A five-run fifth inning helped keep the Oak Harbor Legion baseball season alive as the Wildcats defeated South Whidbey 6-3 in a loser-out game at the district tournament Thursday, July 17, at Burlington-Edison High School.

Oak Harbor (22-18) will now face the loser of Thursday’s Ferndale/Bellingham game at 3 p.m. Friday, July 18.

The Wildcats trailed 2-1 before the fifth-inning eruption.

Robert Herring and Avery Aguirre ignited the rally with singles. Kevyn Johnson’s groundout scored Herring with the tying run.

A single by Anthony Stewart and a walk to Clay Doughty loaded the bases. After Aguirre was forced at the plate on a ground out, Trent Benson singled in two runs. Quentin Tungate followed with another two-run base hit to finish the rally.

South Whidbey scored first in the bottom of the second inning on a walk and a two-out single against starter Danny Wolfe.

Oak Harbor countered with a run in the top of the third. With two outs, Johnson singled, moved to second on a walk to Stewart and scored on Doughty’s hit.

South Whidbey regained the lead, 2-1, in the bottom half on a double, single and error.

After Oak Harbor’s big fifth inning, South Whidbey could get only one run back, scoring in the sixth on a single and two walks.

Wolfe tossed a five hitter, striking out six and walking four.

“Danny threw well and battled,” coach Kyle Isaacson said.

Offensively, Oak Harbor featured a balanced attack with eight of the nine players in the lineup contributing with singles.

Tungate finished with two of team’s nine hits.

Isaacson was also pleased with the attitude of Wolfe and Doughty, calling their positive leadership “critical” if Oak Harbor is going to continue to play this spring and if the Wildcats are going to have a successful high school season next year.