Stopping Stanwood twice this week, the Oak Harbor High School baseball team moved into a tie for second place with the Spartans in the Wesco 3A North.

Oak Harbor won 5-2 at Stanwood Tuesday, April 9, then 4-2 at home the following afternoon.

The teams finish their three-game series at 4 p.m. at Stanwood Friday, April 12.

Strong pitching performances by Jack Richter and Danny Wolfe and a big day at the dish for David Kusnick Tuesday led the Wildcats to the two wins.

In Tuesday’s win, Richter carried a one-hit shut out into the sixth inning. After loading the bases with walks, Richter gave up a two-out, two-run single for Stanwood’s only runs. Grant Schroeder came in and got the third out and picked up the save with a scoreless seventh.

The short stint was the only time Schroeder, one of Oak Harbor’s top hitters, played in the two games because of an illness.

Kusnick’s single drove in the game’s first run in the opening inning, plating Richter who walked and stole second.

Then in the fifth, Kusnick made it 4-0, stroking a three-run triple with Anthony Stewart (walk), Brent Mertins (hit by pitch) and Richter (single) aboard.

In the sixth, Clay Doughty walked, Andrew Snavely singled and Stewart walked to set up a one-run single by Richter.

Kusnick and Richter finished with two hits, and Stewart, Wolfe and Snavely added a single apiece. Doughty walked three times and scored a run.

In Wednesday’s win, Wolfe got the call to the mound in part because of Schroeder’s illness. The sophomore right hander pitched a three hitter with two strike outs, three walks and no earned runs.

All of the game’s runs came in the fourth inning.

A walk, error, double steal and single resulted in two runs for the Spartans (5-5, 5-8).

Oak Harbor, with the help of mother nature, responded with a four-spot.

Richter singled, Kusnick was hit by a pitch and Wolfe bunted them up a base. Cory Cameron’s single scored one run. Stewart walked to load the bases, then Brandon Bailey’s ground out to first score another to make it 2-2.

After Doughty walked to reload the bases, Mike Maletto lofted a fly to center field into a strong wind. The Spartan outfielder couldn’t catch up to the ball as the wind blew it back toward the infield and it dropped for a two-run single.

Oak Harbor (5-5, 5-7) had only four hits (singles by Maletto, Richter, Kusnick and Cameron) off Stanwood’s Tyler Givens.