Hazelwood West Baseball Snags Two Big Wins Just In Time For Playoff Run

O’FALLON – To say the lineup for Friday’s varsity baseball regular season finale at Fort Zumwalt West High was a little different than the one usually uses would be a major understatement.

The Wildcats sat two of their best hitters, started several guys that usually come off the bench, and played several others out of position.

The Hazelwood West team that played Thursday was definitely a different looking bunch than the one it usually sends out for games on a daily basis.

“You could definitely say that,” Hazelwood West head coach Matt McClellan said. “We had some different guys out there playing. We just wanted to give some guys some rest, and get some other guys that hadn’t got to play a lot some innings.”

And unfortunately, playing a lineup full of reserves against a really good Zumwalt West team went about as one might imagine, as the Wildcats got thumped pretty good by the Jaguars 13-2.

“This is the game you’re gonna write about?” McClellan joked afterward. “We played great all week, and this is the one (that brings the reporters out)? You should write about the last two games.”

The coach had a point.

Thursday’s matchup was the perfect time to find some rest for hitting stars Matt Leinberger and Aaron Lohman, who had each played nearly every inning of every Hazelwood West ballgame this season.

And it was the final chance to give a start to several players that might not get another chance to do so, once the district playoffs begin on Saturday.

Everything about Thursday’s game pointed to it being a good day for Hazelwood West, except for the fact that they were playing a Zumwalt West team that can really mash the ball, which they did early and often, in what proved to be a five-inning mercy rule game.

“We were still trying to win,” McClellan said. “But they’re a good club, and we (got beat today).”

And while Zumwalt West made its statement about what kind of team it was on Thursday, with members of their first round playoff opponent and archrival Fort Zumwalt East in attendance, Hazelwood West made its statement on Tuesday and Wednesday.

That’s when the Wildcats, on consecutive days, beat top 10-ranked, conference champion opponents Pattonville and Francis Howell Central, both in spine-tingling comeback fashion.

“Those were two fun days, two great games,” McClellan said. “Those were the games that were worth writing about.”

Boy, were they ever.

On Tuesday, Suburban North Conference champion Pattonville had leads of 2-0, 5-2, and 6-5, and each time Hazelwood West came back to tie, before eventually winning 7-6, on a straight steal of home by Leinberger.

“We had the bases loaded, and we noticed they weren’t paying much attention to Matt at third,” McClellan said. “So I told him to go. He did, and he scored. It was really exciting.”

Then on Wednesday, GAC South co-champ Francis Howell Central scored five times in the bottom of the first, and led 6-2 going into the sixth inning. But Hazelwood West rallied with five runs in its final two at-bats to pull another dramatic victory.

“I was so proud of (starting pitcher Jared Fosdick),” McClellan said. “He had a rough first inning. But then he really settled down and kept us in that game until we could come back.”

Hazelwood West will go into the playoffs with a 12-12 record, and it will serve as the host school for the Class 4 District 6 championship game on Wednesday, May 18. First pitch for the championship game is scheduled for 4:15 p.m.

But before the Wildcats can even begin to think about the district championship, they have to concern themselves with today’s district playoff first round opponent, Jennings High from the Suburban East Conference.

The Warriors have a 7-11 record this season, but are a speed-driven group that competed well against quality opponents like Clayton, Brentwood, and Metro Academy.

“I don’t really know a whole lot about them,” McClellan said. “But I know we have to play well, or we’re not gonna beat anybody.”

One thing Hazelwood West has proven is when they do play well, they can beat anybody.

First pitch for Saturday’s district first-round game, weather permitting, is scheduled for 4:15 p.m.