6-run first puts Trenton within a game of the final four

Trenton coach Chris Marlo high fives Luke Hartenstein on hitting a first-inning triple against Williston in the first game of the Rural-Region 4 Finals.

Photo by C.J. Gish

Key Points

One inning was all it took for the Trenton baseball team to get the upper hand in its best-of-three series against rival Willison.

On Friday night at Bryant Field, the top-seeded Tigers scored six runs in the bottom of the first inning in a 6-1 win against the No. 3 seed Red Devils in an FHSAA Rural-Region 4 Final.

The two teams will play Game 2 at 1 p.m. on Saturday. It will be broadcast online (audio only) at Mainstreet Daily News beginning at 12:45 p.m. with Mike Ridaught (Play-by-play) and Ryan Brown (Color) calling the action.

If Trenton wins, the Tigers (21-5) will advance to their third straight final four. If Williston wins, the Red Devils (18-12) would force an “if necessary” Game 3 approximately 30 minutes following the conclusion of Game 2.

“We came out hot,” said Trenton coach Chris Marlo, whose team beat Williston for a fourth straight time this season. “We kind of went on cruise control there after the first inning. Mason threw a phenomenal game. Our defense, you know, we’re usually playing pretty errorless ball, but tonight we had quite a few mental errors and physical mistakes that we usually don’t have.”

That hot start included the opening batter of the game.

Williston shortstop Harlan Cole hit what appeared to be a ground ball single into right field off Trenton starting pitcher Mason VunCannon. However, Trenton sophomore right fielder Gabriel Cobb threw him out for a 9-3 putout and swung momentum to the home side.

Then, in the bottom of the first inning, Trenton sent 10 batters to the plate and scored six runs. In fact, all nine batters either scored a run or drove in a run.

Trenton junior shortstop Brant Bivens was hit by a pitch and VunCannon walked to start the inning.

They each stole a base and sophomore catcher Zane McArdle hit a deep fly ball to center field that was close to getting out. However, Williston center fielder Braige Schneider made a running catch at the warning track. He collided with the fence but held on to the ball for the first out of the inning.

Bivens tagged and scored on the sacrifice fly, and then junior first baseman Pierson Weatherilt’s long fly ball down the left field line dropped just in fair territory for a double, scoring another run for a 2-0 lead.

Sophomore second baseman Logan Marlo singled in a run, Cobb singled and scored, and freshman designated hitter Jackson Lee grounded out but picked up an RBI for a 4-0 lead.

Junior Luke Hartenstein, the No. 8 hitter, tripled past diving right fielder Wyatt Davis for a 5-0 advantage, followed by junior center fielder Noah Owens’ RBI single for the sixth and final run.

VunCannon (4-1), who threw 95 pitches, tossed 5.2 innings and allowed just one run on four hits with three walks and three strikeouts.

“Last outing, I think he threw a five-inning game and 53 pitches,” Marlo said. “He probably could have been close to that if we could have had some defense behind him. Williston did a good job putting the ball in play though. They’re going to battle to the end. Denver’s got them boys ready to play, so it will be interesting tomorrow.”

Bivens will get the start on the mound on Saturday for Trenton, which will be the visiting team in Game 2.

Buchholz 10, Pace 2 – The visiting Bobcats took an early 2-0 lead in the top of the third inning and never looked back to take Game 1 of its best-of-three series in the FHSAA Class 6A-Region 1 Final.

Senior Zac Brown had a pair of hits including a triple and three runs driven in and a run scored, senior Aidan Kastensmidt was 2-for-3 with a double, 2 RBI, and a run scored, and junior Roen Kresak had two hits, a double, an RBI and a run scored.

Florida Gulf Coast University signee Reed Thomas threw 6.2 innings and allowed just two runs on six hits with three walks and five strikeouts.

Buchholz, which is one win away from its third straight final four, improved to 23-7 while Tate fell to 26-5. The two teams played Game 2 of their best-of-three series late on Friday night.

FHSAA baseball state playoffs

(teams in the Mainstreet coverage area in bold)

Friday, May 8 Rural-Region 3 Finals
1 Union County (Lake Butler) 14, 3 Lafayette (Mayo) 3 (5) – Union County leads series 1-0

Rural-Region 4 Finals
1 Trenton 6, 3 Williston 1 – Trenton leads series 1-0

Class 3A-Region 1 Finals1 South Walton (Santa Rosa Beach) 2, 3 Suwannee (Live Oak) 1
1 South Walton (Santa Rosa Beach) 10, 3 Suwannee (Live Oak) 0 (6) – South Walton wins series 2-0

Class 6A-Region 1 Finals
2 Buchholz 10, 1 Pace 2 – Buchholz leads 1-0

Trenton pitcher Mason VunCannon (3) started on the mound against Williston in the first game of the Rural-Region 4 Finals. Photo by C.J. Gish — Photo by C.J. Gish Trenton pitcher Mason VunCannon (3) started on the mound against Williston in the first game of the Rural-Region 4 Finals.

Williston's Aiden Phillips (39) gets a lead off first base in the top of the first inning against Trenton in the first game of the Rural-Region 4 Finals. Photo by C.J. Gish — Photo by C.J. Gish Williston’s Aiden Phillips (39) gets a lead off first base in the top of the first inning against Trenton in the first game of the Rural-Region 4 Finals.

Trenton's Logan Marlo (14) steals second base in the bottom of the first inning against Williston in the first game of the Rural-Region 4 Finals. Photo by C.J. Gish — Photo by C.J. Gish Trenton’s Logan Marlo (14) steals second base in the bottom of the first inning against Williston in the first game of the Rural-Region 4 Finals.

Williston pitcher Colby Jansen (1) got the start on the mound against Trenton in the first game of the Rural-Region 4 Finals. Photo by C.J. Gish — Photo by C.J. Gish Williston pitcher Colby Jansen (1) got the start on the mound against Trenton in the first game of the Rural-Region 4 Finals.

Williston's Harlan Cole turns a double play to end the bottom of the second inning against Trenton in the first game of the Rural-Region 4 Finals. Photo by C.J. Gish — Photo by C.J. Gish Williston’s Harlan Cole turns a double play to end the bottom of the second inning against Trenton in the first game of the Rural-Region 4 Finals.

Williston's infielders take a knee during a pitching change in the fourth inning against Trenton in the first game of the Rural-Region 4 Finals. Photo by C.J. Gish — Photo by C.J. Gish Williston’s infielders take a knee during a pitching change in the fourth inning against Trenton in the first game of the Rural-Region 4 Finals.

Williston's Jamarien Wilcox (2) rounds third base on his way home to in the top of the fifth inning against Trenton in the first game of the Rural-Region 4 Finals. Photo by C.J. Gish — Photo by C.J. Gish Williston’s Jamarien Wilcox (2) rounds third base on his way home in the top of the fifth inning against Trenton in the first game of the Rural-Region 4 Finals.

Trenton coach Chris Marlo has a meeting on the mound in the top of the fourth inning against Williston in the Rural Region 2 Finals. Photo by C.J. Gish — Photo by C.J. Gish Trenton coach Chris Marlo has a meeting on the mound in the top of the fourth inning against Williston in the Rural-Region 4 Finals.

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Mike Ridaught

Mike Ridaught is sports director for Mainstreet Daily News. Mike hosts a weekly high school sports show at Sonic Drive-In from August - May and does play-by-play for a Game-of-the Week on 106.9 FM “I Am Country" during football season. The fall of 2025 he completed his ninth year of teaching a play-by-play class at the University of Florida. He does play-by-play for the Cal Ripken World Series in Branson, Mo., in August. Mike is also founder of The Prep Zone.

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