Hart Indians baseball began coach Jim Ozella’s final playoff run with a postseason classic.  The Indians battled for over four hours with the Simi Valley Pioneers, but escaped with a walk-off run in the 14th inning.  “That’s a classic game right there. That’s big time,” Ozella said. “It’s a shame they’re going home with a loss. I would obviously be in the same boat but these were two proud programs playing. Everybody wanted to move on, they beat us early in the year, but we battled. We left a ton of guys on and had a lot of things that went wrong. But we hung in there.”  Hart senior Brayden Jefferis knew he just needed a deep ball, coming up to the plate with the bases loaded and one out. Jefferis, a Michigan commit, delivered the walk-off via a sacrifice fly that scored the base-hit machine Hayden Rhodes to win the game, 5-4.  Hart baseball celebrates its walk-off win over Simi Valley in the CIF playoffs. Photo Courtesy of Cole Franquiz Photography. “I had a chance earlier and I didn’t come through,” Jefferis said. “I wasn’t gonna let two chances go by. I tried to just get into the outfield, get it thrown in and go home.”  Rhodes had a game-high four hits, all of which were singles.   No one on the field had been involved in a game that went on as long as Thursday’s battle did.  “Only in the fall when we do doubleheaders but other than that, no, that was the longest game I think I’ve even been at, let alone play,” Jefferis said. “That was crazy.”  Saving the day for Hart (22-5), not just once but twice, was junior Brady Werther. The junior entered his fourth at-bat of the day hitless, trailing 3-1 in the bottom of the seventh. Werther delivered the game-tying play with a two-run bomb hit past right field.  Werther brought the magic back to his fifth at-bat of the game, again with his team trailing. The junior hit an RBI double that scored Jefferis, and tied the game 4-4.   Hart consistently found ways on but stranded 18 base runners on the day, extending the game.  The Indians sent out junior Carson Maymo to start on the hill, with plans of holding ace Troy Cooper off until the second round.  Junior Carson Maymo pitches against Simi Valley in the CIF playoffs. Photo Courtesy of Cole Franquiz Photography. Maymo based his first two opponents of the day but quickly shook out of the rut. The junior righty retired the next 14 Simi Valley (14-12-2) batters, including a perfect two-inning stretch where he threw less than 10 pitches.   Simi started getting the better of Maymo, signaling the call for the Indians’ closer Ian Edwards, to enter early in the fifth. Edwards gave up just one hit to his second opponent, which brought in the first two runs of the game. Some smart baserunning fueled the next two runs for the Pioneers as leadoff man Quinten McGahan charged home while Landen Adair, who just hit the 2-RBI single, was caught in a rundown but safely made it to second once Hart threw home.  A high checkdown to first, and bad throw back into play brought in the would-be game-winning run for the Pioneers before Werther’s RBI double in the ninth.  Senior Ian Edwards pitches against Simi Valley in the CIF playoffs. Photo Courtesy of Cole Franquiz Photography. Edwards was perfect after giving up the runs and retired his final seven opponents.   Hart needed one of its top arms, so Ozella called on Cooper to finish the game. Neither thought the Cal Poly San Luis Obispo commit would throw a full seven innings in relief but Cooper tamed the Pioneer offense. The pitcher based just three batters, while retiring 21. Cooper finished with seven strikeouts and just one walk in the win.  Troy Cooper gets fired up after a strikeout against Simi Valley. Photo Courtesy of Cole Franquiz Photography. Hart nearly stole the game in the bottom of the ninth but Simi Valley took a huge gamble that paid off. The Pioneers intentionally walked Indians catcher Ryan De La Maza, who finished the game with three hits and as many walks. Senior Taj Brar was then also intentionally walked after loading the bases with just one out. Simi Valley put its defense in a do-or-die scenario but  closer Raul Centeno forced a ground ball and the Pioneers forced extra innings.  Simi Valley beat Hart 2-1, in both teams’ second game of the season nearly three months ago. The Pioneers aimed for the same recipe in round two, and sent out senior pitcher Diego Barajas, who held the Indians to one run in round one.  Barajas held Hart scoreless through four innings until an RBI double from Jefferis brought in the first score of the game.  “We really wanted this game,” Jefferis said. “This was definitely a game we circled. Being at home, having all these people out and it being Coach O’s last season, we didn’t wanna be one and done for him.”   Hart baseball celebrates its walk-off win over Simi Valley in the CIF playoffs. Photo Courtesy of Cole Franquiz Photography. Thursday’s Division 2 battle featured dozens of great defensive diving plays and putouts, which led to the eight scoreless innings. Should the game have gone into the 15th inning, with sunlight dwindling, the playoff opener would’ve had to be continued on Friday. Hart had no intentions of a two-day game and exploded in the 14th.  “I hate to say this but I’m gonna say it, the first playoff game is always the toughest game,” Ozella said. ”I’ve been in some crazy first-round games and this was obviously a crazy one, but we hung in there. So, I’m proud of our guys.”  Junior Michael Hogen throws to first against Simi Valley in the CIF playoffs. Photo Courtesy of Cole Franquiz Photography. The Indians now advance to the sweet 16 where they’ll hit the road to face the Newport Harbor Sailors (15-13).  The Sailors only boast two hitters hitting over .300 but have a plethora of talented pitchers. Hart will likely send out Biola commit Taj Brar, who will likely pitch head-to-head with senior ace Charlie Ragatz.  Hart heads down to Newport Beach on Thursday at 3:15 p.m.  Hart senior Matthew Perez bunts against Simi Valley. Photo Courtesy of Cole Franquiz Photography. Troy Cooper pitches against Simi Valley. Photo Courtesy of Cole Franquiz Photography. Michael Hogen bats against Simi Valley in the CIF playoffs. Photo Courtesy of Cole Franquiz Photography. The post <strong>Hart baseball walks off in 14th inning, beats Simi in CIF opener</strong>  appeared first on Santa Clarita Valley Signal.