An improbable comeback enabled the Oak Harbor High School softball team to defeat visiting Marysville Getchell 9-8 in nine innings Tuesday, April 5.

The Wildcats trailed 8-5 heading into the bottom of the seventh inning. The situation looked more bleak when the first two batters struck out. Oak Harbor then stunned the Chargers by scoring three runs and sending the game to extra innings.

Liz Adams started the two-out comeback with a walk. Alexa Findley singled, then junior varsity call-up Cierra LeGendre drove in two runs with a single. LeGendre scored the tying run when the Getchell right fielder dropped Kelly Findley’s fly ball.

The Chargers threatened in both the eighth and ninth innings. A leadoff single died at third in the eighth. In the ninth, a relay throw from center fielder Adams to shortstop LeGendre to third baseman Alexa Findley nailed a runner trying to move from first to third on a base hit.

“Our defense definitely kept us in the game today,” coach Tashina Tosh said.

In the bottom of the ninth, Alexa Findley singled, stole second and scored the game winner on an error off the bat of Tricia Sarns.

After Getchell (0-4, 1-5) scored two runs in the first inning, Oak Harbor took the lead with a four-run second. Taylor Wilson walked, Lyndsay Duchnowski was hit by a pitch and Alexa Findley singled to load the bases. Back-to-back walks to Brooke Wilson and Kelly Findley pushed in two runs. Sarns singled in another and an error plated the fourth.

The Chargers scored twice in the fifth inning to knot the score, then took a 7-4 lead with three runs in the sixth.

Oak Harbor tallied once in its half of the sixth when walks to Adams, Alexa Findley, Sarns and Sam Payne forced in a run.

Getchell scored once in the top of the seventh, setting up Oak Harbor’s big comeback.

Alexa Findley finished with three hits and three runs, and Sarns had two hits and three walks to lead the offense.

Oak Harbor’s game at Marysville-Pilchuck Monday, April 4, was postponed because of a wet field. A make-up date has not be determined.

The Wildcats (2-2, 3-4) play host Shorewood (0-6, 0-7) at Meridian Park at 6 p.m. Tuesday, April 12.

(Left: Liz Adams slides safely into third base.

Below: Tricia Sarns smacks one of her two hits.

Photos by John Fisken.)