2025 MHSAA Division 1 baseball state final: Hartland downs Dakota 5-3 in extra-inning thriller

Hartland can officially call itself the best team in the state after beating Dakota 5-3 (9 inn.) in the 2025 Michigan high school baseball Division 1 state championship. Each team battled to extend the game, but the Eagles' pitching pulled through in the end.

Hartland celebrates after beating Dakota 5-3 in extra innings to win the 2025 MHSAA Division 1 baseball state title. / Ronnie Martin

Hartland can officially call itself the best team in the state after beating Dakota 5-3 (9 inn.) in the 2025 Michigan high school baseball Division 1 state championship. Each team battled to extend the game, but the Eagles' pitching pulled through in the end.

Hartland head coach Brad Guenther said it wasn't a typical win for his squad.

"It's something (that) probably wasn't our strength throughout the middle of the year - we lost a lot of close games," Guenther said after the game. "A lot of new guys playing throughout the year and maybe had to figure out how to stay together (and) had to pitch in those tougher spots where maybe they get a little momentum or they get a rally.

"Being able to minimize or get out of those jams is really what put us on this run and kind of catapulted us."

The game was tied 2-2 in the fifth when Hartland starting pitcher Michael Zielinski was replaced by Logan Randall. At the plate, Randall had three hits, including a double, but his work on the mound made the difference.

"Ultra confidence," Guenther said of Randall. "The kid's numbers are phenomenal - teams do not hit him very well. When it came down to it versus a good hitting team, I knew I wanted to give him the ball."

Randall held the Cougars scoreless for three straight innings when he took the ball in the fifth, allowing just one run in the eighth. He said he wanted the ball when the pressure was on.

"I just wanted to be on the mound - that's the whole thing I wanted," Randall said. "Our starting pitcher did a great job, and (our) mentality didn't change at all during the game. Came in ready, hot and our whole team was just ready to execute the whole time."

At the end of the seventh, the game was still tied 2-2. Each team scored a run in the eighth, and Hartland put two runs up in the top of the ninth. With their deficit at two, the Cougars seemed to lose a large chunk of their energy.

Dakota likely lost some of its mojo because it had four errors. The final error, made by right fielder Jadon Ford, allowed the first run to come across in the ninth and put the second in position to score.

The victory gave Hartland its first state title in baseball since 2015, and its second ever. Randall is one of a few starters set to return for the Eagles, so they could be back in the mix in 2026.

High School on SI provided live updated throughout this game, and they are below.

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2025 MHSAA Division 1 baseball state final: Live score updates, stats, more

1ST INNING

Hartland batted first, but it went three up and three down.

Dakota got the bottom of the frame started with a single from Luke Kavalick.

Evan Kavalick knocked in his brother with an RBI single. Cougars grab the first lead of the game (1-0).

Dylan Beitelshees came in to pinch-run for Evan Kavalick. Beitelshees scored in the next at-bat after a double from Luke DeMasse, and Dakota is now up 2-0.

Jadon Ford struck out to end the first, but the Cougars have an early lead.

2ND INNING

Starting pitcher Ryan Petrovitch is dealing for Dakota, as he struck out the side.

Hartland pitcher Michael Zielinski has four strikeouts, though he gave Gavin Goike a free base (HBP) in the bottom of the frame. Zielinski was able to stay composed and get out of the inning with a groundout.

3RD INNING

Logan Randall starts the third with a single for the Eagles - their first hit of the game.

Caden See knocks one to the wall along the third base line and gives Hartland its first run of the game (2-1). In the next at-bat, Zielinski hit an RBI single to tie the game at 2.

Dakota caught Hartland tagging up on a line-drive to end the top of the third with a double-play.

The Cougars had three different base runners in the top of the frame, but none were able to advance to second. Hartland got out of the inning with a fielder's choice, ground out and by throwing out a runner trying to tag up.

4TH INNING

Aside from a Dylan Crowe single, Hartland didn't get anything going in the top of the 4th.

Dakota hit some hard line drives, but they were all in the direction of a Hartland defender. We're still tied at 2 going into the 5th.

5TH INNING

More of the same in the top of the fifth: three up and three down. Both starting pitchers have found a rhythm.

Andrew Borowicz of Dakota tried to lay a bunt down to begin the bottom of the 5th, but Crowe made a nice charging play from third base to throw him out.

Braylon Ryan grabbed his second single of the day with a knock through the middle, but no damage was done. The Cougars had two base runners after fighting for a walk, but a pop-out ended the inning.

6TH INNING

Zielinski gets the 6th started with a single for Hartland. Aiden Heidt came in to run for Zielinski, and he moved up to third after a wild pitch and sacrifice bunt, respectively. Bobby Griffin then bunted for a single, as Heidt stayed at third.

With runners on the corners and one out, Petrovitch struck out the next two batters to get out of the jam.

DeMasse gets the bottom of the frame started with a single for Dakota, and that was the last pitch of the day for Zielinski. Randall comes in to replace him.

Ford hit into a double play and Jacob Gjonaj popped out to right field to end the 6th.

7TH INNING

Randall hits a double into the left-center gap to get Hartland going, and Max Rector comes in to run for him.

Mason Reygaert gets a single for Hartland, but the runner holds at third base. The Eagles now have runners on the corners with one out.

See tried to bunt to score the go-ahead run, but it popped up and got caught for the second out.

After a walk loaded the bases, Roman Forcia grounded out and Dakota got out of the jam. Petrovitch surpassed 100 pitches in the 7th.

Goike flew out to begin the bottom of the 7th, and the next two batters struck out. We're going into extras to decide this one.

8TH INNING (EXTRA INNINGS)

James Nuechterlein comes in to relieve Petrovitch on the mound for the Cougars and strikes out the first batter he sees.

An error allowed Brayden Crowe to reach first, and Dylan Crowe came up and hit a double to follow. With two runners in scoring position and one out, a line drive went off the glove of the third baseman and loaded the bases for Hartland.

In the following at-bat, Randall hit one deep enough into left field that the run scored from third to give Hartland a 3-2 lead. Lucas Frack flew out to end the top of the 8th.

After a single by Evan Morrison, Evan Kavalick advanced him to third with a single of his own. Kavalick then stole second, which gave Hartland the opportunity to intentionally walk DeMasse and load up the bases.

Ford came up clutch with an RBI single and tied the game once again at 3. Hartland was able to escape the jam with a double play as we head to the 9th.

9TH INNING

See gets the 9th started with a single back up the middle.

Zielinski comes up and blasts one into right field. Ford mishandles it in right field, throws an inaccurate ball to third base and allows See to score and give Hartland another lead (4-3). Zielinski advanced to third.

Zielinski scored on a sacrifice fly the next at-bat to make it 5-3, and a pop-fly ended the inning in the next at-bat.

Brady Hamby comes in to pinch-hit for Goike and grounds out to third.

Borowicz pops out in the next at-bat, aand Luke Kavalick is Dakota's last hope.

Randall hits Kavalick with a breaking ball to bring up Ryan.

Ryan grounds out to first base to end the game, as Hartland wins the Division 1 state title by a score of 5-3.