COLONIAL HEIGHTS—Tidewater Academy has Tidewater Academy has reached its first ever, state title game in baseball thanks to an 11-7 victory over top-ranked Isle of Wight Academy in Thursday’s Division III semifinal game at Shepherd Stadium in Colonial Heights.

Led on offense by Payton Holdsworth, who was three for five including a triple, a home run, three runs scored and three RBIs, the Warriors scored five runs in the top of the first and never looked back.

Tidewater added two more in the top half of the second and, despite five runs scored by Isle of Wight in the bottom of the same inning, added three more in the top of the third to build a lead that proved too big to overcome.

Other offensive leaders for Tidewater Academy were Tanner Mitchell, who went two for four with a home run and two RBIs, and J.D. Baker who went three for five with an RBI and a run scored.

The Warriors will take on the winner of Friday’s semifinal matchup between Southampton Academy and Fuqua School in Saturday’s state championship game. The first pitch is scheduled for 1 p.m. at Shepherd Stadium in Colonial Heights.