Parkersburg South's Carter McLain (22) slides safely into home ahead of the throw to Hurricane catcher Griffin Dempsey during Wednesday’s high school baseball game at Hank Greenburg Field. (Photo by Kerry Patrick)

PARKERSBURG – If the law of averages apply to the Parkersburg South baseball team, the outcomes have to start working in the Patriots’ favor.

Wednesday afternoon at Hank Greenburg Field, South dropped yet another close one and to an opponent crucial to their sectional seeding.

In a game which featured four lead changes, Hurricane made a three-run sixth inning stand up in a 6-4 win over the Patriots.

“For the sectional, this game was crucial,” South coach Bryan Youngblood said after his ballclub dropped to 12-10. “We don’t want to be sitting at the bottom of the section.

“Plus, it’s a game to say that we beat Hurricane, which is one of the top programs in the state – anytime you can say you get a win against them, that’s a feather in your program’s cap.”

In Wednesday’s game with Hurricane played at Hank Greenburg Field, Parkersburg South pitcher Parker Vannoy took the loss despite throwing a complete game. (Photo by Kerry Patrick)

Hurricane reliever Bradon Sloan worked the final 2 2-3 innings to earn the win. The right-hander threw a run-scoring wild pitch on his very first offering but redeemed himself by allowing just one hit and one walk while striking out three.

Redskin starting pitcher Weston Smith, who has committed to play for West Virginia University, struck out eight and walked four while allowing all four South runs on three hits.

South southpaw pitcher Parker Vannoy took the loss despite throwing a complete game. The junior scattered nine hits and allowed just one extra base hit – a run-scoring double by Blake Bradley in the fourth inning.

“Quite honestly, I am getting tired of these one-, two-run ball games where we come up short,” Youngblood said. “And we have had a lot of them this year. We’ve had maybe a half dozen innings this year where our record would be dynamically better than what it is now.

“Our record could be better, but with what we have been through this year I’ll take it. A few innings against Hurricane, a few innings against Morgantown and maybe one or two innings against Ripley – I can’t even think where we would be sitting.”

After falling behind 1-0 after one inning, Vannoy retired the side in order in the second and third innings. An uncharacteristic Hurricane defensive effort resulting in two of the team’s three errors in the home half of the third inning allowed the Patriots to score twice. Carter McLain led off by drawing a walk and later scored on a wild pitch. After McLain reached, Ty Davis hit a ground ball which scooted underneath the second baseman’s glove.

With two outs and bases loaded, Davis scored from third base when the catcher’s throw to the pitcher after an offering to Ashton Burr eluded Smith.

The lead exchanged hands again in the fourth inning. Smith opened with a base hit then advanced to second when Tyler Baxter followed with a walk. One out later and runners at the corners, Bryson Shirkey reached safely on an infield single.

Hurricane went back on top 3-2 one batter later when Bradley laced a double just inside the first base bag.

South had yet another answer – this time with a two-run fifth inning. Davis led off by reaching safely on yet another infield error. After Dylan Holliday was hit by a pitch and Cade Mackey loaded the bases on an infield single, T.J. Thomas contributed a sacrifice fly caught in foul ground.

The right fielder’s momentum took him to the fence and his foot got caught underneath the base. Davis’ scored after tagging up from third base, and Holliday continued to home plate as well. Time was finally called as Redskin teammates assisted on getting their right fielder’s foot pried loose.

Following a deliberation by the umpires, runners were directed back to third and second base and the game tied at 3-3. Holliday eventually scored on the wild pitch from Sloan for a 4-3 South advantage.

“That play where the outfielder got his foot caught in the fence, I had never seen anything like that,” Youngblood said. “I wasn’t going to throw a fit. I agreed with the (umpire’s call) because we had never seen anything like it.

“I have to go home and look that one up.”

Several hit-and-run calls factored into Hurricane’s three-run sixth inning. Shirkey hit a sacrifice fly to tie the game for the last time at 4-4. Wesley Sutton’s hit to left field, which was nearly snared on a dive by outfielder Burr, plated another run and Bradon Sloan delivered the perfect squeeze bunt to increase the gap to 6-4.

Sloan took care of the rest for Hurricane by retiring eight of the 10 batters he faced.

“You keep on telling your kids, we’re battling,” Youngblood said. “You look up on the scoreboard and we had no errors. We put the pressure on them and that’s what we have to do.

“Their starting pitcher threw gas and is an outstanding pitcher, and we put the ball in play.”

Contact Kerry Patrick at kpatrick@newsandsentinel.com