Although it scored a season-high 11 runs, the Oak Harbor High School baseball team still came up short in a 13-11 loss to visiting Stanwood Wednesday, April 11.
The two teams meet again at 4 p.m. Thursday, April 12, in Stanwood in a makeup game for Tuesday’s rainout.
Stanwood 13, Oak Harbor 11
The Wildcats, who more than doubled their previous-best run total of five, played from behind all afternoon and couldn’t catch the Spartans (6-4, 7-5).
Down 13-7 going into the final inning, Oak Harbor (0-10, 0-11) mounted a big rally. The Wildcats pushed across four runs and finished the game with the bases loaded.
The last inning wasn’t the only time the ‘Cats left runners on. Oak Harbor finished with 12 men on base, eight in scoring position.
Stanwood stranded nine in the game.
The Wildcats pounded out a season-high 12 hits, led by Aaron Martinez with four. Martinez also had four RBI and a double.
Aiden McCathy added two hits, including a double; and Austin Boesch, Donnie Kloewer, Thomas Anderson, Joe Dixon, Chase Ogden and James Besaw all singled.
Stanwood collected 15 hits, topped by Preston Pierce who finished with three, including a double and home run, and four RBI.
The Spartans scored three times in the top of the first.
Oak Harbor countered with two in its half, both driven in by Anderson.
Stanwood scored five times in the second, three coming on Pierce’s big blast.
Oak Harbor made it 8-6 with two runs in each of the next two innings.
In the second, walks to Dixon and Caleb Fitzgerald and hits by Besaw and Martinez plated two run.
An error and hits by McCarthy and Boesch led to two runs in the third.
Stanwood scored once in the fourth, and Oak Harbor answered with a run in the fifth. Boesch walked on scored on Martinez’s single.
The Spartans added a run in the sixth, three more in the seventh and withstood Oak Harbor’s late rally.
“We gave up three unearned runs, and that was the story of the game,” Oak Harbor coach Cody Anderson said.
He, however, was pleased with the offense, where “everyone did well.”
Several members of the Oak Harbor baseball team don rally caps as the Wildcats fight to come back in Wednesday’s game against Stanwood. (Photo by John Fisken)
Oak Harbor’s James Besaw reaches for a throw as Stanwood’s Levi Dahlberg races to first base. (Photo by John Fisken)
Joe Dixon slides safely into first base for an infield hit as Stanwood’s Dane Carlson awaits the throw. (Photo by John Fisken)
Oak Harbor coach Cody Anderson discusses a play with one of the umpires Wednesday. Several questionable calls hurt the Wildcats. (Photo by John Fisken)
