If it was an April Fool’s joke, it wasn’t any fun.
The Oak Harbor High School softball team blew a three-run seventh-inning lead and lost 7-4 to visiting Stanwood in eight innings Monday, April 1.
The loss dropped Oak Harbor (2-1, 3-6) out of first place in the Wesco 3A North.
Wildcat pitcher Emily Saar took a shutout into the seventh inning as Oak Harbor led 3-0. The hit that knocked in the Spartans’ first run also knocked Saar out of the game.
Stanwood (1-1, 3-4) loaded the bases on a walk, error and hit batter. The next hitter ripped a line drive off Saar’s instep. Though Saar kept the ball in the infield, Stanwood scored one run and Saar was forced to leave with the injury.
Freshman Tricia Sarns took over in the circle and gave up a single, wild pitch and single that put Stanwood up 4-3.
Oak Harbor, which turned three double plays in the game, could have won the game had it completed another in the seventh. With score 3-2, Oak Harbor, and with the bases loaded, the Stanwood hitter tapped back to the mound. Sarns threw home for the second out and the throw to first beat the runner but was low and not fielded cleanly.
Oak Harbor scored one in the seventh to send the game into extra innings. Shawna Steele hit the first pitch for a double, her fourth hit of the game. Sarns bunted her to third and Kelsey Rankin drove her home with a ground out to second base.
Stanwood used two walks, three hits and an error to score three in the eighth. Although Oak Harbor recorded two hits in its half, it didn’t score.
Saar, before she left, gave up five hits and struck out two.
Oak Harbor scored two runs in the first on a single by Morgan Young, a double by Steele and an error. In the third it tallied another on three errors.
Steele was 4-for-5 with two doubles and three runs, Young had two singles and Rankin three RBI.
Coach Jess Boswell said, “The difference between Stanwood and us tonight is they took advantage of opportunities, and they played through the end of the game to win. Hopefully spring break will rejuvenate our efforts.”
Oak Harbor goes to Marysville-Pilchuck (2-0, 5-4) at 4 p.m. Tuesday, April 9.
