Who's No. 1? Hartland is after capping improbable baseball playoff run with state title

EAST LANSING — Before collecting their state Division 1 baseball championship trophy, Hartland’s baseball players had a long walk from the field to the awards stage near Michigan State University’s soccer field.

To get there, players walked through a tunnel of familiar faces as their fans offered congratulations for the Eagles’ first state title since 2015.

The emotions ratcheted up for players when the familiar face was a parent or grandparent who had been with them during their entire journey from T-ball to the biggest stage in high school baseball.

Hartland senior Michael Zielinski became choked up as he walked through the gauntlet of well-wishers. You never know how you'll react to winning a state championship until you do it.

Zielinski surprised himself with his reaction following a 5-3 nine-inning victory over Macomb Dakota in the state Division 1 championship game Saturday, June 14, at McLane Stadium.

“Man, I’ve never cried after a win, but this is the best feeling of my life,” Zielinski said. “We’ve worked so hard for this. There’s no feeling to describe how I’m feeling right now. I don’t even know how I’m feeling. I’m crying. This is the best day of my life, man. I’m so proud of my boys."

Zielinski allowed two first-inning runs to the No. 1-ranked team in the state, then shut down the Cougars over the next four innings. Logan Randall pitched the final four innings, allowing one run in the bottom of the eighth after his sacrifice fly gave Hartland a 3-2 lead in the top of the inning.

The Eagles’ winning rally began with a lead-off single by Caden See in the ninth. He scored from first when a single through the right side of the infield by Zielinski was bobbled in right field and a throw to third skipped past the third baseman.

Zielinski scored the insurance run on a single by Roman Forcia.

Dakota (37-7-1) had a runner on first with two outs when Randall got Braylon Ryan to ground out to Kraut at first, igniting the Eagles’ championship celebration.

Randall was pitching for the first time in two weeks. After throwing two innings in a nine-inning victory over Howell in the district championship game, Randall wasn’t used the one time a Hartland starter didn’t go the distance in the four games that followed.

Hartland pitcher Logan Randall throws his glove in celebration after the Eagles defeat Macomb Dakota 5-3 in nine innings in the state Division 1 championship baseball game Saturday, June 14, 2025 at McLane Stadium in East Lansing.

“I love the pressure,” said Randall, who was 2 for 3 at the plate and allowed two hits on the mound. “That was the perfect time to come in. I felt hot all day. It was just perfect, perfect timing.”

Randall was in the stands at McLane Stadium 10 years ago when Hartland won its only other state championship.

“I was with my 8U travel team,” he said. “I came here and watched it. I wanted to do the same thing.”

It was Randall’s first victory of the season, coming in his longest outing. He pitched 16⅓ innings and had a 1.71 earned run average, missing some time while battling an arm injury.

“Randall’s stuff is elite,” Hartland coach Brad Guenther said. “I have a lot of faith in our guys. We’re lucky enough to have four pitchers. He was on the outside looking in a lot of the playoffs. It was bittersweet for him, but I’m glad he got that moment there at the end and showed what he’s capable of.”

Hartland's Ethan Aho (16) and Ryan Cheyne celebrate after defeating Macomb Dakota in the MHSAA Division 1 finals Saturday, June 14, 2025 at McLane Stadium in East Lansing.

Randall will likely be the Eagles’ No. 1 or No. 2 starter next season as a senior with the graduation of Zielinski, Ty Kraut and Michael Bernardi.

There will be no next season for See, one of the few Hartland seniors who won’t continue his baseball career in college. He will attend Kettering University in Flint and major in engineering.

He will always have the memory of scoring the winning run in a state championship game.

“I’m glad it ended this way,” See said. “It was a great, fun season with everyone. It’s probably the best way you could end baseball.”

Dakota took a 2-0 lead in the bottom of the first inning, but Hartland responded in the third to tie the game on a double by See and a single by Zielinski.

Neither team could score in the next four innings, sending the game to extra innings.

Hartland's Finn Stanaway (left) and Bobby Griffon celebrate after defeating Macomb Dakota in the MHSAA Division 1 finals Saturday, June 14, 2025 at McLane Stadium in East Lansing.

Hartland took a 3-2 lead in the eighth on a sacrifice fly by Randall, but the Cougars extended the game on a single by Jadon Ford. Dakota had a chance to score a second run on the play, but Dylan Beitelshees was held up at third. He was eventually forced out at home on an inning-ending double play from third baseman Dylan Crowe to catcher Brayden Crowe to Kraut at first base.

Kraut fielded a grounder at first for the final out, completing the Eagles’ improbable run to the state championship.

They began the postseason unranked with a 21-15-1 record. In their first playoff game, they had to face Brighton’s Andrew Everson, who shut them out in pre-districts last season and threw a no-hitter against them this year.

A 3-1 victory over Brighton was the first of seven postseason victories which were all attained by margins of two runs or less. Hartland scored only 18 runs in those seven games, but allowed only eight.

They beat four state-ranked teams and the reigning state champion along the way. The seven teams they beat had a combined record of 203-71-3 before facing Hartland. They won twice in nine innings.

“It’s pretty surreal right now,” Guenther said. “I think a lot of guys in our dugout were probably the only ones who really thought we had a chance to make a run and we could win these games like this. A lot of coaches probably say that.

“These guys were backed into a corner. I don’t think we were the favorite along the way very often. Coming together as a team and doing something special like that, guys will never forget that. This is pretty special for everyone in this group, for sure.”

Hartland's victory gives the eight-team KLAA West three straight Division 1 championships. Novi won in 2023 and Northville in 2024.

Contact Bill Khan at [email protected]. Follow him on X @BillKhan