Meffert’s mound work leads Wildcats to win / Baseball

The Oak Harbor High School baseball team found just the medicine for its troubles — Marysville Getchell.

After winning only one of their first 13 games, the Wildcats swept the Chargers this week, winning game two of the series 7-3 Wednesday, April 18, in Oak Harbor.

The Wildcats were aided in both wins by the inability of Getchell pitchers to find the strike zone. MG gave up 18 walks; Oak Harbor pitchers walked none.

Wildcat pitcher Noah Meffert made his first start Wednesday and was outstanding.

The freshman was perfect over the first three innings. After giving up a leadoff infield single in the fourth, he was backed by strong defensive plays. First, third baseman Thomas Anderson made a diving stop and threw from his knees to second, where Chase Ogden made a nice dig on the low throw, to force the lead runner. On Meffert’s next pitch, the Wildcats turned a 5-4-3 double play to get out of the inning.

Meffert retired the first two batters in the fifth inning, thus facing the minimum hitters, 14, up to that point.

Back to back errors and a single allowed the Chargers (1-11, 1-13) to score two unearned runs.

After giving up two hits in the sixth, Meffert was replaced by Ethan Pace, who picked up the final four outs.

Meffert allowed four hits, one earned run and no walks. He struck out two.

While Meffert was doing his thing, Oak Harbor was taking advantage of the Getchell’s pitchers’ wildness.

The Wildcats received four walks in the first inning and scored two runs on wild pitches. James Besaw also doubled in the inning.

In the second, Oak Harbor scored three more times with the help of two walks, a wild pitch and two errors. Aaron Martinez, Austin Boesch and Besaw all singled in the inning to push the runners along.

Oak Harbor finished its scoring in the third. Caleb Fitzgerald and Ogden both singled, Fitzgerald scored on an error and Ogden scored on Besaw’s sacrifice fly.

Besaw collected two hits, and Martinez, Boesch, Fitzgerald and Ogden added singles. Boesch scored twice and Martinez drove in two runs.

Oak Harbor (3-11, 3-12) plays at Mountlake Terrace (8-5, 10-6) at 4 p.m. Friday, April 20.