Parkersburg catcher Evan Schultheis, right, is unable to corral a wild pitch during Friday’s 6-2 loss to George Washington at Bennett Stump Field. (Photo by Kerry Patrick)

PARKERSBURG – Pitching out of his comfort zone, George Washington’s Ryan Arnold turned in the type of performance which would make any starting pitcher envious.

Normally a late-inning arrival, the right-hander threw perfect baseball for 4 2/3 innings and threw a few pitches over the 100-count while striking out 15 in a 6-2 win over Parkersburg, Friday night at Bennett Stump Field.

“We were able to extend Ryan out a little bit with his pitch count tonight,” GW coach Mike Davis said after his ballclub improved to 12-4 and 6-3 in the Mountain State Athletic Conference. “The strikeouts are just a bonus. But it shows when you are attacking hitters and throwing strikes.

“It was a super efficient game and that’s what we needed in terms of conference. This was a must-win for us tonight.”

Minus a few early innings when George Washington combined for five runs on five hits, PHS lefty Noah Holland proved nearly as effective by limiting the Patriots to a sixth-inning run. Anderson also pitched a complete game, striking out seven and walking two.

Parkersburg pitcher Noah Holland threw a complete game, striking out seven as the Big Reds fell to George Washington 6-2, Friday at Bennett Stump Field. (Photo by Kerry Patrick)

“Noah pitched a really good game,” said PHS coach Alan Burns after the Big Reds slipped to 8-7 and 3-6 in the MSAC. “You take those two early innings out and we are right there in the game. Early in the year, he had two or three really good starts. His last start was not a Noah Holland start. He got roughed up and threw 50 pitches in one inning.

“Tonight was the old Noah. He was efficient with his pitches and making batters hit what he wanted to throw. So he had good control for the most part.”

After Anderson retired his 14th straight batter to open the game, Big Reds’ Tyler Cameron took a 1-2 offering and doubled into the left-center field gap.

Trailing 6-0 in the bottom of the sixth inning, PHS punched home its two runs – spurred by the Nos. 8 and 9 hitters in the lineup. Nick Romine led off with the only walk issued by Anderson. Evan Schultheis hit a routine fly ball to left field which was dropped for a one-base error.

With one out and runners at first and second, sophomore Parker Woods ripped a shot to center field which hit the base of the outfield fence for a RBI double. Earlier in the game, Woods just missed putting another pitch over the center fielder’s head.

Parkersburg batter Parker Woods (25) makes contact during Friday’s baseball game against George Washington at Bennett Stump Field. (Photo by Kerry Patrick)

In the field, Woods was the anchor of a relay which threw out a runner seeking to extend a double into a triple.

“Parker is one of the best players I’ve had over the years,” Burns said. “And he just loves baseball. He knows the game. He understands the game.

“And the other kids look up to him. He is not cocky about it or anything, but the kids know he is good.”

With two outs and runners now at second and third, Anderson was called for a balk, which allowed Schultheis to trot home and cut the deficit to 6-2.

Coach Davis did not think twice about giving Anderson the green light to finish out the seventh inning. The right-hander responded by striking out the side.

George Washington pitcher Ryan Anderson struck out 15 in a complete-game, 6-2 win over Parkersburg, Friday at Bennett Stump Field. (Photo by Kerry Patrick)

“Our coaching staff thought Ryan got a little tired after the fifth inning – he didn’t look like that in the seventh inning,” Davis said. “He must have gone back into the dugout and got hydrated or something.”

For both Friday’s game against GW and Saturday’s single game at home against Grafton, PHS was without the services of three starters.

“I think four of our strikeouts were backwards Ks tonight, but at least our kids were being aggressive,” Burns said. “A couple of the guys, this was the first time they had seen varsity pitching. So it was a welcome to the varsity level.

“I was happy with the competitiveness, but I still hate to lose. The kids hate to lose, but they put on a good show. They played well, but you can’t make any mistakes against a team like GW.”

GW ambushed PHS with three runs in the first inning and two more in the third inning. Luke Gordon’s RBI triple put the Patriots in front 1-0. Gordon later scored on a wild pitch. Anderson helped his own cause with an RBI single to close out the first inning.

In the third inning, Eli Smith reached on a one-out double. Didn’t take him long to return to the dugout after he stole third base and continued to home plate on a wild throw by the catcher.

That same inning, Joel Nelson walked, stole second and scored on Wyatt Barnett’s two-out, RBI single.

“As efficient as Ryan was, the Parkersburg pitcher was almost equally as efficient,” Davis said. “He did give up some runs. He is a soft lefty and that is not a dig by any means – when you are seeing velo on Monday you are adjusting back and forth and that’s certainly a different look than what we saw earlier this week against Spring Valley.”

George Washington 6, Parkersburg 2

WP: Ryan Anderson 7.0IP 2H 2R 0ER 1BB 15SO

LP: Noah Holland 7.0IP 10H 6R 5ER 2BB 7SO

Leading hitters

George Washington: John Fala 3-4, run, RBI; Luke Gordon 1-4, run, 3B, RBI; Eli Smith 2-3, 2 runs, 2 2Bs, SB; Joel Nelson 1-3, run, 2 SBs; Ryan Anderson 1-4, RBI; Wyatt Barnett 1-2, run, RBI; Chuck Kelley 1-3

Parkersburg: Parker Woods 1-3, 2B, RBI; Tyler Cameron 1-3, 2B; Nick Romine run; Evan Schultheis run.

Record: Parkersburg 8-7, 3-6 MSAC; George Washington 13-3, 6-3 MSAC.

Next game: George Washington at St. Albans, Monday; Grafton at Parkersburg, Saturday.