It might be best to avoid playing a team wearing green on St. Patrick’s Day.

Mount Vernon, whose school colors are green and white, erupted for three runs in the fifth and seventh innings to break open a close game and defeat the Oak Harbor High School softball team 10-4 Tuesday, March 17, on the Wildcats’ diamond.

Oak Harbor took a 1-0 lead in the opening inning.

Kelly Findley reached on a fielder’s choice, and back-to-back singles by Alexa Findley and Tricia Sarns loaded the bases. Kelly Findley scored on Taylor Heidt’s ground out.

Mount Vernon plated three runs in the third, and the Wildcats countered with their own three-spot.

With one out, Kelly Findley singled and Alexa Findley reached on an error. Sarns doubled the Findley’s home and then scored on a passed ball.

That would be it for the Oak Harbor offense, which would register only one more base runner, a fifth inning single by Liz Adams, the rest of the way.

Sam Silver, daughter of MV coach and former Coupeville football coach Jay Silver, led off the fourth with a home run to tie the game.

The Bulldogs (1-0) took the lead with a three-run fifth, and then put the game away with three more runs in the seventh.

Sarns took the pitching loss while striking out four and giving up only four earned runs.

Oak Harbor (0-1) goes to Anacortes (1-1) at 6 p.m. Monday, March 23.