Cam Frazier's big hit sends Olivet baseball past Okemos in Diamond Classic semis
EAST LANSING — Cam Frazier and his Olivet baseball teammates didn't get a chance to prove themselves among the best in Greater Lansing last season.
The Division 2 No. 11-ranked Eagles have been determined to make the most of their opportunity this season to play in the Dean Shippey Capital Diamond Classic.
And thanks to a clutch late at-bat from Frazier, Olivet will have a chance to play for a Classic championship.
Frazier drove in the go-ahead run with two outs in the top of the ninth inning to help vault the Eagles to a 2-1 victory over Okemos in a semifinal matchup at Michigan State's McLane Stadium.
The victory sends Olivet (31-3-1) into Monday's championship game against Grand Ledge on Monday at MSU.
Frazier stepped to the plate with runners on first and second and a new pitcher on the mound in Okemos' Andrew Golde. After falling behind 3-0, Golde worked the count full. Frazier ended up singling to right field to plate courtesy runner Tripp Burkett.
"I saw the ball down the middle and I had to make contact," Frazier said.
As a senior, Frazier said it meant a lot to come through in that situation for the Eagles.
Olivet coach Bill Whitely figured he would get a good at-bat from Frazier from the No. 7 spot in his lineup in that situation.
"He's been hot for us. He did a nice job of pulling the ball," Whitely said. "Sometimes when he hits the ball the other way he pushes it, but he turned on that pitch and got a good swing."
Sophomore Lalo Aguirre finished things out from there to improve to 8-2 on the mound this spring. Aguirre worked 1 2/3 scoreless innings. He entered in the eighth with a runner on second and one out. Following an intentional walk, he induced an inning-ending double play to get out of the inning.
Aguirre retired Okemos in order in the ninth, finishing the game with a strikeout.
"I've been working for this and for special moments and difficult moments," Aguirre said. "I'm here to close the game (and help us) win."
Olivet broke a scoreless tie in the fifth inning when Frazier reached on an error to score Jacob Waffle. Okemos pulled even in the bottom of the sixth when Brennen Hansen-Kotke plated the tying run when he avoided an inning-ending double play.
That's where things stayed until Frazier came through in the ninth to help give Olivet a chance to play for its first Diamond Classic title.
"It means a lot," Whitely said. "We're a small school and we didn't get in last year so we're playing with kind of a chip on our shoulder. We know we're a really good team. We've got districts this weekend and we've got to put our focus on (that.) Once districts are over then we'll gear up for Monday."
More: Dean Shippey Capital Diamond Classic schedule, results
Contact Brian Calloway at bcalloway@lsj.com. Follow him on Twitter @brian_calloway.
This article originally appeared on Lansing State Journal: Olivet baseball tops Okemos to reach Diamond Classic title game
