EAST LANSING — The Mason baseball program had only appeared in one Diamond Classic final in the 63 installments of the Lansing area tournament. But the Bulldogs had a chance to get back to elusive territory with a win on Wednesday, May 27.
To do so, Mason would have to get past Grand Ledge, which has won the Classic 30 times — 23 more than next closest program.
Backed into a corner and trailing 5-4 in the sixth inning, the Bulldogs responded, scoring five runs before shutting the door in the final inning to earn a 9-5 win and spot in the championship game.
“Grand Ledge is always competitive in this, and we knew they were going to give us a game,” Mason coach Kohl Tyrell said. “After falling behind, not one time did our guys blink or hesitate. We stuck to our game and our plan, and the biggest thing for our guys is that we believe. We want it more. We have nine seniors and we’re all coming together right now as we enter the postseason.”
Mason senior pitcher Gerrit Koot pitched a complete game, striking out seven Comets, including the final two, to secure the victory. After pitching 40 innings this season and allowing just one earned run, Koot let up four in the first two innings before settling in as Mason’s bats started to gain life.
Koot also contributed at the plate with two singles that drove in two runs for the Bulldogs.
“(Koot) is a brilliant pitcher, he’s very smart, and he thinks his way through every pitch,” Tyrrell said. “I wasn’t concerned whatsoever, and we rode him all seven innings. He hadn’t been touched like that, but if there was a guy who could battle his way through this and give us a chance to win, it was him.”
Senior infielder Joey Schild delivered a bases-loaded single that plated two runs in the sixth inning to put Mason up 7-5. Two batters later, senior Ryan Myers drove home two more with a bases-loaded single.
Grand Ledge started the game with a bases-clearing double from senior Carson Marlan that put the Comets up three early, and freshman Easton Benaske drove in a run with a double in the second inning.
Mason (27-8) will face Lansing Catholic (24-3) in the Diamond Classic final on June 1 at 7 p.m. at McLane Stadium on Michigan State’s campus.
Contact Nathaniel Bott at nbott@lsj.com and follow him on X @Nathaniel_Bott
This article originally appeared on Lansing State Journal: Mason rallies with 5-run sixth, tops Grand Ledge in Diamond Classic semi
Reporting by Nathaniel Bott, Lansing State Journal / Lansing State Journal
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