Grand Ledge vs. Portland – – Quarterfinal – – Diamond Classic – – The Bleacher Denizen – – May 24, 2022 – – by Chuck Krafft
It’s time for the second of tonight’s Diamond Classic baseball games. St. Johns won the first game. Here is the play by play from that exciting game!
While we are waiting for the second game to start, here is a bit of music from the latest post to my “Chuck Krafft” You Tube Channel! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VvrOo-TYs-E
Here are the starting lineups. The Grand Ledge Comets will bat first and the Portland Raiders will be the home team.
GRAND LEDGE:
Owen Smith cf
Nathan Droste 2b
Caleb Estrada ss
Alex Maguire dh
Thomas Kerrigan lf
Cole Mance 3b
Will Ether 1b
Andrew Konieczny p
Ethan McCartney rf
Leo Lake will catch, but will not bat.
PORTLAND:
Trent Trierweiler ss
Caden Thelen cf
Marc Nobis p
Brady Bush 3b
Marky Meyers c
Jorgen Sonday dh
Ryan Leonard 2b
Carson Martin 1b
Barrett Brennan rf
Brady Krause will play left field, but will not bat.
Owen Smith led off the top of the first inning with a walk for the Comets. He went to second base on Nathan Droste’s sacrifice bunt. Portland Pitcher Marc Nobis retired the next two batters on a grounder to the shortstop and a grounder to the mound.
Trent Trierweiler lined a single to left to lead off the bottom of the first inning for the Raiders. Trent Trierweiler advanced to second base on a sacrifice bunt by Caden Thelen. Marc Nobis grounded a ball up the middle. Nathan Droste made a heroic dive to stop the ball, but Marc Nobis beat out the throw for a single. Trent Trierweiler scored on an overthrow. Grand Ledge Pitcher Andrew Konieczny induced a grounder to second base from the next batter. Kudos to Nathan Droste, Shortstop Caleb Estrada and First Baseman for efficiently turning the double play to end the inning.
Portland scored one run in the bottom of the first inning to take a 1-0 lead.
Thomas Kerrigan singled to left field to lead off the second inning for the Comets. Thomas Kerrigan went to second base when Cole Mance was safe at first on a dropped line drive. Thomas Kerrigan took third base and Cole Mance second on Will Ether’s sacrifice bunt. Ethan McCartney stole second; Cole Mance stormed home as the throw went to second base. Owen Smith singled to right field to drive in Ethan McCartney.
Owen Smith went to second base when Nathan Droste walked. Marc Nobis struck out the next batter to end the inning.
Grand Ledge scored three runs in the top of the second inning to take a 3-1 lead.
Marky Meyers walked to lead off the second inning for Portland. Grand Ledge Shortstop Caleb Estrada fielded the next hitter’s grounder up the middle, stepped on second base and threw to first to complete a double play. Grand Ledge Pitcher Andrew Konieczny retired the next batter on a bouncer to the first baseman.
Portland Pitcher Marc Nobis retired the Comet third inning leadoff batter on a popup to the shortstop. Thomas Kerrigan singled. Thomas Kerrigan was out at second and Cole Mance safe at first on a fielder’s choice grounder to the shortstop. Grand Ledge made its third out on a popup. (Your aging Bleacher Denizen’s nose was in his notes at a bad time. My apologies to whichever Raider infielder caught the popup.)
Comet Pitcher Andrew Konieczny struck out the first two Raider hitters in the bottom of the third inning. Trent Trierweiler slugged a double to the right field fence and moved up to third base on a passed ball. Caden Thelen was hit by a pitch. Marc Nobis singled to left field to drive in Trent Trierweiler. Caden Thelen took second on the play. Caden Thelen went to third base and courtesy runner Evan Thelen to second base on a passed ball. Brady Bush beat out an infield single to drive in Caden Thelen and advance Evan Thelen to third base. Marky Meyers lined a single off the pitcher’s glove to drive in Evan Thelen. Brady Bush advanced to second base. Levi Nobis entered the game to pinch run at second base. Jorgen Sonday was hit by a pitch to load the bases.
Nathan Roskamp came in to pitch for Grand Ledge. He struck out the next Raider batter to end the inning.
Portland scored three runs in the bottom of the third inning to take a 4-3 lead.
Raider Pitcher Marc Nobis retired the Comet fourth inning leadoff batter on a grounder to the shortstop. Ethan McCartney beat out a bunt single and went to second base on a line drive single to right by Owen Smith. Ethan McCartney went to third base and Owen Smith to second base on Nathan Droste’s infield single. Trent Trierweiler took over on the mound for the Raiders.
Caleb Estrada lined a double over the second baseman’s glove to drive in Ethan McCartney, Owen Smith and Nathan Droste. Caleb Estrada advanced to third on a fly out to right field by Alex Maguire. Trent Trierweiler retired the next batter on a grounder to the shortstop to end the inning.
Grand Ledge scored three runs in the top of the fourth inning to take a 6-4 lead.
Carson Martin led off the bottom of the fourth for Portland with a double to deep left center field. Carson Martin advanced to third base on Barrett Brennan’s sacrifice bunt. Trent Trierweiler drilled a single to right field to drive in Carson Martin. Nathan Roskamp retired the next batter on a foul popup to third base. Trent Trierweiler stole second base and third base. Marc Nobis lined a single off the pitcher to drive in Trent Trierweiler with the game-tying run. Brady Bush singled to left field and Marc Nobis moved up to second base. Marc Nobis took third base and Brady Bush second when Marky Meyers beat out an infield single. Evan Thelen came in as a courtesy runner for Marky Meyers. Marc Nobis and Brady Bush both scored on a wild pitch. Evan Thelen advanced to third base. Nathan Roskamp struck out the next Raider hitter to end the inning.
Portland scored four runs in the bottom of the fourth inning to take an 8-6 lead.
Cole Mance led off the fifth inning for Grand Ledge with a triple to deep right field. Cole Mance came home on a wild pitch. Trent Trierweiler struck out the next three Comet hitters to end the game.
Grand Ledge scored one run in the top of the fifth inning to trim the Portland lead to 8-7.
Kyle Smith entered the game to pitch for Grand Ledge. Kyle Smith struck out the first two Raider batters in the bottom of the fifth inning. Barrett Brennan drew a walk. Kyle Smith struck out the next batter to end the inning.
Owen Smith walked to lead off the top of the sixth inning for Grand Ledge. Owen Smith was out at second and Nathan Droste safe at first on a fielder’s choice ground ball to the shortstop. Caleb Estrada grounded a single to right field as Nathan Droste moved up to second base. Nathan Droste went to third base and Caleb Estrada to second base on a wild pitch.
Preston Bohnet came in to pinch run at second base for Grand Ledge. Everyone was safe on a fielder’s choice grounder. Nathan Droste scored, Preston Bohnet moved up to third base and Alex Maguire was safe at first base. Thomas Kerrigan walked to load the bases. Trent Trierweiler struck out the next batter. Portland Left Fielder Mark Nobis made a great diving catch to end the inning while stranding three runners.
Grand Ledge scored one run in the top of the sixth inning to tie the game at 8-8.
Nathan Droste came in to pitch for Grand Ledge. Nathan Droste struck out the Raider leadoff batter in the bottom of the sixth inning. Marc Nobis grounded a single to left field. The next batter grounded into a double play to end the inning.
Trent Trierweiler retired the three Comet seventh inning hitters on a fly out to left field and two strikeouts.
The game was tied going into the bottom of the seventh inning.
Nathan Droste struck out the first two Raider batters in the bottom of the seventh inning. Ryan Leonard rapped a single to left field. Carson Martin hit a single to center field and Ryan Leonard moved up to second base. Ryan Leonard took third base and Carson Martin went to second base on Barrett Brennan’s infield single. Trent Trierweiler smacked a ball to right center field to drive in Ryan Leonard and win the game.
Portland won the game 9-8 and will advance to the Diamond Classic Semifinal game!
Caleb Estrada had a double, a single and three RBI for Grand Ledge. Owen Smith had two singles and an RBI. Ethan McCartney and Thomas Kerrigan each had two singles. Nathan Droste had a single. Alex Maguire had one RBI.
Trent Trierweiler had a double, three singles and two RBI for Portland. Marc Nobis had three singles and one RBI. Brady Bush and Marky Myers each had a single and one RBI. Ryan Leonard, Carson Leonard and Barrett Brennan each had a single.