In a season full of tough losses, Oak Harbor’s 6-5 setback to the visiting Shorewood High School baseball team may be the hardest to take.

The Wildcats, looking for their first win, saw a 5-0 lead evaporate in the loss. Oak Harbor scored all of its runs in the first two inning and couldn’t punch across another score the rest of the way.

The Wildcats (0-8, 0-9) play four games this week, starting at first-place Arlington (8-0, 8-1) at 4 p.m. Monday, April 9. Next is a two-game set with Stanwood (5-2, 6-3), opening at Stanwood at 4 p.m. Tuesday and then meeting in Oak Harbor at 4 p.m. Wednesday. The Wildcats travel to Edmonds-Woodway (4-2, 5-4) at 4 p.m. Friday.

Shorewood 6, Oak Harbor 5

Shaky defense by the Thunderbirds helped Oak Harbor jump to the 5-0 lead; four of the runs were unearned.

Austin Boesch led off the bottom of the first inning with a single, then two Shorewood errors loaded the bases. A groundout by Donnie Kloewer scored one run and a bases-loaded walk to Joe Dixon forced in another.

In the second, James Besaw and Boesch singled and Caleb Fitzgerald reached on an error. Another error and singles by Kloewer and McCarthy resulted in three runs.

The Wildcats’ offense sputtered from that point. Of the next 13 batters, Kloewer’s double in the fifth was the only base runner Oak Harbor produced.

Shorewood (4-2, 6-3), which pounded out 15 hits in the game, got back in the fray with a four-run third inning.

It took the lead in the fourth, helped along by the Wildcats’ lone mistake. Oak Harbor allowed a pop-up to land between the mound and second base, then the T-birds followed with four hits, good for two runs and the lead.

Oak Harbor threatened in the bottom of the seventh. Aaron Martinez reached on an error and Kloewer hit a one-out single, but the rally was squashed by a double play.

Kloewer finished with three hits, Boesch two and McCarthy and Besaw one each.

For the third consecutive game, Ethan Pace was sharp in relief. He replaced starter Jack Lovendale and shut out Shorewood over the final three and a third innings.

Oak Harbor’s Thomas Anderson slides across home plate in Friday’s game. (Photo by Jim Waller/Whidbey News-Times)

Caleb Fitzgerald puts down a bunt for the Wildcats. (Photo by Jim Waller/Whidbey News-Times)

Oak Harbor shortstop Joe Dixon, left, keeps a Shorewood runner close at second. (Photo by Jim Waller/Whidbey News-Times)

Wildcat pitcher Jack Lovendale tosses a strike Friday. (Photo by Jim Waller/Whidbey News-Times)

Wildcat third baseman Thomas Anderson is playing in to cut down Shorewood’s Kevin Hirohata if he attempts to score on a ground ball. (Photo by Jim Waller/Whidbey News-Times)

Oak Harbor catcher Aiden McCarthy scoops up an outside pitch. (Photo by Jim Waller/Whidbey News-Times)