In a season where little has gone right, the Oak Harbor High School baseball team finally had a feel-good game, thumping visiting Marysville Getchell 12-2 Tuesday, April 17.
The victory lifted the Wildcats (2-11, 2-12) out of the cellar of the Wesco North and dropped Getchell (1-10, 1-12) into the basement.
The game was scheduled to be played in Marysville but was moved to Oak Harbor because the Chargers’ field was too wet. Therefore, Marysville Getchell batted as the “home” team.
The Chargers outhit Oak Harbor 10-7, but the Wildcats were aided by 10 walks and five Getchell errors.
While the Charger pitchers had trouble throwing strikes, Oak Harbor’s Jake Lovendale, who pitched the first six innings and got the win, and reliever Noah Meffert walked none.
Marysville Getchell had runners on in every inning, but Lovendale did a nice job of avoiding trouble until the Chargers strung together four hits to score two runs in the fifth inning.
Meanwhile, Oak Harbor was much more efficient on offense, scoring in every inning but the third.
In the first inning, Austin Boesch got aboard on an error and later scored on another Charger miscue.
Oak Harbor made it 3-0 in the second inning. Caleb Fitzgerald was hit by a pitch and Chase Ogden walked and both scored on James Besaw’s two-out single.
The Wildcats added three more runs in the fourth. Boesch walked and scored as Aaron Martinez reached on an error. Donnie Kloewer walked he and Martinez came hjoe on another MG mistake.
In the fifth, Besaw drove in two more runs after Joe Dixon singled and Ogden walked.
Leading 8-0, Oak Harbor tacked on two runs in the sixth. Thomas Anderson was hit by a pitch, then consecutive walks to Aiden McCarthy, Dixon and Taylor Rummel forced in a run. Boesch’s sacrifice fly plated the other.
The Wildcats wrapped up the scoring in the top of the seventh. Besaw singled, went to third on Kloewer’s base hit and scored on Anderson’s ground out. Kloewer was doubled home by McCarthy.
Beast finished with three hits and four RBI. Kloewer, Anderson, McCarthy and Dixon collected singles. Boesch, Kloewer and Ogden all scored twice.
The two teams play again at 4 p.m. Wednesday, April 18, in Oak Harbor.
Oak Harbor shortstop Joe Dixon scoops up a slow roller in Tuesday’s game. (Photo by John Fisken)
Coach Cody Anderson passes along a signal to an Oak Harbor baserunner. (Photo by John Fisken)
Joe Dixon settles under a pop-up in the Getchell game. (Photo by John Fisken)
Jack Lovendale, the winning pitcher Tuesday, fires a strike for the Wildcats. (Photo by John Fisken)
