Scoring the winning run in an unusual way, the Oak Harbor High School baseball team opened Wesco 3A North play with a 3-2 win in eight innings over visiting Marysville Getchell Friday, April 3.

The Wildcats plated the winning run on back-to-back strikeouts.

Catcher Chris Trisler started the eighth with a single and was replaced by courtesy runner Noah Zuniga. Brent Mertins singled to put runners on first and second with no outs.

The next Wildcat batter struck out, but Zuniga was able to race to third when the Charger catcher mishandled the strike-three pitch. He repeated the act when the next batter also struck out, this time sprinting home when the catcher failed to corral the strikeout pitch.

Oak Harbor led 2-0 going into the seventh inning.

The Wildcats tallied a run in the first when Trisler reached on a fielder’s choice, and then courtesy runner Sean Erskine scored on Mertins’ double.

In the fourth inning, Tyler Snavley singled and eventually scored on a two-out error off the bat of Preston Rankin.

Meanwhile, Wildcat pitcher Danny Wolfe blanked the Chargers until the seventh although Getchell put a runner on in each inning.

In the seventh, a single and error with one out got Marysville Getchell (0-1, 4-2) started. Snavely took over on the hill for Wolfe, and a single and sacrifice fly tied the game.

In six-and-a-third innings, Wolfe struck out one, walked none and scattered seven hits.

Trisler led the offense with two hits; Mertins, Snavely and C.J. Meders added one each.

Oak Harbor (1-0, 3-2) plays Everett (0-1, 1-3) in a three-games series this week, opening on the road at 4 p.m. Tuesday, April 7. The teams meet in Oak Harbor at 4 p.m. Wednesday, and then they return to Everett at 4 p.m. Friday.

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Oak Harbor second baseman Kevyn Johnson tags out a Charger runner Friday. Photo by John Fisken.