Friday Harbor opens season with two wins; Ochoa strikes out nine in a row | Baseball

The Friday Harbor baseball team opened the season with a pop quiz rather than a real test.

But the Wolverines passed with flying colors just the same.

The Wolverines needed just five innings to bury an overmatched Darrington squad and open the season at home Friday with a 14-1 victory at Hartman Field.

Senior southpaw Richie Ochoa laid down the law early on by striking out all nine Loggers that he face in three innings on the mound.

Senior centerfielder Ryan Aylward, the team’s leadoff hitter, smacked a double to ring in the season at the plate and the Wolverines never looked back. They led 3-0 after the first, added nine more runs in the second, and the rout was on.

Ochoa, who led Friday Harbor with three home runs a year ago, cracked his first of the season.

At the plate, the Wolverines were lethal and patient. They took advantage of 13 base-on-balls and nine base hits to generate 14 runs over five innings on the field. Aylward was 2-of-3 at the plate, with a double and a walk, and scored twice. Senior Michael Sandifer also stroked an extra-base hit with a double in the second.

Backed by a big lead, sophomore Roy Taylor closed out the game in the final two innings with ease. He struck out three would-be hitters, and gave up one walk and one unearned run.

Less than 24 hours later, Friday Harbor notched win No. 2 of the season by shutting out Shoreline Christian 11-0 Saturday at Hartman Field. Senior Albert Strasser, the team’s starting catcher, went to the mound and tossed three scoreless innings; sophomore Alex Jangard preserved the shutout with two scoreless innings of relief.

The Wolverines scored three in the first, three more in the second, added a run in the third, and sealed the blowout with four more in the fourth.

Next: Competition will prove a lot tougher this week when the Wolverines travel to South Whidbey Wednesday to take on the undefeated 2A Falcons.

Contact Journal of the San Juans Editor Scott Rasmussen at srasmussen@sanjuanjournal.com or 1-360-378-5696.

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