For the first time since 2008 the Hazen baseball team has qualified for the 3A state tournament. On Saturday, the Highlanders found themselves in a must win game against Enumclaw.
Hazen's Jimmy Schmidt only threw 59 pitches in 7 innings, allowing one hit and striking out 3 batters in the Highlanders 1-0 win over the Hornets. Hazen's only score in the game came off the batt of Kyle Nelson who doubled and scored teammate Eric Jacobs.
In the second game of the night, the Highlanders played Peninsula for seeding into the 3A tournament. Hazen went up 1-0 after the first inning when an RBI single by Jake Kolterman, from their the Highlanders were not able to have any answers to Peninsula who went on to win 9-1.
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Hazen captures the sixth seed and plays in the upper bracket of the 3A tournament. First game will be against ninth ranked Kennewick at 10 a.m. at County Stadium in Yakima. If Hazen wins they will play a 4 p.m. game against the winner of Mount Spokane/Hanford-Kamiakin. The winner advances to the semifinals on May 25 in Pasco with the championship game on May 26 in Pasco at 4 p.m.
Side note - This is Hazen's ninth appearance at state and are 3-8 overall. They have never reached behind the quarterfinals. In 2008, the Highlanders lost to Issaquah 20-2 in the first round.
