo by John Blenkle

Fair Oaks Post 383 falls from playoffs
By Joe Blenkle/Sports Editor
(This article originally appeared in the Aug. 9, 1995 edition of The Orangevale News)

    It had to end sometime. Fair Oaks' American Legion baseball team had a magical season this year, advancing through the District and Area playoffs and into the State Playoffs for the first time in their history.
    The state tourney, however, brought together the area champions from all over the state and the competition was far above anything Fair Oaks had yet faced. There were only a total of six teams in the double-elimination tournament - but these were teams that played ball just like Fair Oaks had all season - good pitching, explosive scoring and the right to call themselves champions. Fair Oaks Post 383 fell from the tourney after only two games, losing to Lodi on Saturday and San Juan Capistrano on Sunday.
    Post 383 entered tourney play Saturday against Lodi Post 22 and despite a tight game early, two explosive innings by Lodi put the game away as Fair Oaks fell 11-5.
    Post 383 was the visiting team on Yountville's Borman Field, located at the Veteran's Home of California near Napa. The game started an hour past its scheduled 3 p.m. first pitch due to the extra-inning game that preceded it, but the wait didn't seem to effect Fair Oaks as they jumped out to a 1-0 lead in the top of the first.

American Legion - Post 383
Date	Opponent	Score
5-31	Fort Sutter	W, 15-6
6-3	Charles Eggen	L, 8-6
6-3	Charles Eggen	W, 5-4
6-4	Charles Eggen	W, 12-6
6-8	Roseville	W, 12-8
6-10	El Dorado	W, 9-6
6-10	El Dorado	W, 7-5
6-11	El Dorado	W, 13-2
6-18	Cordova	L, 6-2
6-18	Cordova	L, 2-0
6-21	Post 61	L, 3-1
6-23	Cordova	L, 3-2
6-24	Haggin Grant	W, 10-7
6-24	Haggin Grant	W, 14-7
6-25	Haggin Grant	W, 19-3
6-28	Winters	W, 22-7
7-1	Elk Grove	W, 16-0
7-1	Elk Grove	W, 6-4
7-2	Elk Grove	W, 13-3
7-5	Yolo	L, 4-0
7-8	Auburn	W, 10-3
7-8	Auburn	W, 5-3
7-9	Auburn	W, 10-3
7-12	Kennedy-Valley	W, 4-3
7-15	Citrus Heights	W, 6-5
7-15	Citrus Heights	W, 9-8
7-16	Citrus Heights	W, 10-6
District 6 Playoffs
7-20	Yolo	W, 11-9
7-21	Citrus Heights	L, 12-2
7-22	Yolo	W, 4-3
7-22	Citrus Heights	W, 14-5
7-23	Citrus Heights	L, 15-11
Area 1 Playoffs
7-26	Anderson	W, 13-3
7-27	W. Sonoma	W, 4-3
7-28	Citrus Heights	W, 7-6
7-29	Auburn	L, 14-3
7-29	Anderson	W, 12-4
State Playoffs
8-5	Lodi	L, 11-5
8-6	San Juan Cap.	L, 7-6
OVERALL: 28-11 LEAGUE: 21-6

    Post 383 didn't exactly smash the ball against Lodi pitcher Darin Moore, but instead capitalized on Lodi mistakes for their first run. With one out, catcher Shawn Lucchesi started things off with a walk and then moved to second on an error as pitcher Andy Tews hit the ball to second. Second baseman Luis Reyes booted it and both runners were safe. Tews was forced at second as third baseman Jason Wilkerson grounded to second, but Lucchesi moved to third on the play. Then right fielder Kevin McKeown hit a high chopper off the plate to third. The ball was juggled slightly, but McKeown was awarded a hit and Lucchesi came in from third to score and make it a 1-0 game.
    Tews put down Lodi in order in the bottom of the inning, but in the second, Lodi evened the game up with a lone run.
    With one out, right fielder Tony Gomes tripled to center and then scored as the next batter, third baseman Daron Wright, hit the ball back up the middle. The ball deflected off Tews' allowing Gomes to score.
    Fair Oaks had a baserunner in the third with one out, as Tews singled up the middle, but the next two batters recorded outs to end the inning. Tews again put Lodi down in order in the third and then Fair Oaks put two runners on in the top of the fourth, as first baseman Brian Malchow and center fielder Stu Goodall drew back-to-back walks with two outs. The inning ended without Fair Oaks scoring, however, and then Lodi came back to explode for four runs in the bottom of the inning.
    After a leadoff hit, Tews got the next two batters out, but then walked the next batter. Lodi then strung together four consecutive hits - including a double - to bring in four runs and claim a 5-1 lead.
    Fair Oaks made it 5-2 in the top of the fifth as Tews clubbed a home run over the left field fence to put Fair Oaks' deficit at three runs. Fair Oaks came back to make it 5-4 in the sixth as shortstop Garrett Schoenfelder started off the inning with a walk. Malchow followed with a hit to left and then Goodall put down a bunt that moved Schoenfelder to third and Malchow to second. Second baseman Reagan Reynolds then hit a ball to first that was booted. The throw to the pitcher covering the bag was late and Schoenfelder came in to score making it 5-3. Lucchesi then sent a fly ball to right that may have been lost in the sun - in any case, the ball was dropped and Malchow scored. Reynolds, who had held up on the play, however, thinking the ball was going to be caught, was forced out at second for the second out. In a near duplicate play, Tews sent a ball to right center that fell in after it appeared the fielder was going to catch it, but no further runs scored as the next batter grounded out.
    Lodi exploded for six runs in the bottom of the seventh as Post 22 shelled Tews - and Goodall - who came in to relieve Tews after Lodi gained another hit to make it a 6-4 game. Three hits, a walk and an error brought home five more runs to give Lodi an 11-4 lead.
    The inning could have been worse except for two plays at the plate that saved runs from scoring. Tews, who had gone in to play left field, pegged a throw to Lucchesi at home after a hit to left center to get first baseman Brian Thompson at the plate and then center fielder Dennis Hunt repeated the performance on a ball that was dropped in left, getting left fielder Chris Knese at the plate to end the inning. Gomes took the mound in relief in the top of the eighth and Fair Oaks scored its final run of the game.
    Reynolds was hit by a pitch to start the inning off and then with one out and Tews at the plate, Reynolds took second on a pitch in the dirt that the Lodi catcher couldn't find. Wilkerson then sent a one hopper to the center field fence for a double to score Reynolds and make it an 11-5 game.
    Jim Ott came in to pitch for Fair Oaks in the bottom of the inning giving up one hit, but facing only three batters. After a leadoff hit, the next batter struck out as the runner was headed to second. Lucchesi pegged a perfect throw to Reynolds at second to get the runner, and then the next batter grounded out to end the inning.
    In the ninth, pinch hitter Eric Henrikson started off with a smash off the third baseman's glove, but was forced at second on Schoenfelder's ground ball to short. The game was then delayed 10 minutes as the sprinklers came on in the outfield and Fair Oaks came back with some hope after the delay, as a walk to Malchow and an error - as pinch hitter Ryan Case grounded to short - loaded the bases. The next two batters recorded outs, however, ending the game with Fair Oaks losing 11-5.
    Sunday, Post 383 met San Juan Capistrano and despite outhitting their opponents lost a 7-6 decision. Fair Oaks led 4-3 after four innings, but in the bottom of the fourth, Capistrano scored twice to take a 5-4 lead and increased it to 6-4 in the next inning. Fair Oaks tied the game in the top of the sixth, but San Juan Capistrano answered back in the bottom of the seventh for the winning run. Goodall took the loss in relief of Jarred Hunt, who started the game for Fair Oaks. Wilkerson and Reynolds each had two RBI, while Malchow collected three hits to lead Fair Oaks.
    The American Division champion Post 383 team ended their season with a 28-11 record and the Area 1 championship under their belts.

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