Freeport pitcher, Jarrett Heilman

The last time the Freeport baseball team made the PIAA playoffs, none of its current players were even alive.

That was 21 years ago, and with a 1-0 win over Keystone Oaks Wednesday night, the Yellowjackets ended that drought and secured a spot in the state playoffs and a match-up with district 10 champion Franklin (21-1).

“I think it was a step in the right direction,” Freeport pitcher Jarrett Heilman said. “We haven’t won a playoff game in about 10 years and to come out and get that first win, lose in the semifinals, but win the consolation game to make states, it’s just good to build off of with the strong junior class we have.”

Heilman is part of that junior class, and has been one of the key pieces to the Yellowjackets’ playoff push.

His past two starts have been 1-0 pitchers’ duels. Heilman pitched nearly six perfect innings against Waynesburg Central.

“I haven’t gotten much run support this season, but when I do it has come at clutch times,” Heilman said. “I’m a big fan of the low scoring games because that means me and the other pitcher are doing well and it just makes the atmosphere of the game that much better.”

Heilman is 5-1. He has struck out 71 batters and walked just five in 45 2/3 innings pitched this season.

Perhaps most impressive is the fact he has given up just one earned run this season for a microscopic 0.15 ERA.

The junior right-hander said he believes the key to the success of the team this year has been defense, which gives Heilman more confidence on the mound.

“I’m a big strikeout guy, but whenever I’m not getting the strikeouts I need to pitch to contact,” Heilman said. “When I’ve been pitching there haven’t been a lot of errors behind me and that’s huge because that’s less pitches I have to throw.

“I like to challenge the opponents, I like to pitch to my strengths and look for an advantage and play to it.”

Yellowjackets’ third-year head coach Ed Carr described Heilman’s pitching style as aggressive, which he believes has helped him thrive in the high-pressure situations he’s found himself in this season.

“I saw some nerves when some college coaches came around. I saw some reactions, some body language, but any kid would be that way,” Carr said. “What is different from him to other kids is once the game gets on, he’s able to channel that nervousness and turn it into a positive for him.”

Following Heilman’s near perfect game, Freeport lost 5-3 to Steel Valley, dropping it into the WPIAL Class 3A consolation game. Heilman was on the mound in that 1-0 victory over Keystone Oaks Wednesday.

“To be honest it was one of those moments that a lot of teams (that lose in the semifinal) could just quit (in the consolation game). (We) turned the page and rewrote the story,” Carr said.

Heilman’s experience with Franklin baseball goes back to his Little League days where he would see them about three times a year in tournament play.

“I was looking through their schedule and, well, it looks like they have some offense,” Heilman said. “That’s nothing we haven’t seen this year. I hope I see some kids from prior years and I hope it’s like those classic tournament games from back when we were 12 years old.”