Trenton blanks Chiefland to advance to district final

Trenton pitcher Mason VunCannon (3) started on the mound against Chiefland and pitched six scoreless innings in the Rural-District 7 semifinals.

Photo by C.J. Gish

Key Points

Mason VunCannon pitched six shutout innings with seven strikeouts and drove in a run to help Trenton beat Chiefland 5-0 in the district semifinal.
Trenton improved to 17-5 and will host Williston in the Rural-District 7 championship game on Friday night.
Trenton overcame a late-season slump to display a scrappier team identity, according to coach Chris Marlo.

The Trenton Tigers had been struggling a bit at the end of the regular season, losing five of their last nine games after a 12-0 start.

On Thursday night in their Rural-District 7 semifinal against rival Chiefland, the Tigers returned to an old standby to move on to the title game.

Junior starter Mason VunCannon pitched six shutout innings with seven strikeouts and only two walks and added an RBI single in a four-run fifth inning as host top-seeded Trenton pulled away for a 5-0 win over the No. 5 seed Indians.

The Tigers (17-5) will host Williston in the district championship game on Friday night. Second-seed Williston (16-9) handled No. 3 seed Dixie County (Cross City) 5-1 in the other semifinal game.

This game was scoreless through the first three innings, and the Indians (10-13) actually had better scoring opportunities.

Trenton's Brant Bivens gets caught by Chiefland's Levi Coe in the bottom of the first inning of the Rural-District 7 semifinals. Photo by C.J. Gish — Photo by C.J. Gish Trenton’s Brant Bivens gets caught by Chiefland’s Levi Coe in the bottom of the first inning of the Rural-District 7 semifinals.

Chiefland had a runner at third base with one out in the first, but VunCannon got a groundout and strikeout to get out of that jam. In the second inning, the Indians had runners at first and third with no outs after back-to-back singles before VunCannon struck out the next three hitters to keep the game scoreless.

Chiefland left two more runners on in the third inning before going in order in the fourth.

“Mason was great on the mound tonight,” Trenton coach Chris Marlo said. “He got into trouble, but he’s able to stay calm and isn’t very emotional on the mound and he got some big outs.”

Trenton's Joneil Duran (20) scored the first run of the game in the bottom of the fourth inning against Chiefland in the Rural-District 7 semifinals. Photo by C.J. Gish — Photo by C.J. Gish Trenton’s Joneil Duran (20) scored the first run of the game in the bottom of the fourth inning against Chiefland in the Rural-District 7 semifinals.

Trenton got on the board in the fourth without a hit. Catcher Zane McArdle walked and courtesy runner Joneil Duran stole second and moved to third on a groundout. With runners on first and third and one out, Duran scored as Gabriel Cobb hit into a forceout.

Trenton broke the game open in the fourth. Chiefland right fielder Payton Gulledge dropped a fly ball from Jackson Lee to open the inning. This opened up the floodgates for the Tigers, as VunCannon drove in a run with a single to center field to make it 2-0.

McArdle singled in two runs to make it 4-0 and the Tigers got another run on a sacrifice fly to center field by Pierson Weatherilt.

Trenton's Noah Owens (12) and Brant Bivens (1) score in the bottom of the fifth for a 4-0 lead over Chiefland in the Rural-District 7 semifinals. Photo by C.J. Gish — Photo by C.J. Gish Trenton’s Noah Owens (12) and Brant Bivens (1) score in the bottom of the fifth for a 4-0 lead over Chiefland in the Rural-District 7 semifinals.

“The error really helped us because their starting pitcher was really throwing the ball well,” Marlo said.

Tobias Cunigan took the loss for Chiefland despite allowing only five hits in five innings.

Marlo said this Trenton team is different from the last two seasons.

“This team is night and day from last year,” Marlo said. “Their identity is totally different. This team is scrappier, and everyone delivers.”

FHSAA Baseball District Tournaments

Trenton's Gabriel Cobb (4) tries to throw out Chiefland's Brody Johnson at first base following a successful bunt in the Rural-District 7 semifinals. Photo by C.J. Gish — Photo by C.J. Gish Trenton’s Gabriel Cobb (4) tries to throw out Chiefland’s Brody Johnson at first base following a successful bunt in the Rural-District 7 semifinals.

Trenton's Brant Bivens barely misses making the tag on Chiefland's Jolan Doty stealing second base in the Rural-District 7 semifinals. Photo by C.J. Gish — Photo by C.J. Gish Trenton’s Brant Bivens barely misses making the tag on Chiefland’s Jolan Doty stealing second base in the Rural-District 7 semifinals.

Chiefland pitcher Tobias Cunigan (14) got the start on the mound against Trenton in the Rural-District 7 semifinals. Photo by C.J. Gish — Photo by C.J. Gish Chiefland pitcher Tobias Cunigan (14) got the start on the mound against Trenton in the Rural-District 7 semifinals.

Chiefland's Levi Coe (8) celebrates after tagging Trenton's Brayden Cobb (7) out at second base in the Rural-District 7 semifinals. Photo by C.J. Gish — Photo by C.J. Gish Chiefland’s Levi Coe (8) celebrates after tagging Trenton’s Brayden Cobb (7) out at second base in the Rural-District 7 semifinals.

Trenton's Brant Bivens lays down a successful bunt in the bottom of the fifth inning against Chiefland in the Rural-District 7 semifinals. Photo by C.J. Gish — Photo by C.J. Gish Trenton’s Brant Bivens lays down a successful bunt in the bottom of the fifth inning against Chiefland in the Rural-District 7 semifinals.

(teams in the Mainstreet coverage area in bold)

All games at 7 p.m. (unless noted) & subject to change

Class Rural-District 6 at Higher Seed

Monday, April 13 (Quarterfinals)

5 Taylor County (Perry) 3, 4 Hilliard 2

3 Branford 10, 6 Hawthorne 4

2 Lafayette (Mayo) 3, 7 Fort White 2

Tuesday, April 14 (Semifinals)

1 Union County (Lake Butler) 17, 5 Taylor County (Perry) 1

2 Lafayette (Mayo) 14, 3 Branford 4 (5)

Thursday, April 16 (Championship)

1 Union County (Lake Butler) 5, 2 Lafayette (Mayo) 2

Class Rural-District 7 at Higher Seed

Tuesday, April 14 (Quarterfinals)

5 Chiefland 19, 4 Bell 11

3 Dixie County (Cross City) 25, 6 Bronson 0 (4)

2 Williston 20, 7 Wildwood 1 (4)

Thursday, April 16 (Semifinals)

1 Trenton 5, 5 Chiefland 0

2 Williston 5, 3 Dixie County (Cross City) 1

Friday, April 17 (Championship)

2 Williston at 1 Trenton

Class 1A-District 5 at Higher Seed

Tuesday, April 14 (Semifinals)

2 Oak Hall School 15, 3 Countryside Christian 5 (5)

1 Saint Francis Catholic Academy 20, 4 Peniel Baptist Academy (Palatka) 0 (4)

Thursday, April 16 (Championship)

Saint Francis Catholic Academy 10, 2 Oak Hall School 1 1

Class 2A-District 4 at Higher Seed

Tuesday, April 14 (Quarterfinals)

4 Keystone Heights 11, 5 Interlachen 9

3 P.K. Yonge 5, 6 Crescent City 1

Wednesday, April 15 (Semifinals)

1 Trinity Catholic (Ocala) 11, 4 Keystone Heights 1 (5)

2 Newberry 11, 3 P.K. Yonge 1 (5)

Friday, April 17

2 Newberry at 1 Trinity Catholic (Ocala) (Championship game)

Class 3A-District 3 at Higher Seed

Tuesday, April 14 (Quarterfinals)

4 Wolfson (Jacksonville) 10, 5 Stanton (Jacksonville) 2

Wednesday, April 15 (Semifinals)

1 Suwannee (Live Oak) 10, 4 Wolfson (Jacksonville) 0 (6)

2 Baldwin 18, 3 Paxon (Jacksonville) 5 (5)

Friday, April 17

2 Baldwin at 1 Suwannee (Live Oak) (Championship game)

Class 3A-District 5 at Higher Seed

Tuesday, April 14

1 Palatka 14, 4 Eastside 0 (5)

2 Santa Fe (Alachua) 14, 3 Bradford (Starke) 4 (6)

Thursday, April 16 (Championship)

1 Palatka 9, 2 Santa Fe (Alachua) 8 (8)

Class 5A-District 3 at Fleming Island (Orange Park)

Tuesday, April 14 (Semifinals)

1 Columbia (Lake City) 4, 4 Ridgeview (Orange Park) 0

2 Fleming Island (Orange Park) 4, 3 Middleburg 1

Thursday, April 16 (Championship)

1 Columbia (Lake City) 6, 2 Fleming Island (Orange Park) 2

Class 5A-District 5 at Higher Seed

Tuesday, April 14 (Quarterfinals)

4 Matanzas (Palm Coast) 8, 5 Mainland (Daytona Beach) 2

Wednesday, April 15 (Semifinals)

1 Seabreeze (Daytona Beach) 8, 4 Matanzas (Palm Coast) 5

3 Belleview 6, 2 Gainesville 5

Friday, April 17

3 Belleview at 1 Seabreeze (Daytona Beach) (Championship game)

Class 6A-District 2 at Higher Seed

Tuesday, April 14 (Quarterfinals)

5 Forest (Ocala) 4, 4 Oakleaf (Orange Park) 3

Wednesday, April 15 (Semifinals)

1 Buchholz 5, 5 Forest (Ocala) 0

3 Tocoi Creek (St. Augustine) 5, 2 Bartram Trail (St. Johns) 1

Friday, April 17

3 Tocoi Creek (St. Augustine) at 1 Buchholz (Championship game)

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Marty Pallman

Marty Pallman is a sports correspondent and broadcaster for Mainstreet Daily News. Marty has worked in play-by-play and as color commentator for high school and college sports for 15 years, as well as a writer. He currently works for the University of Florida and Santa Fe College as well as the "Voice of the Bishop Kenny Crusaders" on radio in Jacksonville. Marty has also assisted Mike Ridaught with The Prep Zone since 2008.

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