The Oak Harbor High School softball team split games it played Tuesday and Wednesday. While, two wins would have been nice, the Wildcats did capture the one they needed most.

Oak Harbor whipped Stanwood 8-4 Tuesday, May 3, at home, then fell 10-0 in five innings at first-place Marysville-Pilchuck Wednesday.

The win over Stanwood (1-6, 4-13) was crucial for Oak Harbor (3-4, 5-11) as it tries to secure a spot in the postseason. The Wildcats now own a two-game lead over the Spartans with three divisional games left in the race for the final playoff berth.

Oak Harbor also holds the tie-breaker over Stanwood, beating the Spartans in both meetings this spring.

The Wildcats go to third-place Arlington (8-6, 8-9) at 4 p.m. Thursday, May 5.

Each time Stanwood scored, Oak Harbor answered.

The Wildcats scored in the first inning on singles by Alexa Findley, Kelly Findley and Audrey Howard.

Stanwood tied the game with a run in the second, then Oak Harbor answered with four in the bottom half of the inning.

Shea Davis walked and Alexa Davis doubled. Davis scored on an error off the bat of Cierra LeGendre, then Alexa Findley scored on Kelly Findley’s single. Tricia Sarns singled in LeGendre, then Sam Payne drove in Kelly Findley with a base hit.

When Stanwood scored three in the fourth to make it 5-4, Oak Harbor got one back in the bottom of the fourth and two in the fifth.

In the fourth, Howard singled and eventually scored on a passed ball.

Alexa Findley singled in the fifth and scored on an error. With two outs, Sarns singled, Howard walked and Payne singled to produce the final run.

Alexa Findley was a perfect 4-for-4 with three runs.

Kelly Findley, Sarns, Howard and Payne all had two hits.

Sarns pitched a five-hitter with three strikeouts and no walks.

After getting 12 hits against Stanwood, Oak Harbor managed only two off Marysville-Pilchuck’s Justice Mckenzie.

The Wildcat hits, singles by Howard and Payne, came back-to-back with one out in the second inning. Alexa Findley, who was hit by a pitch in the third inning, was the only other Oak Harbor base runner in the game.

Marysville-Pilchuck broke the game open with a seven-run fourth inning, spurred by a grand slam by Kylie Lopez.

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Below: Sam Payne drives in an Oak Harbor run Tuesday. Photo by Jim Waller.