It's not often a loss turns out to be a key for future success, but that's what has happened for the Oxnard High baseball team.

The Yellowjackets (20-8) won their third straight Division II playoff game on Tuesday afternoon, defeating visiting Righetti 4-2 to advance to Friday's quarterfinals, where they will play Murrieta Valley/El Toro.

Senior pitcher Justin Shutt improved his season record to 9-4 with the complete-game victory and also drove in the winning run in the fourth inning.

According to Oxnard coach Albert Tarazon, his team's strong postseason is a result of a loss to rival Camarillo.

Late in the regular season, Oxnard spotted the Scorpions a 9-1 lead after two innings.

Instead of giving up, the Yellowjackets kept chipping away at Camarillo's lead, and by the seventh inning the score was 9-8 and Oxnard had the bases loaded in the final frame.

While Oxnard was unable to pull out the win, Tarazon said that comeback gave the Yellowjackets the boost in momentum they needed.

"We have been playing good baseball for the last five games," Tarazon said. "We've told the kids we need to do three things to be successful in the playoffs good pitching, good defense timely hitting."

Oxnard got all three of those against Righetti (19-9).

Leading the charge was Shutt. The senior hurler gave up seven hits, while striking out nine. Using an electric fastball and a nasty array of off-speed pitches, Shutt kept the Righetti hitters off balance most of the game.

"He has been pitching lights out," Tarazon said.

Shutt also contributed with the bat. He led off the first inning with a single and came around to score when his brother, Derek Shutt, hit a two-run double.

Nursing a 2-0 lead heading into the bottom of the fourth, Oxnard scored two runs after two were out. Chasen Santiago, the No. 8 batter, walked and Juan Reveles followed with a single to right putting runners on first and third.

Up stepped Justin Shutt, who singled to left to score Santiago. A walk and wild pitch produced another run.

"Getting those extra runs made it a lot easier for me," Shutt said. "Having the cushion to work with gave me more confidence late in the game."

Righetti pushed across its first run in the fifth when Devin Lohman doubled in Israel Esparza.

In the seventh, Righetti scored another run and had the tying run come to plate. But Shutt got Chad Reynolds to ground to third base, ending the threat.

The win gives Oxnard a 20-win season for the third time in four years.

Tarazon believes the three playoff wins are a school record.

"We are getting contributions from up and down the lineup," Tarazon said. "It's a fun group to coach. Things are rolling for us right now."