St. Johns vs. Grand Ledge – – Diamond Classic Semifinal – – The Bleacher Denizen – – May 31, 2023 – – by Chuck Krafft

In tonight’s second semifinal of the Diamond Classic, the Comets from Grand Ledge will face the Redwings from St. Johns. The winner of this game will face the winner of the first game Monday night. The games tonight are being played at Michigan State University’s McLane Stadium. It’s a hot night, but good baseball weather for a great game in a beautiful facility!

Of course, this game (as well as the previous one) features Ken Friend’s veteran voice announcing the game with flair and style!!

Here is a link to the play by play of the Okemos/Olivet semifinal played just before this game!! https://thebleacherdenizen.com/2023/05/31/olivet-vs-okemos-diamond-classic-semifinal-the-bleacher-denizen-may-31-2023-by-chuck-krafft/

Grand Ledge will be the home team for this game and St. Johns will bat first.

Here are the starting lineups!

ST. JOHNS REDWINGS:

Landen Mikula 2b

Joe Leonard p

Logan Keilen c

Teagan DeMott 3b

Brandon Schomisch cf

Jordan Huhn rf

Mark Bendele ss

Ty Gregory 1b

Seth Shank lf

GRAND LEDGE COMETS:

Noah McCartney cf

Preston Bohnet 2b

Caleb Estrada ss

Andrew Konieczny 1b

Alex Cornman lf

Bryce Boucher c

Kyle Smith dh

Andrew Deibel 3b

Carter Melnick rf

Nathan Roskamp will pitch, but will not bat.

It is now time to review the events of this game from the perspective of an Aging Bleacher Denizen who never achieved much when he attempted to play baseball in the days of yore. However, he proudly remembers generating many cooling breezes with his flailing bat that soothed and delighted both umpires and opposing catchers!!

In the top of the first inning, Comet Pitcher Nathan Roskamp retired the first two Redwing batters on a liner to the shortstop and a grounder to the shortstop. Logan Keilen was safe at first base on an error. Gavin Beals entered the game as a courtesy runner for Logan Keilen. St. Johns made its third out on a fly to center field.

Redwing Pitcher Joe Leonard retired the first two Comet hitters in the bottom of the first inning on a fly to center field and a liner to first base. Caleb Estrada walked and stole second base. Caleb Estrada scored when Andrew Konieczny beat out an infield single and advanced to second base on an error. Joe Leonard retired the next Comet hitter on a grounder to shortstop to end the inning.

Grand Ledge scored one run in the bottom of the first inning to take a 1-0 lead.

Brandon Schomisch doubled to open the top of the second inning for St. Johns. Comet Left Fielder Alex Cornman made a fine throw to third base to get him out when he tried to advance. Jordan Huhn walked and took second base on a wild pitch. Mark Bendele singled to right field to send Jordan Huhn to second base. Comet Right Fielder Carter Melnick made a good throw back to the infield to prevent Jordan Huhn from scoring.

Jordan Huhn scored when Ty Gregory was safe at first base on an error. Mark Bendele advanced to third base. Nathan Roskamp picked the runner off first base. Ty Gregory went to second base on the play. Seth Shank singled to right field to drive in Ty Gregory. Seth Shank advanced to second base on Landen Mikula’s single to right field. St. Johns made the third out of the inning on a fielder’s choice grounder to third base.

St. Johns scored two runs in the top of the second inning to take a 2-1 lead.

Redwing Pitcher Joe Leonard retired the first two Comet hitters in the bottom of the second inning on popups to the shortstop. Andrew Deibel walked. Carter Melnick doubled over the left fielder’s head to drive Andrew Deibel home. Carter Melnick scored on Noah McCartney’s flared single to right field. Grand Ledge made its third out on a fielder’s choice grounder to the shortstop.

Grand Ledge scored two runs in the bottom of the second inning to take a 3-2 lead.

Logan Keilen singled up the middle to open the top of the third inning for St. Johns. Gavin Beals came in as a courtesy runner for Logan Keilen. Teagan DeMott walked and Gavin Beals advanced to second base. Brandon Schomisch singled to left field to drive in Gavin Beals. Teagan DeMott went to third base and Brandon Schomisch got to second base on the throw to home.

Andrew Deibel went in to pitch for Grand Ledge and Kyle Smith went to third base. Jordan Huhn walked and the bases were loaded with no outs. Teagan DeMott scored on a wild pitch. Brandon Schomisch took third base and Jordan Huhn second base. Mark Bendele was hit by a pitch and the bases were loaded again.

Ty Gregory walked to force Brandon Schomisch home. Jordan Huhn went to third base and Mark Bendele to second base. Andrew Deibel retired the next batter on a soft liner to third base and struck out the following hitter. Joe Leonard was hit by a pitch. Jordan Huhn was forced home, Mark Bendele went to third base and Ty Gregory to second base. Comet Center Fielder Noah McCartney made a nice catch going back on a drive by Logan Keilen to get the third Redwing out.

St. Johns scored four runs in the top of the third inning to go on top by a 6-3 score.

Joe Leonard retired the three Comet third inning hitters on two flies to center field and a grounder to shortstop where Redwing First Baseman Ty Gregory made a great scoop to secure the out.

Teagan DeMott dropped a bloop single into right field to lead off the top of the fourth inning for St. Johns. Brandon Schomisch ripped a double down the left field line and Teagan DeMott moved to third base. The next batter was out on a fly to Comet Center Fielder Noah McCartney, who also threw to second base to double the runner off.

Mark Bendele singled to center field to drive Brandon Schomisch home. Andrew Deibel retired the next Redwing batter on a grounder to third base to end the inning.

St. Johns added one run in the top of the fourth inning to take a 7-3 lead.

Bryce Boucher singled to left field to open the bottom of the fourth inning for Grand Ledge. Jameson Patten came in as a courtesy runner for Bryce Boucher. Jameson Patten went to second base on a lined single to center field by Kyle Smith. Jameson Patten took third base and Kyle Smith went to second base on a groundout to first base by Andrew Deibel. Carter Melnick walked to load the bases.

Redwing Shortstop Mark Bendele knocked a liner by Noah McCartney down before it could get into the outfield. He was able to force the runner out at second base as Jameson Patten scored, Kyle Smith went to third and Noah McCartney was safe at first. Preston Bohnet singled to center field and drove Kyle Smith home. Noah McCartney went to third base and Preston Bohnet took second base on the throw home. Caleb Estrada was intentionally walked to load the bases.

Andrew Konieczny drew a walk to force Noah McCartney home as Preston Bohnet went to third base and Caleb Estrada to second base. Grand Ledge made the third out of the inning on a fielder’s choice grounder to the shortstop.

Grand Ledge scored three runs in the bottom of the fourth inning to slash the St. Johns lead to 7-6.

Gavin Wegenke took the mound for Grand Ledge.

Seth Shank singled to lead off the top of the fifth inning for St. Johns and took second base on a wild pitch. Landen Mikula drew a walk. Gavin Wegenke struck out the next two Redwing batters; Comet Catcher Bryce Boucher whipped the ball to third base to catch the runner trying to steal for the third out.

Landen Mikula took over on the mound for St. Johns as Joe Leonard moved to cover second base.

Bryce Boucher beat out an infield single to open the bottom of the fifth inning for Grand Ledge. Jameson Patten came in as a courtesy runner for Bryce Boucher. Kyle Smith singled to right field and Jameson Patten advanced to second base. Landen Mikula retired the next batter on a bunted fly to the mound. Carter Melnick hit a double to center field that got between a couple Red Wing outfielders to drive in Jameson Patten and Kyle Smith.

Redwing Center Fielder Brandon Schomisch alertly backed up a bad pickup throw to prevent the runner from advancing to third base. Brandon Schomisch followed up this piece of strong defense with an amazing running, diving catch in center field to get the third Comet out.

Grand Ledge scored two runs in the bottom of the fifth inning to take an 8-7 lead.

Gavin Wegenke retired the first two Redwing hitters in the top of the sixth inning on a grounder to shortstop and a grounder to second base. Jordan Huhn was safe at first base on an error. Gavin Beals came in to pinch run for Jordan Huhn and stole second base. St. Johns made its third out on a fly to the shortstop.

Caleb Estrada lined a double down the left field line to start out the bottom of the sixth inning for Grand Ledge. Nick Finney entered the game to run for Caleb Estrada. Andrew Konieczny singled to right field to push Nick Finney to third base. Alex Cornman walked to load the bases.

Brandon Huber came into the game to pitch for St. Johns. Landen Mikula went to second base.

Landen Mikula made a diving grab of a line drive by Bryce Boucher at second base to get the first Comet out while saving one or two runs. Brandon Huber got the next Comet batter to bounce into a fielder’s choice grounder to the mound. Nick Finney was out at home as Andrew Konieczny went to third base, Alex Cornman advanced to second base and Kyle Smith was safe at first.

Pinch Hitter Lucas Caterino blooped a bases clearing double down the left field line to drive in Andrew Konieczny, Alex Cornman and Kyle Smith. Kaiden Sobczyk entered the game as a pinch runner for Lucas Caterino. Grand Ledge made its third out on a grounder to the shortstop.

Grand Ledge scored three runs in the bottom of the sixth inning to extend its lead to 11-7.

Caleb Estrada came in to pitch for Grand Ledge. Preston Bohnet moved to shortstop and Kaiden Sobczyk went in at second base.

Caleb Estrada struck out the Redwing leadoff batter in the top of the seventh inning. Seth Shank was safe at first base on an error. Kyle Lockwood came in to pinch run for Seth Shank. Landen Mikula was safe at first base and Kyle Lockwood out at second base on a fielder’s choice grounder to the third baseman. Landen Mikula took second base when Joe Leonard walked. Logan Keilen singled to right field to drive Landen Mikula home as Joe Leonard went to third base.

Teagan DeMott walked to load the bases. Joe Leonard scored, Logan Keilen advanced to third base and Teagan DeMott went to second base on a wild pitch. Caleb Estrada retired the next Redwing batter on a grounder to shortstop to end the game.

St. Johns scored two runs in the top of the seventh inning to close the Grand Ledge lead to 11-9.

Grand Ledge won the game and will face Olivet in the Diamond Classic final on Monday.

Brandon Schomisch had two doubles, a single and one RBI for St. Johns. Seth Shank and Logan Keilen each had two singles and one RBI. Teagan DeMott and Mark Bendele each had a single. Joe Leonard and Ty Gregory each had one RBI.

Carter Melnick had two doubles and three RBI for Grand Ledge. Andrew Konieczny had two singles and two RBI. Bryce Boucher and Kyle Smith each had two singles. Lucas Caterino had a double and three RBI. Caleb Estrada had a double. Noah McCartney had a single and two RBI. Preston Bohnet had a single.