Lansing Catholic vs. Mason – – Diamond Classic Baseball Final – – The Bleacher Denizen – – June 1, 2026 – – by Chuck Krafft
Today is a big day in the life of your aging Blecher Denizen as he turns 70 today. He had his birthday party yesterday so that he could come to cover the Diamond Classic tonight. The Cougars from Lansing Catholic will play the Bulldogs from Mason in the Diamond Classic Final.
Lansing Catholic has reached the final by beating Williamston in the quarterfinal and Haslett in the semifinal. Mason has beaten DeWitt in the quarterfinal and Grand Ledge in the semifinal. I have put links to the semifinal games here.
As we wait for the game to begin, I hope you will enjoy this vintage Blues tune, “Blues Stay Away From Me” from my You Tube Channel!! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9TtsKUnqw7g
It’s a great day to play baseball at Michigan State University’s McLean Stadium. It’s warm, but not too hot and there is no rain on the horizon!
Here are the starting lineups. Lansing Catholic won the coin flip and will be the home team. Mason will bat first.
MASON
Travis Davis ss
Joey Schild 3b
Colton McCaleb 1b
Ryan Myers dh
Kohlton Tyrell 2b
Gerrit Koot p
Hunter Thorne c
Carson Chapin lf
Logan Davis cf
Hayden Hendrickson will play right field, but will not bat.
LANSING CATHOLIC
Ethan Link ss
Anthony Branoff cf
Elijah Jungwirth 1b
Jason Boldman 2b
Brycen Castillo dh
Noah Jungwirth p
Conner Weber 3b
Isaac Gallegos rf
Watson Ferreri lf
Drew Reece will catch, but will not bat.
It is now time to review the events of this game through the occasionally clear lenses of an Aging Bleacher Denizen who was never able to get his baseball career going. He was showing a lot of promise as a base stealer, but his career collapsed when the Baseball Powers That Be callously ruled that he was no longer permitted to use a jet pack to help him zoom around the bases. When the stolen base count declined, so did the playing time.
Travis Davis was hit by a pitch to lead off the top of the first inning for Mason and stole second base. Joey Schild walked. Travis Davis scored and Joey Schild advanced to second base on an errant pickoff throw. Colton McCaleb walked.
Jason Boldman came in to pitch for Lansing Catholic. Isaac Gallegos went to second base and Noah Jungwirth went out to right field.
Jason Boldman retired the next Bulldog hitter on a foul popup to first base. Catholic Catcher Drew Reese fired the ball to third base to catch the runner stealing. Jason Boldman got the next Catholic hitter out on a bouncer to shortstop, where Ethan Link had to throw the ball quickly to get the runner.
Mason scored one run in the top of the first inning to take a 1-0 lead.
Mason Pitcher Gerrit Koot retired the first two Lansing Catholic hitters in the top of the first inning on a grounder to the shortstop and a grounder to second base. Elijah Jungwirth walked. Jason Boldman singled to first base and Elijah Jungwirth advanced to third base. Catholic made its third out on a grounder to second base.
Jason Boldman retired the first two Bulldog batters in the top of the second inning on a soft liner to second base and a grounder to third base. Carson Chapin hit the ball between first and second base and beat out an infield single. Cougar Center Fielder Anthony Branoff made a fine running catch of a bid for a single by Logan Davis to end the inning.
Gerrit Koot retired the Catholic leadoff batter in the top of the second inning on a popup to first base. Conner Weber rapped a single off the third baseman’s glove. Isaac Gallegos singled up the middle and Conner Weber advanced to second base. Carson Chapin made a great running catch in left field to retire the next Cougar batter. Catholic made its third out on a fielder’s choice grounder to the shortstop.
After two full innings, Mason had a 1-0 lead.
Travis Davis was safe on an error to lead off the top of the third inning for Mason and took second base on an errant pickoff throw. Joey Schild singled to center field to push Travis Davis to third base. Colton McCaleb tripled to right field to drive Travis Davis and Joey Schild home. Catholic First Baseman Elijah Jungwirth made a great running catch of a popup in right field for the first Bulldog out. Catholic Pitcher Jason Boldman retired the next two Mason hitters on a grounder to the shortstop and a fly to right field to end the inning.
Mason scored two runs in the top of the third inning to stretch its lead to 3-0.
Gerrit Koot retired the three Cougar batters in the bottom of the third inning on a grounder to third base, a fly to left field and another grounder to third base.
Chase Moreno came in to pitch for Lansing Catholic and Jason Boldman moved back to second base.
Hunter Thorne led off the top of the fourth inning for Mason with a walk. Chase Moreno struck out the next Bulldog hitter. Hunter Thorne advanced to second base on an errant pickoff throw. Chase Moreno struck out the next batter. Travis Davis walked. Joey Schild beat out an infield single. Hunter Thorne got to third base and Travis Davis to second base. Hunter Thorne was caught off third base, but got in a rundown and was able to score and Travis Davis got to third base. Joey Schild remained at first base. Chase Moreno struck out the next batter to end the inning.
Mason scored one run in the top of the fourth inning to take a 4-0 lead.
Brycen Castillo singled up the middle to lead off the bottom of the fourth inning for Catholic. Noah Jungwirth beat out an infield singled; Brycen Castillo went to third base and Noah Jungwirth to second on an overthrow. Blake Paul entered the game to pinch run for Noah Jungwirth. Gerrit Koot struck out the next two Cougar hitters and got the third out on a popup to first base to hold Catholic scoreless for the inning.
Ryan Myers walked and stole second base to lead off the top of the fifth inning for Mason. Kohlton Tyrell walked.
Isaac Gallegos went in to pitch for Catholic.
Isaac Gallegos retired the next Mason batter on a fly to center field. Kohlton Tyrell was out at second base and Hunter Thorne safe at first on a fielder’s choice grounder to the shortstop. Ryan Myers hustled and scored all the way from second base on the play. Catholic Shortstop Ethan Link made a great play running back into left field to catch a bid for a single by Carson Chapin to end the inning.
Mason scored one run in the top of the fifth inning to boost its lead to 5-0.
Ethan Link led off the bottom of the fifth inning for Lansing Catholic and was safe at first base on an error. Ethan Link stole second base. Gerrit Koot retired the next two Cougar batters on a fly to right field and a popup to the shortstop. Jason Boldman singled to left field to drive Ethan Link home. Jason Boldman advanced to second base on the throw to the plate. Catholic made its third out on a grounder to the shortstop.
Catholic scored one run in the bottom of the fifth inning to shave the Mason lead to 5-1.
Isaac Gallegos retired the first two Bulldog batters in the top of the sixth inning on a grounder to first base and a fly to left field where Watson Ferreri made a nice running catch. Joey Schild was hit by a pitch. Colton McCaleb walked.
Watson Ferreri came in to pitch for Catholic and Isaac Gallegos moved to left field.
Joey Schild took third base and Colton McCaleb second on a wild pitch. Ryan Myers walked. Watson Ferreri retired the next Mason hitter on a grounder to second base for the third out to hold Mason scoreless for the inning.
Gerrit Koot retired Catholic’s leadoff batter in the bottom of the sixth inning on a bouncer to the mound. Conner Weber singled up the middle. Isaac Gallegos walked and Conner Weber went to second base.
Colton McCaleb went in to pitch for Mason and Gerrit Koot moved to first base.
Colton McCaleb retired the next Catholic hitter on a fly to right field. Ethan Link singled to left field to drive Conner Weber home as Isaac Gallegos went to third base. Ethan Link went to second base on the throw to third base. Catholic made its third out on a grounder to first base.
Lansing Catholic scored one run in the bottom of the sixth inning to trim the Mason lead to 5-2.
Isaac Gallegos retired Mason’s leadoff hitter in the top of the seventh inning on a grounder to the shortstop. Hunter Thorne walked. Catholic Catcher Drew Reece fired the ball to second base to catch the runner stealing. Carson Chapin walked. Isaac Gallegos retired pinch hitter Brayden Carl on a grounder to third base to end the inning.
Colton McCaleb struck out the Cougar leadoff batter in the bottom of the seventh inning. Jason Boldman singled to left field. Colton McCaleb got the next batter to bounce the ball to second baseman Kohlton Tyrell, who flipped the ball to shortstop Travis Davis for the out at second base. Travis Davis fired the ball to First Baseman Gerrit Koot to complete the double play and end the inning.
Mason won the Diamond Classic Final by the final score of 5-2 and is this year’s Dean Shippey Diamond Classic Champion.
Jason Boldman had three singles and one RBI for Lansing Catholic. Conner Weber had two singles. Ethan Link had one single and one RBI. Brycen Castillo, Noah Jungwirth and Isaac Gallegos each had one single.
Jason Boldman pitched three innings for Lansing Catholic. Chase Moreno pitched one inning and struck out three Mason batters. Isaac Gallegos pitched one and two thirds innings. Watson Ferreri pitched one and one third innings.
Colton McCaleb had a triple and two RBI for Mason. Joey Schild had two singles. Carson Chapin had one single.
Gerrit Koot pitched five and one thirds innings for Mason. He gave up two runs, but only one was an earned run. Colton McCaleb pitched one and two thirds shutout innings and struck out one batter.
Gerrit Koot was named outstanding player of the 64th Annual Dean Shippey Diamond Classic!