Picking up some momentum heading into next week’s critical series with Cedar Park Christian, the South Whidbey High School baseball team topped visiting Overlake 7-1 in a non-league game Wednesday, April 17.

The Falcons (10-2, 15-2), second place in the North Sound Conference, wrap up the regular season with three games with league-leader Cedar Park Christian (12-0, 15-1) next week. The teams play at 4 p.m. Monday and Wednesday, April 22 and 24, in Langley and at 3:30 p.m. Friday, April 19, at Marymoor Park.

South Whidbey needs to win all three games to overtake the Eagles in the race for the conference pennant.

South Whidbey 7, Overlake 1

The Falcons combined a “great game pitching” with “dominant hitting,” coach Tom Fallon said, to collect the win over the Owls (7-3).

Jon Bartel tossed the first five innings, giving up only three hits and one run while striking out eight and walking three.

Brent Batchelor pitched the sixth and seventh, allowing one hit and fanning three.

South Whidbey scored three runs in the first inning to take control early.

Alex Black led off the game with a single, then after two outs, Batchelor singled, Bartel walked and Dexter Jokinen doubled to fuel the inning.

In the third inning, Kody Newman singled, stole second and scored on an error.

The Falcons tacked on a pair of runs in the fourth thanks to a single by Luke Rookstool, an error off the bat of Aston Leland and Drew Fry’s sacrifice fly.

Bartel singled and scored on Nick Black’s single in the fifth for the final run.