By Yaneek Smith

Special to the Sentinel-Tribune

OAK HARBOR — Clutch hits. That was the difference in Lake’s 7-3 victory over Oak Harbor, a game that was a little closer than the final score would indicate.

Lake second baseman Jay Blazevich accounted for the difference in the game with four RBIs, two coming in the third inning and the other two coming in the fourth as Lake steadily built its lead in the middle innings.

In the top of the third and the game still scoreless, the Flyers loaded the bases with nobody out before Oak Harbor starter Tim Marquette got Gavin Kohlhofer to strikeout and Drew Tajblik popped out to second base.

But Blazevich worked the count full before hitting a base hit up the middle, scoring Aiden Young and Caleb Tobias to give Lake the lead for good at 2-0.

With runners on first and third, the Flyers, who are 10-0 and in first place in the Northern Buckeye Conference with a 4-0 record in the league, saw Ryan Wagner and Jack Sobczak draw back-to-back walks, scoring Korbin Adkins to push the lead to three runs.

The inning began with Young drawing a walk, Tobias hitting a single to right and Adkins getting hit by a pitch to load the bases.

Brayden Myerholtz came on in relief and to get the final out of the inning. He would finish the game, giving up four runs in 4.1 innings of work.

In the fourth, Blazevich came up with the same situation facing him with the bases loaded and two out. With a 1-1 count, Blazevich hit a blooper into right field, scoring Tobias and Adkins.

When Wagner came to the plate, Blazevich stole second and the throw allowed Kohlhofer to score, making it 6-0 and effectively putting the game out of reach.

Blazevich, the No. 3 hitter, was 2-for-4 with four RBIs and a run scored. The other RBIs came from Wagner and Sobczak.

“Jay’s a grinder, he’s a competitor. That at-bat was an example of Jay and his personality,” said Lake coach Casey Witt. “He came up with some big at-bats to put us over the top.”

Wagner had a fine performance on the mound, allowing three runs (one earned) on six hits to go with four strikeouts and no walks in seven innings of work.

“Ryan is so consistent. He throws his fastball and curveball so well,” said Witt. “He’s a guy that we have confidence in, he’s a guy that we can get behind. He did a terrific job of keeping a good lineup off-balance.”

On the other side was Marquette, who couldn’t get out of the third inning, gave up three runs in 2.2 innings of work, striking out two, hitting a batter and walking four.

As for Myerholtz, he pitched 4.1 innings, allowing four runs on five hits while striking out seven.

In the fifth, Oak Harbor’s lead-off man Cooper Schultz had an RBI single and in the sixth, Myerholtz had a two-run single to account for the Rockets’ three runs

Oak Harbor is now 5-3 and 1-2 in the NBC.

As for Lake, it has had only two close games and is out-scoring its opponents, 93-12. That’s not a misprint.

The Flyers have big home games coming up on Wednesday with Eastwood and on Friday with Maumee.

“I really like where we are. We’ve created some momentum for us,” said Witt. “We have a group that loves being around each other and wants to get better every day.”