With most of the offensive fireworks coming late in the game, the Oak Harbor High School baseball team edged visiting Monroe 5-4 Friday, March 25.
The teams carried a 1-1 tie into the sixth inning, then Oak Harbor tallied four runs to go up 5-1.
The Bearcats responded with three runs in the top of the seventh and had a runner on third base with only one out before the rally fizzled.
Oak Harbor opened the game with a run in the first inning. Kevyn Johnson and Tyler Snavely singled, then Johnson scored on Rob Herring’s ground out.
From there, Oak Harbor had only two base runners until the big sixth inning. Steven Richards singled in the second inning and Snavely hit a two-out double in the third.
A single, double and groundout produced Monroe’s run in the fourth inning.
Oak Harbor scored four times in the sixth as Monroe went through three pitchers, looking for someone to throw strikes.
Johnson started the sixth with an infield hit. Snavely and Herring both walked on full counts to load the bases.
Preston Rankin was hit by a pitch to force in one run, then Avery Aguirre singled in another. Walks to Steven Richards and James Besaw pushed across two more runs.
Wildcat starter Snavely gave up only the one run and four hits heading into the final inning. The Bearcats used a double, error, wild pitch and double to score three runs and chase Snavely.
Johnson took over with a runner on third and struck out Monroe’s No. 3 hitter and retired the clean up batter on a tapper down the first base line to stop the threat.
“Tyler threw great,” coach Tyson VanDam said. “He had control of his curve ball today, and when he does, he is tough to hit.”
Snavely gave up six hits and two earned runs while fanning six and walking none.
VanDam also liked his offense which had “good, quality at bats” and struck out only two times.
Johnson and Snavely each finished with two hits; Aguirre and Richards had the others.
Oak Harbor (1-1-1) hosts Cascade (2-3) at 4 p.m. Monday, March 28.
(Kevyn Johnson, left, and Tyler Snavely, below, each had two hits for the Wildcats. Snavely also picked up the pitching winning. Photos by John Fisken.)
