Like many kids across America, Highlands senior Zac Kuniak used to stand in his backyard and imagine himself one day stepping up to the plate in a one-run game with the bases loaded and the season on the line.
But the Rams (11-8) hadn’t been to the WPIAL baseball playoffs since 2003, and after they won only seven games combined in his first three years of high school, it seemed he would never get the chance to live out that moment in a Highlands uniform. On Wednesday, though, that vision became a reality for the Slippery Rock recruit in the No. 14 seed Rams’ 6-4 victory against No. 3 seed Thomas Jefferson (13-6).
With Highlands leading the Jaguars, 1-0, in the top of the fifth of their WPIAL Class 4A first-round playoff matchup, Kuniak stepped up to the plate with the bases loaded and nobody out.
“I didn’t think I was going to have to be in that moment,” Kuniak said. “I’m not going to lie, I was a little nervous. It was probably the biggest moment I’ve had in all my high school career. It was a little scary, but I knew I just had to buckle up and hit the ball.”
Most probably dream of hitting a grand slam over the fence in that situation, but trying to do too much can backfire in an instant in baseball — something Kuniak was well aware.
“I knew I was deep in the count, and I just choked up, and I just knew I had to put the ball in play and make something happen,” he said.
Kuniak provided the biggest hit of the day and sent everybody in motion by driving a bases-clearing triple into the gap in right-center field. Kuniak made it safely into third in plenty of time as the dugout erupted right in front of him.
“I was going crazy. It felt so good,” Kuniak said. “The energy in the dugout, it was a good feeling.”
While Kuniak’s triple was the biggest offensive play of the game, somebody had to keep Thomas Jefferson from scoring for the runs to hold up. Senior pitcher Noah Gillette did just that for the Rams, allowing two runs on four hits in six innings. Gillette shut the Jaguars out through the first five innings while allowing only one hit.
Because of the WPIAL’s 100-pitch-per-game limit, Gillette had to exchange his pitcher’s glove for a third baseman’s mitt after facing the first batter in the bottom of the seventh. So Highlands coach Jeff Cambpell turned to freshman Jett Slepak to get the final three outs and thwart Thomas Jefferson’s rally.
“Nothing against Jett, I just hate coming out, because I have plenty more pitches in me,” Gillette said. “But I have total trust in Jett coming in and pitching for me and finishing off the game. He’s a good pitcher. He’s young, but he’s good.”
Gillette could do nothing but watch as the Jaguars moved runners to second and third on an infield single and wild pitch before bringing both runners home to cut the Rams’ lead to 6-4. Thomas Jefferson first baseman Mike Huber drew a walk to bring the tying run to the plate with two outs, but Slepak caught Jaguars shortstop Dylan Malozzi looking to end the game and move Highlands into the WPIAL quarterfinals, where the Rams will take on No. 6 seed Beaver on Monday.
“He’s been a stud,” Campbell said of Slepak. “He’s been our No. 2 guy all year, and we have faith in him.”
Kuniak is happy to bask in all the glory after coming up with the clutch hit his team needed, but he’s even happier to do it alongside his best friend, Gillette.
“He’s a great pitcher. It feels good knowing my best friend and I won the first Highlands playoff game in however many years,” Kuniak said. “It just feels good doing it with him.”
First Published: May 16, 2019, 2:02 a.m.
