WILLIAMSTOWN - Senior Austin Root tossed a three-hitter to go 4-0 on the season and Williamstown improved to 17-4 with a 7-2 win over visiting Frontier Thursday.
Righthander Root faced just five batters over the minimum and although he did not record a strikeout in the game, he walked only one and hit a batter to leave just three Cougars on base in the game.
Meanwhile, the Yellowjackets got a couple gift-wrapped runs in the first inning and another in the second when Frontier outfielders lost fly balls by Case Edgar and Bret MacIver in the sun that fell in for doubles. Edgar's two-bagger in the first plated two runs and MacIver's double in the second set up Avery Goff's run-scoring ground ball after MacIver stole third base.
The Cougars, though, got one run back in the top of the third on an RBI groundout by Mitch Minder before Williamstown put up a two-spot in the bottom of the inning, first when Eli Gray belted a solo homer over the left-field fence and then on Brandon Yost's RBI infield single, for a 5-1 lead.
Frontier's Jake Minder cranked out a solo-shot roundtripper, also over the left-field fence, in the fourth, to make it a 5-2 game.
But the 'Jackets notched two more tallies in the fifth frame on MacIver's RBI single and Dakota Watson's run-scoring groundout for the five-run margin of victory.
Fact Box
Baseball
Parkersburg South 6, Parkersburg 4
PSHS (15-7) 111 030 0-6 7 0
PHS (5-11) 001 300 0-4 8 2
WP: A.J. Easter (in relief) 3.1 IP, 0 BB, 6 SO
Jacob Braniff (starter) 3.2 IP, 2 BB, 2 SO
LP: Caleb Thrash (in relief) 2.2 IP, 2 BB, 0 SO
Drew Bland (starter) 4.1 IP, 2 BB, 1 SO
PS hitting: Dustin Helmic 1-2, RBI; Wes Mitchem 2-4, RBI; Adam McCray 2-4, double; Hunter Hamilton 1-1; Jordan Braniff 2-3, 3 RBI
PHS hitting: Garrett Riley 1-4, RBI; Tony Brunicardi 2-4, double, 2 RBI; Kyle Haverty 3-4, 2 doubles; Damon Ribeiro 1-4; Chase Evans 1-3
Next games: Parkersburg plays host to Riverside at 6 p.m. today; Parkersburg South plays in the semifinals of the OVAC tournament in Moundsville against Morgantown at 2 p.m. Saturday.
Williamstown 7, Frontier 2
Frontier (6-12) 001 100 0 - 2 3 3
Williamstown (17-4) 212 020 x - 7 11 0
WP: Austin Root (4-0), 7 IP, 0 SO, 1 BB
LP: Grant Valentine, 6 IP, 4 SO, 5 BB
Frontier hitting: Mitch Minder RBI; Jake Minder solo HR in 4th, RBI; Josh Kirkbride 1-2; Brandon Kring 1-1, double
Williamstown hitting: Dakota Watson 2-4, RBI; Josh DeBolt 1-3; Eli Gray solo HR in 3rd, RBI; Case Edgar 2-4, double, 2 RBIs; Brandon Yost 2-4, triple, RBI; Bret MacIver 3-4, double, RBI; Avery Goff RBI
Next games: Charleston Catholic at Williamstown 5:30 p.m. today; Frontier at River 11 a.m. (DH) Saturday
Gilmer County 3, South Harrison 2
S. Harrison 000 001 1 - 2 3 1
Gilmer (18-4) 100 200 x - 3 9 3
WP: Karl Bennington 7 IP, 2 BB, 8 SO
LP: Gage Evans 6 IP, 0 BB, 3 SO
South Harrison hitting: Evans 1-3, 2B, RBI; Jake Wilkins 1-3 RBI
Gilmer County hitting: Austin Cunningham 2-4; Bennington 1-3 RBI; Adam Beall 1-3, 2B; Seth Skinner 1-3 RBI; Luke Beall 2-3
Next game: Notre Dame at Gilmer County 7 p.m. today.
Ritchie County 4, Roane County 1
Ritchie 100 020 1 - 4 5 0
Roane 010 000 0 - 1 3 2
WP: Mark Andrew Davis 5.2IP 6BB 4SO
Save: Seth Cottrill 1.1IP 0BB 1SO
LP: Hendershot 5IP 4BB 3SO
Corbitt 2IP 0BB 2SO
Leading hitters: Ritchie - Reno Jackson 1-3, run, SB; Jordan Shaffer 2-3, 2 runs, 3B; D.J. Burgess 1-3, run, 2B, 2 RBIs; Dylan Frye 1-3, RBI. Roane - Bowman 1-3; Bradley 1-1, run; Hendershot 1-3, RBI
Record: Ritchie 16-2.
Next game: Doddridge County at Ritchie County, 4:30 p.m. today
Wirt County 8, Calhoun County 2
Calhoun 000 101 0 - 2 6 3
Wirt 200 114 x -8 9 2
WP: JT Stephens 7IP 2BB 9SO
LP: Davis 6IP 0BB 3SO
Leading hitters: Wirt - Hagan Root 3-4, 3 RBIs, 2B; Austin Cottrell 1-3, RBI; Trenton Hardbarger 2-3, 3B, RBI; Caleb Ferguson 2-3, RBI; JT Stephens 1-3, RBI; Taylor Campbell RBI. Calhoun - Davis 1-3, RBI; Sims 1-3, RBI.
Record: Wirt 5-11; Calhoun 0-17.
Next game: South Harrison at Wirt County (DH), noon Saturday
Parkersburg Catholic 9, St. Marys 5
PCHS 000 304 2 - 9 8 2
St. Marys 000 031 1 - 5 4 2
WP: Mitch Davis 7IP 5B 5SO
LP: Robbie Harper 0.2IP 2BB 0SO
Justin Nichols (starter) 5IP 3BB 9SO
Tyler Davis 1.IP 0BB 2SO
Leading hitters: PCHS -Jim Ferrell 2-4, RBI; Austin Luther 1-2, RBI, 3 runs; Zack Romine 1-3, 3B; Eric Scott 1-2. St. Marys - Lough 1-1, 3B, 2 RBIs, 3 BBs; Nichols 1-2; Houser 1-3, RBI; Harper 1-4 RBI
Records: PCHS 11-6 (6-2 LKC North); SMHS 12-10 (5-5 LKC North)
Next game: PCHS at Ravenswood, 5 p.m. today; Liberty (Harrison) at St. Marys 5 p.m. Monday.
Magnolia 15, Cameron 5 (6 inn.)
Cameron (17-5) 104 000 - 5 7 3
Magnolia (10-8) 306 051 - 15 18 3
WP: Kyle Elliott 6 IP, 2 BB, 9 SO
LP: Ryan Hughes 2 IP, 2 BB, 3 SO
Mark Walker 3 IP, 1 BB, 4 SO
Cameron hitting: Brendan Hall 2-3, 2B; Justin Pegg 1-3, 2 RBIs; Walker 1-2
Magnolia hitting: Zach Willhoite 4-5, 2B, 3B, 2 RBIs; Tanner Hanna 4-5, 3 RBIs; Elliott 3-4 RBI; Jayson Keller 2-4, 2B, RBI; Ryan Walton 2-5, HR, 2 RBIs; Ben Knight 1-3, 2 RBIs; Grant Cain 2-4, 2 RBIs; Chandler Sapp 1-2
Next game: Liberty (Harrison) at Magnolia 4:30 p.m. today.
Softball
Parkersburg South 3, Fort Frye 1
Fort Frye (13-3) 010 000 0 - 1 4 2
P. South (15-11) 201 000 x - 3 6 3
WP: CeCe Bailey 7 IP, 4 H, 1 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 9 SO
LP: Victoria Mimken 6 IP, 6 H, 3 R, 2 ER, 0 BB, 6 SO
Fort Frye hitting: Nicole Miller 2-3; Ellie Schwendeman R; Lexi Huck 1-3; Natalie Smith 1-3, 2B, RBI
Parkersburg South hitting: Katelyn Hamilton 1-3 R; Kristen Hamilton R; Taylor Wittekind 1-3 RBI; Genna Trippett 2-3 R, 2B; Bailey 1-3, 2B, RBI; Morgan Trippett 1-3
Next games: Fort Frye at Magnolia (DH) 5 p.m. today; Parkersburg South at University (DH) 5 p.m. today.
Gilmer County 10,
South Harrison 0 (3 innings)
S. Harrison 000 - 0 2 1
GC (12-7) 343 - 10 7 1
WP: Lexi Hacker 3IP 1BB 1SO
LP: Puddister 2.1IP 4BB 5SO
Leading hitters: South Harrison - Puddister 1-2; Stover 1-2. Gilmer - Tiffany Young 1-1, 3 runs, RBI; Jordan Morris 1-1, 2 runs; Chelsea Knicely 2-3, run, 2 RBIs; Morgan Allen 2-2, 2 runs, RBI; Jamie Conrad run, RBI; Hannah Simmons 1-1, run.
Next game: Gilmer at Buckhannon-Upshur, 5 p.m. today
Ritchie County 8,
Ravenswood 0 (5 inn.)
Ravenswood 000 00 - 0 2 1
Ritchie (16-5) 320 21 - 8 10 1
WP: Kelsey Waggoner 2 IP, 0 BB, 6 SO
Mariah Martin 2 IP, 0 BB, 2 SO
Moie Ray 1 IP, 0 BB, 2 SO
LP: Casto 4 IP, 2 BB, 3 SO
Ravenswood hitting: Chiles 2-2
Ritchie County hitting: Vanessa Tallman 1-3 RBI; Cassidy Ray 1-2, solo HR, RBI; Allison DeLancey 2-3, 3B; Micah Ray 1-2; Abby Burgess 1-3; Rachel Haddox 2-3, 2B, RBI; Michaela Smith 1-3 RBI; Becca Sullivan 1-2
Next game: Ritchie County at Doddridge County 4:30 p.m. today.
Wirt County 15, Calhoun County 2
Calhoun 110 - 2 4 6
Wirt 5(10)x - 15 5 2
WP: Autumn Browning 3IP 0BB 5SO
LP: Shayla Arnold 2IP 7BB 0SO
Leading hitters: Calhoun - Brooke Manns 1-2, RBI; Aly Hickel 1-2, RBI; Britany Miller 1-1, 2B, run; Sierra Motil 1-2, run. Wirt - Leigh Thomas 1-2, 2B, 3 RBIs, 2 runs; Stone Cheuvront 1-2, RBI, run; Sarah Frame 1-2, 2 RBIs, run.
Record: Wirt 12-6.
Next game: South Harrison at Wirt County (DH), noon Saturday
Belpre 19, Miller 2
Belpre 361 54 -19 8 0
Miller 010 01 - 2 4 5
WP: Kaity Hager 4IP 0BB 5SO
Destiny Bell 1IP 1BB 0SO
LP: Jace Dutiel 5IP 11BB 5SO
Leading hitters: Belpre - Mollie Miller 2-4, 4 runs, 2 RBIs; Natalie Perry 2-5, 4 RBIs. Miller - Lauren West 1-2; Hailey Williams 1-2; Tessa Pierce 1-1.
Record: Belpre 4-9 (4-5 TVC)
Next game: Trimble at Belpre, 5 p.m. today
Parkersburg 8, Winfield 3
PHS (8-20) 013 200 2 - 8 8 0
WHS (10-8) 000 201 0 - 3 6 3
WP: Cassidy Newbrough 7 IP, 2 BB, 5 SO
LP: Taylor Raines 7 IP, 5 BB, 8 SO
Parkersburg hitting: Jackie Buckles 3-4, 2B, 2 RBIs; Newbrough 1-4 RBI; Morgan Lanham 1-4 RBI
Winfield hitting: Sydney Hancock 2-3, 2B, 2 RBIs; Kayla Dickson 1-1 RBI
Next game: Spring Valley at Parkersburg 5 p.m. today.
''I didn't know how good he was going to be,'' said Williamstown head coach Terry Smith about Root, who just joined the baseball team this year. ''He wanted to be a pitcher, so I figured he could throw a strike,'' added Smith. And since Root qualified for the state golf tournament last fall, Smith also ''knew he could take a little pressure because if you're an all-state golfer, you're bound to stand over putts with a little bit of pressure on you to make them. So he's mentally tough, and when he's been out there, he's thrown strikes.''
On Thursday as well, Williamstown's defense behind Root ''made all the plays,'' said Smith.
''We've played up and we've played down,'' said Frontier head coach Erin Curtis of his 6-12 team. ''We've got to hit the ball better than we did today. We did hit some balls sharp today though, but Williamstown made some good plays on them. And I thought we got six good innings out of our pitcher, Grant Valentine.''
Curtis admitted that ''the sun was affecting our outfielders a little bit in the first few innings. But that's baseball - everywhere you go to play, the sun's going to be shining most of the time.''
