HOWELL — Hartland probably wouldn’t have won a state baseball championship last spring without Michael Bernardi’s stellar work on the mound during three postseason appearances.
If the Eagles repeat this season, it will likely be because Bernardi also contributed elsewhere on the field.
Bernardi was the starting pitcher for Hartland’s opening game of the season against M-59 rival Howell, but he also drove in four runs and played center field during a 9-3 victory on Tuesday, March 24.
Bernardi made a huge impact on the Eagles’ championship run without ever picking up a bat during the state tournament.
He batted in only five games last season, making 12 plate appearances and going 1-for-10. Bernardi already doubled that hit production in the season opener by going 2-for-3 with a triple.
Hartland coach Brad Guenther knew that small sample size wasn’t an indication of what Bernardi could do in the batter’s box given the opportunity to hit regularly.
“We always say ‘dirt bag’ in a positive way or as a compliment,” Guenther said. “He really does seem that way. He’s going to be running the bases really well and swinging the bat really well for us, stepping into one of those roles.”
Bernardi talked about the need to fill spots left by last year’s seniors. He’s filling one of the biggest voids in center field, a position played the last four years by Michael Zielinski, who also pitched. Bernardi started the state championship game in center field because Zielinski was the starting pitcher, but didn’t bat in the nine-inning victory over Macomb Dakota.
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“I’ve got some big shoes to fill,” Bernardi said. “I’m just working on my hitting and doing the best I can do.
“It’s a lot different. Last year I just played defense, so it feels good to score some runs for my team this year.”
Bernardi was informed during a preseason meeting with coaches that the center field position was his to lose.
“He just had a huge grin on his face,” Guenther said. “He’s really champing at the bit to have that opportunity. I’m looking forward to watching him grow and see what he can do as a position player more this year.”
Bernardi bunted his first time up, a sacrifice that led to the Eagles’ first run. He lined a two-run single to center in the second to make it 4-1, then tripled to right in the fifth to increase the lead to 5-2.
“I was just seeing everything really well today,” Bernardi said. “I’ve been working in the offseason on hitting the ball the other way, and that’s what did.”
On the mound, Bernardi allowed two runs on five hits in three innings, striking out two and walking none. He came out after throwing 55 pitches on a 46-degree day, stranding four runners in the first two innings before throwing a 1-2-3 third.
“I did all right,” he said. “I could’ve done better. My slider wasn’t working too well today. I minimized in big situations and left a lot of runners on base.”
Fin Stanaway and Brady Hopson combined to allow only one run over the final four innings.
Both teams used three pitchers, with nobody throwing more than 55 pitches.
“We’re keeping guys under 60 right now,” Howell coach Matt Hunt said. “It’s just not worth risking injury. We’ll build them up as the season goes on. It’s too cold to run a guy seven innings right now.”
It was the first meeting between the rivals since Hartland won a classic 1-0 nine-inning district championship game over the Highlanders. Howell beat Hartland in the KLAA championship game nine days earlier.
“Two phenomenal baseball programs,” Hunt said. “We were 3-2 against them last year and they beat us when it counted and went on to win the state championship. Any time we’re playing, it’s phenomenal baseball, we’re getting better out here.”
The teams won’t have to wait long to face each other again, with Hartland hosting Howell 24 hours later at 4:30 p.m. Wednesday, March 25.
Contact Bill Khan at wkhan@livingstondaily.com. Follow him on X @BillKhan
This article originally appeared on Livingston Daily: Michael Bernardi’s bat unleashed in Hartland’s baseball win at Howell
Reporting by Bill Khan, Livingston Daily / Livingston Daily
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
