Highlanders achieve rare feat at T-Mobile Park with tie

It’s not often that people get to essentially do the job of their idols in their place of work. But for three hours on April 20, the Hazen Highlanders baseball team was able to do just that.

Most kids on the roster have had the privilege to play at T-Mobile the past couple of years. But for Head Coach Kevin Hays in his first season as the Highlanders’ skipper, it was an unreal experience.

“This was amazing. It was awesome to get the kids on the field and watch how excited they were. All the coaches had the same excitement too,” Hays said.

Hazen took to T-Mobile Park for the second week of the High School Baseball Classic inside the home of the Seattle Mariners. The Highlanders ran out of time against Edmonds-Woodway and had to abandon the game after six innings with the game tied 3-3.

Hazen has played three games for the last three years at the home of the M’s. For senior Morrie Solam, that feeling of stepping on to the field feels different every time.

“You can’t get used to it. It is special every time. It is kind of like you’re out there living your dream, going to the bigs. It is an awesome time, great experience,” Solam said.

Edmonds-Woodway struck first in this game — in the top of the first with a pair of runs to take a two run lead. Hazen responded with three runs in the bottom of the first.

The first six Hazen batters reached base without recording an out. Isaac Lee scored Morrie Solam with a double, and later came around to score on a Kyle Tat single. Cameron Heckle drove in Riley Ottele with a single as well in the first inning.

That was it for the offense for the Highlanders and Warriors, for the most part. Edmonds-Woodway tied the game in the third inning, and outside of that blip, the Hazen bullpen was extremely solid — and they had to be.

Six different pitchers tossed the ball for Hazen, and they scattered just three hits across six innings of work.

“Other than a couple walks, everyone came in and did their job. They were pounding the zone, hitting their spots and doing all we ask of ‘em,” Hays said.

Hazen finds themselves in an interesting position with three games left on the schedule. Two of the three are KingCo games with the final a non-league against Renton. The Highlanders sit in sixth place and have a chance to leapfrog Bellevue with a win and possibly Mercer Island. This game against Edmonds-Woodway could serve as a spark the Highlanders are looking for.

“I think this could be that spark. Going back to our last game, we really learned a lot and gained a lot of energy. It’s not about how you start, it’s how you finish. We’re going to work hard, finish strong and go as far as we can,” Solam said.

With these next two games specifically against Interlake and Bellevue, a lot can ride on a result either way. Regardless, Hazen will be in the KingCo Tournament. But their mentality will determine the type of road they will take, and for Hayes and Solam, that mentality is a simple one.

“Just take it one pitch at a time. Do everything you can to be successful on that pitch,” Solam said.

“We’ve had the ups and downs early. The last three games now they really have that mindset of not getting too high and too low. They’re staying right in the middle. It’s showing in the dugout and showing on the field. (We’re) very focused, we’re ready,” Hays said.