Things were looking good for the Trenton baseball team on Wednesday afternoon in the FHSAA Rural State Semifinals at Hammond Stadium in Fort Myers.
The No. 3 seed Tigers took an early 1-0 lead in the top of the first inning, but No. 2 seed Lafayette (Mayo) scored five unanswered runs in a 5-1 win, ending the Tigers’ season at 24-5.
“This isn’t a team we have here in Trenton, it’s a family,” said Trenton coach Chris Marlo following the game. “These players love playing for one another. They love doing great for their teammates. These players love me and I love them and that’s what makes this group special.”
Sophomore pitcher Brant Bivens (4.1 IP, 4 R, 4 ER, 9 H, 1 BB, 3 K) led off the game with a base hit to left field and stole second.
He later scored on a balk by Lafayette pitcher Ethan Tuten.
Tuten, who entered the game with a 0.86 ERA, struggled early.
With Bivens at second, he walked sophomore Mason VunCannon and senior Jordan Marlo to load the bases with no outs.
Cleanup hitter Pierson Weatherilt was at the plate when Tuten balked, scoring Bivens, but then he hit Weatherilt to load the bases again.
From there, Tuten (7 IP, 1 R, 3 H, 2 BB, 12 K) took control.
He struck out the next three batters to end the threat, and he allowed just two hits the rest of the way.
Meanwhile, the Hornets (25-2) finally broke through in the fourth inning with a pair of runs.
Shortstop Trevor Byrd doubled to left field and scored on a double by Jordan Murphy (2-for-3, 2 RBI, RS), who scored on an infield hit by No. 9 hitter Tywan Williamson for a 2-1 lead.
Lafayette added some insurance with three runs in the fifth inning.
The Hornets outhit the Tigers, 11-3, but Trenton did get their leadoff hitter on base three times.
In addition to Bivens, VunCannon and Marlo also had singles to start the third and sixth innings, respectively.
VunCannon, who went to second on a throwing error by Tuten, was thrown out at third by Tuten on a fielder’s choice by Weatherilt.
After Marlo singled to right field to start the sixth inning, Weatherilt grounded into a double play.
Tuten, who struck out the side twice, including in order in the fourth inning, finished with 108 pitches.
“These players are diving after balls whether their 10 runs up or 10 runs down,” said Chris Marlo. “We have a catcher blocking balls up by 10 runs. These kids will remember this season for a lifetime.”
Top seed Holmes County (Bonifay) defeated No. 4 seed Port St. Joe, 5-1, in the other state semifinal.
That sets up a state title game between the top two seeds at 4 p.m. on Thursday.