Northwood High baseball coach Rob Stuart says he has confidence in all of his players. There was one in particular he had all the faith in the world in Friday afternoon.
 
Bryce Hara slammed a two-out, two-strike, seventh-inning, two-run, walk-off home run to give the Timberwolves a 3-2 win over defending CIF Division I champion El Toro in a Sea View League game, which kept Northwood's playoff hopes alive. "I was looking fastball in and it was right there and I got it," Hara said. "I was swinging really hard. I got right on it."
 
The Timberwolves (11-8, 3-6) also handed El Toro, the second-ranked team in Orange County, its first loss in league play. "I trust all my guys, but against that pitcher in that situation, Bryce was the right man in the right spot that is for sure," Stuart said. "That ball was hit pretty good."
 
Neither team did a lot of hitting on the afternoon. Both squads had just six hits. El Toro (14-3, 8-1) did take the early lead, scoring a run in the second inning on a single, a hit batter and another single. The Chargers added to their lead in the top of the third inning on a single, a walk, three stolen bases and a couple of Northwood throwing errors on El Toro's stolen bases.
 
El Toro nearly scored more in the third, but Northwood third baseman Steven Winslow cut down a runner at home. With a runner on third, he snagged a grounder and threw home to catcher Zack Weiss. Weiss blocked the plate and tagged Dillon Penprase out.
 
It was just one of a number of solid defensive plays in the game by the Timberwolves. Northwood couldn't get much going against El Toro starting pitcher T.J. Kendzora. But the Timberwolves scrapped for a run in the bottom of the sixth to get on the board. Kendroza hit Hara with a pitch to start the inning and then was lifted for relief pitcher Tyler Zeigler. Zeigler retired the next two Northwood batters, but then walked Matt Munson. And Mitch Oshima came through with a single up the middle that scored Hara.
 
Oshima played a role in the top of the seventh as well. In relief of Munson, Oshima loaded the bases by hitting two batters and giving up a single to Chris Manning. But he escaped the jam, getting Aaron Wirsch to ground out.
 
The bottom of the seventh inning started like the sixth did for Northwood. Ian Parvin was hit by a pitch. Zeigler was removed for hard-throwing Nolan Arenado. Arizona State-bound Arenado got two quick outs. But Hara made him work. Down in the count 1-2, he fouled off a pitch. Then Hara got a hold of an inside fastball, turned on it and belted it over the right-center field fence. He was mobbed at home plate by all of his teammates. "I thought it was (gone)," Hara said. "I hit right on the sweet spot of my bat. It felt good."
 
Another hero for Northwood was Munson, who gave his team six strong innings on the mound. Munson gave up just five hits and struck out six. "Matt competes like that all the time," Stuart said. "He is a really quality kid."
 
Northwood will need more efforts like that to get into the post season. It trails Huntington Beach for third place in the standings by two and a half games. But the Timberwolves get the Oilers next week. They play host to Huntington Beach next Wednesday.
 
"We hope this (win) turns us around in league," Hara said. "We want to use it as a momentum builder."