The Branford Buccaneers got off to a quick start in Tuesday afternoon’s Rural State Semifinal at Boombah Soldiers Creek Park in Longwood.

But Northview (Bratt) found their bats, and Branford’s third straight state semifinal appearance went downhill.

The second-seeded Chiefs pounded out 13 hits and rolled past Branford, 14-6, to advance to the Rural State Championship Game at 1:30 p.m. on Wednesday against fourth-seeded Trenton.

Trenton knocked off top-seed Liberty County (Bristol), 9-2, in the other Rural semifinal.

It started off well for Branford (21-7) against Northview. The Bucs batted around in the top of the first, scoring five runs on three hits. The big blows were back-to-back homers by Mallory Blue and Madyson Sikes. Blue hit a two-run homer to straight-away center, and Sikes followed with a solo shot into the trees in left field.

“I really don’t know what happened, I mean, definitely momentum for us,” Branford coach Oscar Saavedra said. “Our pitching hurt us a bit, and they (Northview) are a good hitting team. They hit the ball well.”

After Bucs starting pitcher Laila Arnold pitched a scoreless first, Northview tied the game with a five-run second inning.

Five straight Chiefs players reached on three singles and two walks. Addysen Bolen brought in a run with an RBI single and Aubrey Hadley knocked in two runs with a base hit and later scored the fifth run of the inning to tie the game 5-5.

Branford got two doubles and a single in the top of the third and loaded the bases with one out, but Northview pitcher Mikayla McAnally retired the next two hitters to get out of the jam.

“We were still hitting balls, but right at somebody,” Saavedra said. “We left the bases loaded one time; we left a lot of runners on base.”

Northview (22-6) took the lead for good in the bottom of the third, scoring three more runs on four hits and driving Arnold from the game. The Chiefs also knocked Blue out after retiring only one batter, with Branford bringing in Victoria Swain.

Branford cut the deficit to 8-6 on a solo homer by Swain in the fourth, but the score stayed the same until Northview put the game away with six runs on five hits in the sixth inning.

For Branford, who was one out away from a state title a year ago, it was another disappointing ending. But Saavedra is proud of the journey.

“It’s just hard work. I’m proud of them. They believe in themselves, and they believe in the coaching and us,” Saavedra said. 

FHSAA softball state playoffs

(Teams in the Mainstreet coverage area in bold)

Tuesday, May 20

Class Rural State Semifinals

4 Trenton 9, 1 Liberty County (Bristol) 2

2 Northview (Bratt) 14, 3 Branford 6

Wednesday, May 21

Class Rural State Championship

4 Trenton vs. 2 Northview (Bratt), 1:30 p.m.