Seven Burns High School (BHS) seniors celebrated their graduation in a way very few get to celebrate. Before they donned their purple gowns and received their diplomas, the Hilanders defeated the Knappa Loggers 4-3 to win the 2A/1A state baseball championship Friday, June 3, at Volcanoes Stadium in Keizer.

Ty Hueckman threw a one-hitter through six innings, and Trace Tiller delivered a two-run single to lead the Hilanders to the title.

Burns grabbed a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the first as Justin Lewellen singled and scored on Hueckman’s RBI-double.

In the second inning, Talon Case drew a one-out walk, and Kalib LaChapelle followed with a single. After a ground out, Tiller brought Case and LaChapelle around to score with his base hit, giving Burns a 3-0 lead.

The Hilanders made it 4-0 in the fourth as Case was hit by a pitch and eventually scored on a fielder’s choice.

The Loggers cut the lead to one by scoring three runs in the sixth. Reuben Acosta-Cruz led off with a walk, and after a fly-out to center field, Mason Hoover reached base on an error. Andrew Goozee followed with a double down the left field line, bringing in two runs, and Goozee then scored on an error.

After Hueckman walked the lead-off batter in the seventh, Lewellen came on in relief. After two fly-outs, the Loggers’ Logan Bartlett hit a ground ball to Tiller at shortstop. Tiller fielded the ball cleanly, threw to first for the final out, and the Hilander celebration began.

Following the presentation of trophies, the seven seniors from BHS, Hueckman, Tiller, LaChapelle, Lewellen, Boyd Vinson, Zach McDonald, and Ty Reid put on their graduation gowns, and were presented with their diplomas by head coach Kevin Feist.

It was the third state baseball title for Burns under Feist’s leadership, who announced earlier he was resigning from his coaching position at the end of the season.

The Hilanders finished the season 25-5, including a 20-game winning streak to earn the title.

•••

The No. 1-ranked Burns Hilanders advanced to the 2A/1A state championship game after beating Irrigon 6-3 in a semifinal game in Burns on May 31. It was the third straight home playoff game for the Hilanders and set up the final game with the second-ranked Knappa Loggers at Volcano Stadium in Salem on Friday, June 3.

Irrigon had the Burns home crowd on edge through most of the game as they scored two runs in the first inning and added one more in the second to take a quick 3-0 lead. Irrigon had its pitching ace Austin Rice on the mound, and he was able to contain the Hilander bats to only one hit through four innings. On the day, Irrigon pitchers would give up only six hits.

Lewellen was on the mound for the Hilanders and pitched the first four innings of the game, giving up seven hits and three earned runs, walking two, while striking out five.

Lewellen handed over the pitching duties in the fifth inning with Irrigon still up 3-0. McDonald came on in relief in the top of the fifth inning and held the Knights in check the rest of the game. The 3-0 score remained until the bottom of the fifth inning when Burns was able to score two runs to cut the lead to 3-2. In the sixth inning, the Hilanders roughed up Irrigon’s best pitcher for two more runs to take the lead at 4-3.

Irrigon brought in a relief pitcher to try to slow down the Hilanders, but he ended up surrendering two more runs as Burns would take a 6-3 lead into the seventh and final inning.

LaChapelle provided the big hit on the day with a run-scoring double to spark the Hilanders. Case put down a perfect bunt in the sixth inning with runners on second and third as both runners scored.

Reid had two hits on the day with one RBI, while sophomore Bryce Goss had one hit and a sacrifice fly for two RBIs. Vinson walked twice in three plate appearances and scored two of the Hilander runs.  McDonald would pitch the final three innings, allowing just three hits and no earned runs while striking out three to get the win.

Irrigon finished the season 18-6, with its first ever trip to post-season play in baseball.