HARTLAND — Pick any single moment in Michael Bernardi’s Hartland baseball career and there is a story he can tell his grandchildren about years from now.
Once-in-a-lifetime memories seem to be a regular occurrence for Bernardi, particularly when the stakes are the highest.
Here’s is a sample of Bernardi’s personal highlight reel:
► In the district championship game against Howell last season, he pitched three shutout innings of relief, giving Hartland an opportunity to win 1-0 in nine innings.
► In the next game, Bernardi threw two shutout innings of relief to earn the save in a 1-0 victory over Saline in a regional semifinal.
► He got the start in Hartland’s next game, throwing a three-hitter and striking out eight in a 2-1 victory over Okemos in the regional championship game. For those doing the math, that’s only one run allowed in 12 innings of high-stress playoff baseball.
► The magic continued in Bernardi’s senior season, as he threw a three-hit shutout in a 1-0 victory over Novi in the KLAA championship game on May 21. He pitched out of a bases-loaded no-outs jam in the fourth.
► If it’s possible to top all of those moments, Bernardi did when he delivered a game-winning single in the bottom of the seventh inning to cap a four-run rally in a 5-4 victory over Brighton in a pre-district game on May 26. He also pitched a complete game for the victory.
“He’s as cool as the other side of the pillow,” Hartland coach Brad Guenther said.
How did Bernardi develop the clutch gene that allows him to thrive in moments that would cause others to succumb to the pressure?
“Just years of training and playing the game overall, staying loose and comfortable,” said Bernardi, the Livingston Daily’s Athlete of the Week.
Bernardi was a big part of Hartland’s state championship run last season and prevented the Eagles from having their title defense end before they even reached district championship Saturday.
He doesn’t plan to play in college, so his last game in a Hartland uniform will likely be his last game as a baseball player.
“It’s been a great experience,” he said. “I wouldn’t want it with any other coach, any other program, any other teammates. I love it here.”
Contact Bill Khan at wkhan@livingstondaily.com. Follow him on X @BillKhan
This article originally appeared on Livingston Daily: Michael Bernardi has displayed clutch gene for Hartland baseball
Reporting by Bill Khan, Livingston Daily / Livingston Daily
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
