Tyler Snavely’s strong pitching performance helped the Oak Harbor Legion baseball team defeat host South Whidbey 7-1 in the first game of a doubleheader Wednesday, July 8, then South Whidbey used an eight-run fifth inning to top Oak Harbor 9-7 in the nightcap.
Oak Harbor hosts Ferndale in a double header at noon Saturday, July 11.
Snavely threw a three-hitter, striking out six and walking four. The lone South Whidbey run, which came in the first inning, was unearned.
The Wildcats also scored in the first inning. Snavely singled with two outs, stole second and scored on Robert Herring’s hit.
The score remained 1-1 until Oak Harbor scored three runs in each of the fifth and sixth innings.
In the fifth, Dylan Bailey reached on an error, Taylor Consford walked and Snavely singled in front of a Herring hit.
In the sixth, a walk to Avery Aguirre, two errors and hits by Steven Richards and Chad Spradlin produced three runs.
Snavely led the offense with three hits, while Herring, Aguirre and Richards had two each.
Oak Harbor, which batted as the home team in the second game, led 3-1 heading into fifth inning, then South Whidbey scored eight runs on four hits, four walks, a hit batter and an error.
South Whidbey had only five base runners in the other six innings.
Oak Harbor scored twice in each of the fifth and sixth innings but couldn’t come all the way back.
The Wildcats’ first run came in the second inning. Trent Benson walked, stole second and scored on an error.
Oak Harbor added two runs in the third with the help of an error, sacrifice fly by Benson and hits by Snavely and Richards.
In the fifth, Benson singled and scored on Aguirre’s triple. Kamryn Mebane’s sacrifice fly scored Aguirre.
Singles by Spradlin, Snavely, Herring and Mebane led to two runs in the sixth.
Bailey, Spradlin and Snavely each stroked two hits in the game.