Hometown Heroes: Hart Baseball and Santa Clarita Celebrated at Dodgers Game
The Hart High School baseball team, fresh off their CIF Southern Section Division 2 championship win, was honored at Dodger Stadium. Their longtime coach, Jim Ozella, who retired after the victory, got to see former player Tyler Glasnow, a rising star with the Dodgers. The Santa Clarita community celebrated as Glasnow met with the champions
and threw on a commemorative championship t-shirt.
June 2, 2024 - The Hart High School baseball team was recognized at Dodger Stadium before a game against the Rockies for winning the CIF Southern Section Division 2 championship. Hart coach Jim Ozella won his first CIF championship in his last season at Hart. He is retiring after 25 years as Hart’s head coach.
Jim Ozella told Santa Clarita Weekly in May that the team’s success was “a culmination of a lot of hard work and effort on the part of all of our guys – our team, our coaches, our parents.”
“It’s exciting to get a chance to dogpile, which we love to do here at Hart,” Ozella said. “And it’s been a real quality year. We have a good group of seniors who are kinda leading us through the ranks here this year. I’m excited for them to leave the program on the right track.”
Hart High graduate Tyler Glasnow, who played for Ozella, met with the players on the field before the game. Ozella coached eight players at Hart who went on to play in the majors.
Hart won the CIF Southern Section Division 2 championship by beating Moorpark 7 to 6 in the final game.
The Hart players were on the field before the game and introduced to the crowd during the pregame activities. The Hart High baseball team brought t-shirts announcing their victory at the CIF Championships. They gave one t-shirt to Glasnow, and he put it on while he was greeting the students.
“Congratulations, to the players, coach, and staff of Hart High Baseball!” the announcer said.
Tyler Glasnow was born in 1993 into a Santa Clarita family where athletic prowess ran deep – his father a swimmer and water polo player, his mother a gymnast turned coach, and his brother a collegiate decathlete – Glasnow's path to professional baseball seemed almost preordained.
Drafted by the Pittsburgh Pirates in the 5th round of the 2011 MLB Draft, Glasnow's minor league journey was marked by a potent fastball and a knack for racking up strikeouts. However, his arrival in the majors with the Pirates in 2016 proved a baptism by fire. Injuries hampered his progress, forcing him into a frustrating cycle of starting roles and relief appearances.
It wasn’t until Glasnow was traded to the Tampa Bay Rays in 2018 that he really began to shine as a player. He was named American League Pitcher of the Month in April 2019, but soon had to be benched due to medical reasons. He was sidelined for most of 2019 and 2021.
In December 2023, Tyler Glasnow was traded to the Los Angeles Dodgers, accompanied by a lucrative long-term contract. The 2024 season has seen a revitalized Glasnow. He wasted no time etching his name in the record books, striking out a staggering 14 batters in just seven innings – a feat unmatched in recent baseball history. With his powerful presence on the mound and the backing of a new team closer to home in Santa Clarita, Tyler Glasnow still keeps in touch with Hart High School where he got his start.
It was a Santa Clarita-centered pregame at Dodger Stadium. Ken Striplin, the city manager of Santa Clarita, threw out the ceremonial first pitch. With a career in city management spanning over two decades, Striplin has held leadership roles in every department within the City of Santa Clarita since 1996.
And Tyler Glasnow’s dad, Greg Glasnow, announced the start of the game by issuing the phrase made famous by Vin Scully, “It’s time for Dodger baseball!”
Santa Clarita Weekly
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