The Stanfield Tigers powered their way back into the OSAA?Class 2A/1A?baseball state semifinals with a 15-8 win over Bonanza on Friday.

Stanfield began its lengthy road trip Thursday afternoon and didnt reach Bonanza until Friday, but came prepared.

Im really proud of how we travelled and prepared,?Stanfield coach Bryan Johnson said. The guys had their game face on. It was not an easy trip, obviously, when you travel this far.

Michael Martinez put fear into the Antlers (20-7)?immediately with a first-inning grand slam. He added an RBI single in the second inning and was intentionally walked in his other three at-bats.

Martinezs first two at-bats proved crucial as the Antlers scored five runs of their own in the first inning.

Stanfield pitcher William Abney struggled in his first playoff start, but was able to pull himself together and avoid the hook.

I?kind of had the bullpen ready, thinking we were going to have to take him out but he really settled down, Johnson said. He pitched it down in the zone, mixed it up, and located it a lot better.

The Tigers (19-7)?didnt make him pitch from behind for long, and Devin Haefer tied the score at 5-5 with a one-out solo home run in the second inning. Bryce Linker then reached base on a dropped third strike and scored on Martinezs single.

Then a ground-rule double by Devin Sather put runners on second and third for Tyler Renner, who ripped a single for two RBIs.

Renner came up big in the field two innings later with the Tigers protecting a 9-5 lead.

With the bases full of Antlers and only one out, Bonanza cleanup hitter Adan Madera came to the plate and crushed a hard line drive toward the gap in left-center.

The Antler runners were thinking hit all the way and took off without tagging up, but Renner made a full-out Superman diving catch, as described by Johnson, and popped up to throw the lead runner out at third.

That was the play of the day, Johnson said.

The eventual winning run was scored in the top of the fourth when Martinez scored on a failed double play attempt by the Antlers. They tried to get Sather going to second on a Renner grounder but threw the ball into the outfield.

Sather finished the game 3-for-4 with one RBI, Haefer was also 3-for-4 with an RBI and Martinez was 2-for-2 with five RBIs and three walks.

The Tigers will host No. 1 Grant Union on Tuesday in their first semifinal appearance since winning it all in 2011.

They swing it one through nine and theyve got three or four arms that are really legit at our level. Were going to have to play well but I?like our chances, Johnson said.

The Tigers lost a home doubleheader to the Prospectors back in March, but Johnson said he didnt have his full lineup at that time.

A lots changed since two months ago, theyre a better team and were a better team,?he said.