Hartland Baseball, Softball Win Districts

It was a glorious day for the Hartland High School athletic program as the baseball and softball teams celebrated district titles on their home fields Saturday.

“It’s much better when you’re able to give the trophies to your own kids,” Hartland athletic director Jason Reck said. “These are two great, great teams. They’re fun to be around and they’re doing their community proud.”

The Hartland softball team (29-4) won its second consecutive district title and stopped a streak of six straight district championships for Lakeland, the 2010 Division 1 state runner-up.

“The girls prepared for Lakeland and they prepared to beat them,” Hartland coach Carl Gabrielson said. “Back-to-back titles is kind of exciting. It’s fun to see this program develop and be where it is now.”

Hartland softball defeated Lakeland, 1-0, in the semfinals. Then, after a short break for lunch, Hartland took the diamond again and mercied Milford, 11-1, in six innings in the title game.

“This is really exciting for us,” said Hartland senior captain Kayla Gustitus, who had a two-run double, two singles and two runs in the title game. “This was one of our goals and we accomplished it.”

On the boys side, Hartland defeated Lakeland 8-2 in the semifinals and then downed Milford, 5-0, to win the championship.

“Ever since Day 1, this has been one of our goals,” Hartland senior captain Shane Felix said. “We’re excited about it, but we expected it, too.”

Hartland baseball and softball advance to regional competition in Oxford on June 11. Both Hartland teams face Romeo. On the other side of the bracket in baseball is Utica-Eisenhower and Clarkston. In softball, it's Troy and Waterford Kettering.

In Hartland’s softball victory over Lakeland (30-8), Shelby Hard drove in Ivey Garner in the third inning after Garner doubled. 

“It definitely means a lot,” Hard said. “We’ve worked really hard all season.”

Hartland pitcher Abbie Minsker allowed three hits, with no walks and three strikeouts against Lakeland.

“We kept their big hitters off the bases and we played flawless defense,” Gabrielson said. “It turned out how I hoped.”

Hartland finished with six hits and no errors.

“They played an outstanding game,” said Lakeland coach Joe Alsup of Hartland.

In the Hartland baseball team’s win over Lakeland (15-17), junior Jake Jessen homered in the first inning to get things going.

Senior Sean Bennett had a two-run single; sophomore Anthony Villar had a two-run single and later scored on a wild pitch; and Hartland had 11 hits total and was helped by a pair of Lakeland errors.

Jake Lowery got the win on the mound, allowing just two hits.

“They beat us,” Lakeland coach Todd Miller said. “They were the better team on the field. They played better defense, they pitched better and they hit better.”

Lowery, who caught the second game against Milford, hit a solo home run in the second inning to get things rolling against the Mavericks.

It stayed 1-0 until the top of the seventh when Hartland strung a few hits together after Villar was hit by a pitch to lead off the inning. Alex Wachsmuth and Bennett had RBI singles and Shane Felix had a two-run single.

“That took the weight of the world off our shoulders,” Felix said.

Jessen was the winning pitcher in the game, but he was helped by the Eagles’ defense.

In the fifth inning, Milford had two runners on base with one out when Hartland senior Kyle Garner made a diving catch in the gap between left and center field.

“I got a huge jump on it,” Garner said. “It was in the gap and I was the closest one to it. I had to get there and thank God I did.”

Hartland (30-3) last won a district title two years ago.

“We wanted to take care of business,” Hartland coach Brian Morrison said. “You take it, enjoy it and move on.”