Tyler Consolidated’s Jayden Helmick screams to the dugout after scoring in the Silver Knights’ 7-5 Class A state semifinal win against Petersburg on Thursday at GoMart Ballpark in Charleston. (Photo by Jay W. Bennett)

CHARLESTON — Top-seeded Tyler Consolidated erased a 4-1 deficit in the Class A state semifinals against Petersburg thanks to a six-run third here Thursday inside GoMart Ballpark en route to a 7-5 victory.

The 32-6 Silver Knights of head coach Rob Jones, who lifted starter Jayden Helmick after 49 pitches in favor of eventual winning hurler Ty Walton, now will play for a state title at 10 a.m. Saturday.

“We came in with the plan to throw Helmick around 49 pitches and see where he was at,” Jones said. “We had Ty Walton ready to go out of the pen if we needed him. In a perfect world you can save pitchers, but it’s win now season.”

Helmick staked his team to a 1-0 lead when he opened the bottom of the first with a base on balls and scored against losing pitcher Bumby Van Meter, who walked six and allowed seven earned runs while adding a trio of strikeouts to his single-season school record.

Helmick stole second and eventually crossed after Walton coaxed a free pass and acted like he was taking off for second, only to have his teammate dart to the plate for a steal of home.

Cleanup hitter Ethan Taylor started the second with a walk and Elijah Kurykendall, who went 3 for 3 with two stolen bases, singled. On the play, Taylor was racing for third and Walton fired a ball from right field that was too high and went into the dugout to tie the game. Three batters later Owen Reel hit a sacrifice fly for a 2-1 lead.

“A little bit,” Walton said with a grin when asked if he got just a tad too much on the throw. “I’ve never done this before.

“I’ve never been down here. Tyler’s never been down here. This means a lot. We’re going to celebrate this one for a few hours.”

The walk once again hurt Helmick in the third when Kaleb Kuhn drew one and then stole second. Peyton Tingler stroked a double to deep right to plate him for a 3-1 cushion. One out later, Kurkendall delivered a run-scoring single back up the box.

The cushion didn’t last long for 19-9 Petersburg, which was making its first appearance in Charleston since winning the Class AA crown in 1986.

TCHS batted around in the big third inning and chased Van Meter, who started the frame off by walking catcher Zade Billings. Ethan Clark followed with a stand-up RBI double to put runners on second and third.

The game was tied moments later after Hayden Brown crushed a ball to the gap in left-center for a two-run double.

“That double I hit was a spark to get us going,” Brown said. “Everybody had nerves. It’s the first time Tyler has ever made it to state. It feels unreal. We’re just going to take advantage of this and play our game.”

Brown was soon joined on the basepaths by Carson Gorby, who finished 2 for 3, after he walked. Reese Davis came through with an RBI single. No. 8 hitter Owen Westbrook took one for the team which loaded the bases for Mason Nichols. However, the relief pitcher Tingler punched him out before needing to retire Helmick to get out of the jam. That didn’t happen as Helmick cleared the bases for a 7-4 lead on a 3-2 payoff pitch that he sent down the left-field line.

Walton tossed two-hit ball during his five innings. He allowed an earned run in the seventh after walking Tingler and giving up an RBI knock to Kurykendall. He issued five free passes and had 11 strikeouts.

“These guys, we’ve been talking about the magic number since the (Little Kanawha) conference tournament started,” added coach Jones.

“At that time it was nine and it’s now down to one if we want to accomplish our goals. We feel like we’re in a good spot.”

Contact Jay Bennett at jbennett@newsandsentinel.com