Brighton hockey star torn between sports has key triple in baseball win over Hartland

HARTLAND — While Brighton senior Lane Petit pursued a state hockey championship this winter, his baseball equipment remained untouched.

He didn’t do a single session in a batting cage or even play catch on an off day.

“Zero,” Petit said when asked how often he kept his baseball skills sharp over the winter. “Absolutely none. I didn’t swing a bat for seven months until our first practice.”

Petit was all-in on his senior season of hockey, repeating as a first-team all-state selection after helping the Bulldogs finish as state Division 1 runner-up for the third straight year.

“I think my sophomore year I got some swings during the winter, but last year and this year, no,” Petit said. “Growing up, my dad said, ‘Whatever season you’re in, you’re playing that.’ If I’m in baseball season, I’m playing baseball. If I’m in hockey season, I’m in hockey. There’s no in between. I stay with that.”

Petit hasn’t played this spring like someone trying to shake off the rust.

He continued his strong start by driving in the go-ahead run with a triple in the top of the 10th inning Wednesday, propelling Brighton to a 5-3 victory over Hartland.

In his third varsity season, Petit is hitting .359 with a .703 slugging percentage, 12 extra-base hits and 18 runs batted in.

“There’s not many kids I’ve coached who are able to do what he’s able to do,” Brighton coach Charlie Christner said. “This is, kind of just walk off the bus and swing and hit for power, hit for average, hit barrels on a consistent basis. As a sophomore, he was turning around guys and I was just sitting there like, ‘Wow.’ To just basically go from the state championship game and two days later here we go, you’d think he’s been playing all winter.”

Over the winter, Petit was putting the finishing touches on a legacy as one of the top players to come through Brighton’s storied program.

His 36 goals tied him with three-year linemate Cam Duffany for third in school history and his 147 career points rank fifth.

That success has attracted the interest of junior hockey teams, but Petit is torn between his two sports as he decides which to pursue beyond high school.

“That decision is going to come soon,” Petit said. “I haven’t really decided yet. Whatever I do, I’m going to give it my best and put forth my best effort, whether that’s college baseball or junior hockey. It’s a tough decision. I’ve played baseball and hockey since I was 4 years old.

“It’s definitely a little scary, at least that’s how I look at it. But at the same time, it’s also exciting for the next chapter.”

Petit extended his hockey season by trying out for Team Michigan, a high school all-star team that recently played in Minnesota. He made the team, but was unable to go because of a knee injury that didn’t prevent him from playing baseball.

“I struggled with running and stuff, but it worked out for me,” he said. “Leaning on it and all the angles in hockey definitely hurt a little bit more than just throwing.”

Brighton (13-7) and Hartland (14-7-1) went to extra innings after the Eagles scored twice in the second and the Bulldogs countered with two in the fourth.

Ryan Metz began Brighton’s winning rally with a one-out single. Petit followed by lining the first pitch he saw from reliever Michael Bernardi to right field for a triple.

“I saw him Monday,” Petit said. “I knew his fast ball was straight. I knew it was there. I missed it the at-bat before. I was frustrated at myself. I talked to my coach, took a deep breath, went up there and did what I know I can do. I saw my pitch and drove the ball.”

Cooper Andrzejewski, who doubled home a run in the fourth, tripled home Petit to make it 4-2. An error delivered the third run of the inning.

Both teams got strong starting pitching. Brighton’s Andrew Everson gave up three hits and struck out seven in 6⅔ innings. Hartland’s Landon Brown gave up four hits in seven innings.

The loss ended Hartland’s nine-game winning streak, which included a 6-4 come-from-behind victory Monday at Brighton.

“The first guy did a really good job,” Hartland coach Brad Guenther said. “We got him early. I think we manufactured those runs and maybe took advantage of an error. So, kudos to him, for sure. He pitched a great game. We got him early and maybe got a little complacent in the dugout and offensively and with the mindset, thinking it was just going to happen. We couldn’t get that big hit.”

Contact Bill Khan at wkhan@gannett.com. Follow him on X @BillKhan

This article originally appeared on Livingston Daily: Lane Petit triple sparks Brighton's 10-inning baseball win at Hartland