Williamston baseball opens Diamond Classic with walk-off win while Holt, St. Patrick suspended

The 62nd annual Dean Shippey Diamond Classic got underway on Monday evening at McLane Stadium with a doubleheader, starting with Williamston and Portland facing off in the opener.

Portland trailed 3-2 heading into the seventh inning, but sophomore shortstop Max Sandborn drove in the tying run with a sacrifice fly to force extra innings, then took the lead on an RBI double from junior outfielder A.J. Weber.

But Williamston was ready to respond in extras, rallying off four straight baserunners, capped with an RBI single from senior Richard Cuzydlo. Then, with the bases loaded, Ben Convey worked his at-bat to a full count and eventually drew a walk, driving in the winning run to advance the Hornets to Thursday's quartefinal.

"We have so much respect for that Portland team, but I'm just proud of these boys for pulling it out at the end with some clutch hitting," Williamston coach Ryan Orr said. "It was just passing the bat to the next guy and getting the job done and now we'll just take it one day at a time."

Both teams scored a run in the first inning before Portland took a 2-1 lead in the third. Williamston would tie it in the fourth on a sacrifice fly, then took a 3-2 lead in the fifth on an RBI double from junior Brayden Johnson.

Cuzydlo took the mound in the seventh after Portland tied the game and got Williamston out of a bases-loaded, one-out situation. In the eighth, the Raiders shifted to having five infielders with Cuzydlo at the plate, and he delivered a single over the infield.

Convey, who has been one of Williamston's most consistent batters, had a good feeling stepping into the box in the biggest moment of the game.

"I was just trying to be smart and it was just my instincts to see ball four, but it took all of us to get into that situation," Convey said. "That was an electric game from start to finish. Last year we got sent home in the first round so it feels good to make it to the second round of the Diamond Classic."

Williamston (19-3-1) will be back in action at the Classic on Thursday, facing Okemos (20-7) at 5 p.m. from McLane Stadium.

Holt starts hot, weather interferes

Holt and Portland St. Patrick were slated as the second half of Monday's doubleheader, and the Rams' offense was potent early with three runs in the first and single runs in both the second and third innings.

The Shamrocks got two runs back in the latter half of the third inning, but the Holt bats continued to cook in the fourth. The Rams scores three more runs and loaded the bases again before inclement weather caused the game to be suspended.

Holt senior Jake Robel, junior Ethan Walter, and sophomore Luke Redd each had two RBIs for the Rams, while junior pitcher Mitch DuBois tallied five strikeouts through three innings.

Holt and Portland St. Patrick will resume the game in the top of the fourth inning on Thursday at 4 p.m., with the winner facing defending Classic champion Olivet later that evening in the quarterfinals.

Contact Nathaniel Bott at nbott@lsj.com and follow him on Twitter @Nathaniel_Bott

This article originally appeared on Lansing State Journal: Williamston baseball opens Diamond Classic with walk-off win while Holt, St. Patrick suspended