Trent Trierweiler's walk-off hit pushes Portland baseball past Grand Ledge in Diamond Classic

EAST LANSING — Trent Trierweiler saw the situation that was unfolding.

He watched as Ryan Leonard kept things alive with two outs in the bottom of the seventh.

And then after another single, the senior prayed he would get an opportunity to step to the plate with a chance to deliver a walk-off hit.

Trierweiler got that chance.

And he cashed in on it for the Portland baseball team.

Trierweiler's drive to right field with the bases loaded lifted the Division 2 No. 14-ranked Raiders to a 9-8 victory over defending champion Grand Ledge in a Dean Shippey Capital Diamond Classic quarterfinal Tuesday night at Michigan State's McLane Stadium.

"He's just a big-time player and I always preach to these guys that big-time players make big plays," said Portland coach Chris Trierweiler of his son, Trent. "I always preach you want to be in these positions — underneath the lights, Diamond Classic. I tell the boys if you're not feeling it, something is wrong in a kind of place like this.

"We're pretty blessed to have (Trent) and we're going to miss him next year, but we're thankful for tonight."

The game-winning hit capped a four-hit and two-RBI night for Trierweiler and helped Portland advance to a Diamond Classic semifinal June 1 against either Eaton Rapids or DeWitt. The moment also added to his strong senior season.

Trierweiler has been one of the Raiders' leaders in batting average, RBIs and stolen bases from the top of the lineup. He's also been key on the mound and picked up the pitching win in relief Tuesday.

"It's honestly everything I've ever dreamed of growing up with my dad as a coach," Trent Trierweiler said. "These are the big moments I've always wanted to be in."

Marc Nobis added four hits and two RBIs and Casey Martin added two hits, including a two-out single during the seventh inning that helped set up Trierweiler's winning hit.

The Raiders and Comets entered the seventh inning tied at 8 after Grand Ledge plated runs in the fifth and sixth innings. The Comets were one out away from forcing extra innings when Leonard reached on a single. Martin then got on board before No. 9 hitter Barrett Brennan got an infield hit to turn the lineup over Trierweiler.

"These guys have been grinding," Coach Trierweiler said. "I always preach to them (to) keep grinding. Two strikes, keep grinding. The way things have been going with everything, you've got to tell these young men keep grinding, work harder. Tonight kind of showed how they did keep grinding."

Caleb Estrada had two hits and three RBIs to lead Grand Ledge. Owen Smith and Ethan McCartney also had two hits for the Comets.

Tuesday's other quarterfinal: Logan Dunham gets confidence boost, delivers clutch hit to lift St. Johns to Diamond Classic win

The tournament bracket: See the schedule, results for the 60th Dean Shippey Capital Diamond Classic

Contact Brian Calloway at bcalloway@lsj.com. Follow him on Twitter @brian_calloway.

This article originally appeared on Lansing State Journal: Trent Trierweiler lifts Portland baseball past Grand Ledge