Parkersburg South shortstop Brooklin Whitehead, left, takes the throw as Cabell Midland baserunner Becca Conrad steals second base during the Knights' 1-0 win over Parkersburg South in the opening game in Class AAAA Region IV's best-of-3 series Monday at Godbey Fields in Parkersburg.(Photo by Kerry Patrick)

PARKERSBURG – Parkersburg South happened to be the first one to blink.

Monday evening at Godbey Fields in a Class AAAA, Region IV best-of-3 opener, Cabell Midland and Parkersburg South played to a scoreless tie through five innings with the two opposing pitchers on their ‘A’ game.

Then the top of the sixth inning arrived. Cabell Midland’s No. 9 hitter Kalissa Hess showed bunt early in her second plate appearance of the game but pulled the bat back and swung away for a one-out single back through the box. The sophomore stole second and third base before leadoff hitter Nicole Harris struck out.

That left it in the hands of Becca Conrad, who made contact toward the right side of the infield. Trying to prevent the ball from reaching the outfield, the South first baseman had the ball tip off her glove then ricochet off the glove of the second baseman backing up her teammate.

Hess scored on the two-out single, which proved to be the game-winning run as Cabell Midland pitcher Audrea Watts allowed just one hit and struck out 10 in the complete game 1-0 win.

Parkersburg South’s Brooklin Whitehead is congratulated by her first base coach after reaching safely on the single – the only Patriot hit in their 1-0 loss to Cabell Midland in the opening game of Class AAAA Region IV’s best-of-3 series Monday at Godbey Fields. (Photo by Kerry Patrick)

“Normally, (first baseman Alison Marcum) makes that play nine out of 10 times – you can’t fault the kid for that,” South coach Tim Burch said. “We played a clean game today. Cabell Midland played a clean game. I think they made one little mistake, too, but with their mistake we didn’t capitalize.”

The series turns to Game 2 today in Ona with Cabell Midland (25-3) needing just one win to secure a berth in next week’s state tournament for a third straight year. Despite 14 strikeouts from freshman Anniston Shelton, South (18-8) can’t afford another loss.

“Well, we just have to forget about this one,” Burch continued. “We start by going to their field tomorrow and have the determination to move baserunners. We need to get baserunners on. Annie is going to pitch again. She’s strong and we know their pitcher is strong.”

Monday’s game marked the first meeting between the two schools this season. They had a game scheduled during the regular season wiped out by the weather.

“You have two great teams who are in the same region this year, which is unfortunate because either one of us could go deep in the state tournament,” Cabell Midland coach Herman Beckett said. “Both girls showed what they were made of pitching today and we got the hit when we needed it. Anybody who didn’t come see this game, missed a whale of a ballgame. Hopefully, we can do it again (Tuesday).”

Cabell Midland first baseman Katelyn Harless, left, applies the late tag on Parkersburg South baserunner Jaiden Vargas, who returned to first base in time on a pickoff attempt during the Knights' 1-0 win in the opening game of Class AAAA Region IV's best-of-3 series Monday at Godbey Fields in Parkersburg. (Photo by Kerry Patrick)

Cabell Midland entered the meeting with gaudy offensive numbers – batting .446 as a team with two players batting .600 or better. On that end, South shut down the Knights’ attack – starting with the Knights’ leadoff hitter (Harris), who struck out three times.

Small ball is what gave Cabell Midland success.

“I usually bunt a lot, but I knew after my first at bat I needed to make an adjustment and that’s what I did,” Hess said.

Conrad admitted her hit wasn’t a thing of beauty, but it was effective.

“It wasn’t the prettiest, but it worked,” Conrad said. “(Shelton) is a great pitcher. She has a lot of spin and a lot of speed and those two things combined are hard to hit. Props to her.”

Parkersburg South pitcher Anniston Shelton celebrates one of her 14 strikeouts during the Patriots’ 1-0 loss to Cabell Midland in the opening game of Class AAAA Region IV’s best-of-3 series Monday at Godbey Fields. (Photo by Kerry Patrick)

After Baylee Smith singled with two outs in the first inning, Shelton retired 14 in a row. South batters didn’t fare any better as Watts, who played on the same travel team as her mound counterpart several years ago, did not allow a hit for 3 â…” innings. The lone Patriot baserunner during that span was Shelton, who reached safely on the first of her two walks.

“It was definitely a pitcher’s duel,” Watts said. “I like pitching those, they are very exciting. Keeps everyone in the game. Anytime anything happens, it’s big. Everyone is engaged. Annie is a really good pitcher and it’s really fun to play alongside her.”

With one out in the home half of the fourth inning and facing a full count, Brooklin Whitehead tomahawked a ball up in the zone into right field for South’s only hit in the game.

Watts responded with a harmless fly out to right field and a strikeout.

“I knew I had to stay on top of my game – keep doing what I can do and trust my defense because I know they have my back,” Watts said. “I think it’s more stressful to pitch when you have a one-run lead than a no-run lead because I know my offense worked really hard for that run. I can’t screw it up.”

Parkersburg South’s Alison Marcum checks in with the home plate umpire before her at bat during the Patriot’s 1-0 loss to Cabell Midland in the opening game of Class AAAA Region IV’s best-of-3 series Monday at Godbey Fields. (Photo by Kerry Patrick)

During one span in the later innings, Watts retired 10 of 11 batters she faced. She then dodged several scares in the seventh inning.

With one out, South’s Kailey Lockhart barreled up an offering that was caught in deep left field. After Addison Moon was hit by a pitch, the potential winning run stepped to the plate in Shyanne Hays, who made Watts work by fouling off a handful of pitches with a 2-2 count.

On the final pitch of the game, Hays finally put one in play and the ball sailed toward the fence in right field before being caught 5 feet away from home run distance.

“Yes, we did put the ball hard in play on (Watts) so we will build on those things,” Burch said. “Their pitcher had a good rise ball and we are working on a plan to try and figure that out.

“We know we are two games from state. We have been talking about that ever since we won our section. Obviously, the first game is a pivotal game and you want to get that first one.”

Contact Kerry Patrick at kpatrick@newsandsentinel.com