Hart baseball team blanks Arlington in Division 2 quarterfinal game

RIVERSIDE — Three years ago when the Hart and Arlington baseball programs met in a CIF State regional semifinal, it was Hart who yielded an early run en route to a 1-0 loss.

Flash forward three years, and this time the Indians jumped out to an early lead and prevailed 3-0 in a CIF Southern Section Division 2 quarterfinal game. Troy Cooper and Ian Edwards combined on a six-hitter with 10 strikeouts.

Hart earned a semifinal home game Tuesday afternoon against Arcadia, which was a 2-1 winner over Westlake.

“After dropping a pair of games to Saugus we told the guys they’d win six in a row to finish the regular season and they’ve just run with that momentum,” Hart coach Jim Ozella said. “Guys have been stepping up at the right time whether it’s been making big pitches or getting us timely hits and it’s been fun to watch.”

Cooper gave up a pair of first inning singles to Arlington’s Nick Velazquez and Sky Donaldson and also hit a battter with one out before using back-to-back strikeouts to get out of the bases-loaded jam.

Hart then punched through and took a lead in the top of the second, as Michael Hagen doublde down the left field line with one out and came around to score on Eddie Gutierrez’ single. A two-out single from Jaiden Chattle extended the inning before Arlington starter Troy Khasaempanth got a strikeout.

Taj Brar’s single down the right field line with two outs in the third inning scored Brady Werther. Khasaempanth got a flyout to again keep the damage to a lone run scored.

Meanwhile, Cooper found a groove on the mound, retiring twelve Arlington batters in a row before yielding a one out walk to Cody Kiemele and single to Anthony Deleon in the fifth inning. After a mound visit Cooper escaped the jam with a strikeout and flyout.

“We’ve been on the road for two out of three rounds so there’s definitely an excitement to be at home Tuesday,” Cooper said. “In those moments where I’m facing a jam I’m able to keep calm because I believe either we’ll get the outs or our offense will pick me up if they do score.”

Hart added an insurance run in the seventh inning on a pair of Arlington errors..

Arlington got runners on first and second with one out after Deleon reached on a fielder’s choice and Velazquez singled. Cooper was then lifted for Ian Edwards who got a pair of flyouts to send the Indians to a home semifinal.

Gutierrez finished 3 for 3 with an RBI to lead Hart, while Brar was 2 for 4 with a pair of RBIs. Velazquez was 2 for 4 at the plate to lead Arlington.