Oak Harbor’s Junior Legion AA baseball team may have gotten just the medicine it needed over the weekend.
After losing six of its last seven games and allowing 15 unearned runs in its previous four losses, the Wildcats pulled it together to win three out of four games and earn a tie for the Anacortes Junior Legion AA tournament title.
Oak Harbor defeated Vancouver 9-8 in its final game Sunday, to put them in a three-way tie with Everett and Arlington for the championship.
Trailing Vancouver 8-5 headed into the fifth inning, the Wildcats rallied for four runs, narrowly surpassing the tournament’s 2 hour, 10 minute per game time limit.
After loading the bases via a single, error and walk, Peter Skurdal pushed one run across on a squeeze bunt. Chris Valencia followed with an RBI single. The Wildcats then tied the game on a missed pickoff throw that scored Skurdal from third and took the lead on a RBI double from James Leach.
Leach earned the most valuable player award, going 2-for-2 with two RBI, two walks and two runs scored.
Oak Harbor found itself trailing early, not because of errors, but difficulty throwing strikes.
“Poor defense has been are biggest problem this year, but it was lack of control by our pitchers that put us in the hole in this game,†coach Jim Waller said.
The Wildcats had just two errors, but Vancouver scored six runs in the third via just two hits.
Oak Harbor started off the tournament on Friday picking up two wins. The Wildcats defeated Liberty 8-1 in the first game, followed by an 8-2 victory over Everett.
Oak Harbor suffered its only loss of the tournament on Saturday, 7-3 to Arlington. Wildcat pitcher Brendan Kays took a no-hitter into the fifth inning, but six walks and struggles on defense helped Arlington to the win.
Because Everett, Arlington and Oak Harbor beat Liberty and Oak Harbor defeated Everett, while Everett beat Arlington, and Arlington beat Oak Harbor, there was a tie for the tournament championship.
The Wildcats are now 2-6 in league and 8-11 overall. They play today, June 29 at Lake Stevens. Next week’s home doubleheader with Burlington and Lynden was moved to just a single home game against Burlington. Start time is 6 p.m.
