One of the draws to athletics is the unpredictability of the outcomes.

A day after the Oak Harbor High School baseball team, owners of a 2-8 league record, played poorly and lost 11-4 at home to division leading Arlington, it rebounded to surprise the Eagles 4-1 in Arlington.

The loss knocked Arlington (9-3, 11-6) out of a first-place tie with Marysville-Pilchuck (10-2, 13-4).

Oak Harbor (3-9, 5-11) can still qualify for the postseason, but all the pieces need to fall into place.

First, on Friday, Stanwood needs to defeat Marysville Getchell (6-6, 6-11) and Oak Harbor needs to top Arlington. (The game is in Oak Harbor at 4 p.m.) Then, next week, Oak Harbor needs to defeat Getchell Monday in Marysville and Tuesday in Oak Harbor in the final two conference games.

Arlington’s 11-4 win over Oak Harbor Tuesday boiled down to a disastrous third inning for the Wildcats.

Oak Harbor bolted to a 3-0 lead in the opening inning. With one out, Kevyn Johnson and Tyler Snavely singled, then Johnson scored on Steven Richards’ hit. A groundout by Dylan Bailey plated Snavely. Richards scored when the Eagle right fielder dropped Trent Benson’s fly ball.

Arlington scored three times in the second inning to tie the game. After an error, back-to-back hitters reached first on bunts. Three more hits pushed across the runs.

In the third inning, the Eagles scored seven times. Six runs were unearned as Oak Harbor committed three errors.

Oak Harbor scored its other run in the fifth inning. Johnson and Snavely singled in front of an Arlington error.

Johnson ended with three hits, while Snavely had two.

Richards and Bailey added singles.

The Wildcats, behind a five-hitter by Benson, a tighter defense and a big seventh inning, rebounded to stun the Eagles Wednesday.

Oak Harbor scored in the second. Chad Spradlin walked, stole second and third and came home on Rob Herring’s sacrifice fly.

Arlington tied the game in the third.

Pinch hitter James Besaw started the seventh-inning eruption with a one-out base hit. Bailey singled and then Snavely doubled. After a walk to Johnson, Richards ground out scored the final run.

Arlington put two aboard in the bottom of the seventh with one out, but Benson worked out of the jam to secure the win.

Snavely led the offense with two hits; Johnson, Herring, Besaw and Bailey recorded singles.

(Left: Tyler Snavely picks up a ball along the left field line Tuesday. Photo by John Fisken.

Below: Trent Benson looks to the plate on his way to second after the pitch by Arlington’s Avery Kindred. Photo by Jim Waller.)