Martin County High School’s journey to the FHSAA baseball state championships was nearly 60 years in the making.
The Tigers now have the chance to make the wait well worth it.
Martin County will play Buccholz in a Class 6A state semifinal on Friday from Hammond Stadium in Fort Myers. First pitch is scheduled for 10 a.m.
Advancing by winning the Region 2-6A title, the Tigers (24-7) are seeded fourth in the state bracket and enter the game ranked 12th in its classification and 57th overall. The Bobcats are the Region 1-6A champions. They are ranked second in Class 2A and 15th overall.
Watch the FHSAA state baseball championships
While Martin County will play the role of newcomer, Buchholz is no stranger to this stage, finishing as the state runner-up in each of the last two seasons.
The winner between Martin County and Buchholz would face the winner of Land O’Lakes and St. Thomas Aquinas at 2 p.m. Saturday, May 16.
Treasure Coast Newspapers is bringing you live updates, scores and highlights from the game. Follow along.
Martin County vs. Buchholz state semifinal updates
Bobcats put runners on the corners
Moody retires the first two batters quickly before hitting Brewer, who steals second base and advances to third on a passed ball. Almond walks, leading to a mound visit. Moody has thrown 67 pitches.
Martin County strands two in the fifth
After Grady Messner struck out looking, Jones followed with a single. Thornton got ahead 2-0, but Wilburn evened the count and got him to pop out to second.
Moody reaches again
The senior grounds a one-out single up the middle. Tigers have the top of the lineup up.
Three up, three down
Moody retires the bottom of the Bobcats lineup in order. We move to the fifth, tied 2-2.
Sullivan replaced by Landon Del Tufo
Sullivan appears to get injured running out a ground ball in the fourth. Del Tufo enters the game and plays first base.
Buchholz faces the minimum in the top of the fourth
Brancaleone reaches with a leadoff hit-by-pitch. However, the Bobcats stop the momentum with a 5-4-3 double play. A grounder to third ends the top of the fourth.
Stellar defense keeps the game tied
With runners on the corners, Frankie Brancaleone erases an infield single as the second baseman makes a barehanded stab on a slow roller and throws out at Hudson Sapp at first. We move to the fourth, tied 2-2.
Stone Preston wows with a web gem
With a runner on second, the Tigers senior outfielder robs Drew Almond of extra bases and an RBI with a diving catch in center.
Bobcats with 2-3-4 hitters due up
Colton Bettencourt pops out to end the top half of the third.
Martin County score | Bobcats 2, Tigers 2, Top 3
Thornton helps generate the next run as he steals second base, and an attempted throw to second goes into center field, allowing Jones to score from third. Thornton is thrown out at second.
Martin County score | Bobcats 2, Tigers 1, Top 3
John Thornton puts Martin County on the board as the junior stokes a sharp liner to right to score Moody.
Tigers beginning to make noise
Moody became the first batter to lead off an inning with a hit. Grady Messner followed with a line drive into left. Martin County has two on with no outs for Brennan Jones.
Moody limits the damage
The Tigers induces a foul pop-out and a groundout to second base to end the inning. Martin County trails 2-0 with its 9-1-2 hitters due up.
Buchholz score | Bobcats 2, Tigers 0, Bottom 2
Buchholz used a hit-and-run to perfection as Irizarry takes off and scores on an bloop single to right field from Tyler Thurmond.
Buchholz score | Bobcats 1, Tigers 0, Bottom 2
The Bobcats struck first in the bottom of the second. Angel Irizarry drove in the game’s first run when an opposite-field single to left field plated Hudson Sapp, who reached with a walk and second base. Irizarry reaches second on a fielding error.
Wilburn strikes out the side in the second
Preston Sullivan reached with a one-out walk, but he’s left on first after Wilburn gets Wyatt Parks swinging and Zach Stern looking on a fastball to retire the side. Wilburn is up to 45 pitches through two.
Moody matches Wilburn, ends first with strikeout
Moody roars off the mound after striking out Drew Almond in three pitches to end the first. He works around a two-out single from Blake Brewer. Moody threw 14 pitches, eight of which for strikes.
Zane Moody takes the mound for Martin County
The senior gets the start, entering with a 3-0 record with a 0.53 ERA and 30 strikeouts through 26 1/3 innings pitched.
Tigers come up empty in the top of the first inning
Junior infielder Brennan Jones reached with a one-out single and later stole second base, but he was stranded in scoring position after Colton Bettencourt popped out to shortstop to end the inning.
We’re underway from Fort Myers
Buchholz starting pitcher Dion Wilburn throws his first pitch to Grady Messner. It comes at 10:02 a.m., 80 degree and clear, sunny skies.
Tigers hold pregame huddle
Approximately 20 minutes before game time, Martin County comes together for a pregame huddle.
Patrick Bernadeau is a sports reporter for Treasure Coast Newspapers. He can be reached at 772-985-9692, on X at @PatBernadeau or via email at pbernadeau@gannett.com.
This article originally appeared on Treasure Coast Newspapers: Martin County baseball in historic state semifinal: Live updates
Reporting by Patrick Bernadeau, Treasure Coast Newspapers / Treasure Coast Newspapers
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