Even though it may not have counted in the standings, there’s no question pride was on the line when Oak Harbor’s Junior Legion AA and Junior Legion A teams met on the same field Thursday night.
“Last year we played the younger team and they didn’t beat us, but they kind of made us look bad,” Legion AA third baseman Camden Schutte said. “We just wanted to come out and show them how they are expected to play.”
The Legion AA team did exactly that, beating its younger opponents 14-4 in seven innings at the Oak Harbor High School baseball field.
The game, which was not originally scheduled to take place, was arranged at the last minute after both Oak Harbor teams had opponents cancel during the week.
“We got some live pitching in, so some of our pitchers could throw before Monday’s game,” Legion AA coach Jim Waller said. “With the holiday weekend I’d rather not practice.”
The Legion AA squad wasted no time jumping out to an advantage, taking a 6-0 lead in the bottom of the first.
Number-two hitter, David Squier got things rolling with an RBI triple down the right field line, scoring Marshall Lobbestael from first. Schutte then drove in Squier with an RBI single. Matt Lambert added an RBI single, but the Legion AA squad scored its other three runs via three Legion A errors.
“If they would have played a little better defensively it probably would have been a lot closer game,” Waller said.
The Legion A team, sponsored by the Pizza Factory, scored its first run in the top of the third via an error on a ball hit by Ernie Martinez.
The Legion AA squad, however, didn’t allow the younger group to get any closer. Mark Radach and Tyson Boon each added two RBI apiece and Mike Bighouse, Chris Royce and Lobbestael each tacked on RBIs to pull away to a 14-1 lead.
Next year’s junior varsity squad didn’t go down without a fight. In the top of the seventh William Hunter ripped an RBI double into the gap and Peter Skurdal added a two-RBI single.
Oak Harbor 9, Ferndale 4
The Legion AA team solidified a hold on first place in the division one standings on Wednesday night, picking up a 9-4 victory over Ferndale.
“It was a big win for us,” Waller said. “We are currently in first place and Ferndale was tied for second going into the game.”
With the game tied 5-2 going into the fifth, Oak Harbor put the game away with four straight RBI hits from Lobbestael, Schutte, Bryce Waller and Brendan Kays.
Lobbestael picked up the win on the mound, while Kays gathered his first save.
Oak Harbor now sits at 8-1 in league and 15-6 overall.
Legion AA North standings
W L
Oak Harbor 8 1
Sedro-Woolley 7 2
Burlington 5 2
Ferndale 7 3
Bellingham 3 4
Squalicum 5 7
Sehome 1 8
Legion A North standings
W L
Sedro-Woolley 9 2
La Conner 5 2
Burlington 7 4
Lynden 6 4
Oak Harbor 2 4
Bellingham 3 7
Ferndale 3 8
San Juan 2 6
