HUNTINGTON – It is tournament time in the Mountain State, and Huntington used a three-run sixth inning to come from behind to beat Parkersburg 5-4 on Highlander Mountaintop to advance to the winners bracket of the double-elimination Class AAAA South Region baseball tournament.

“We did just enough to win that ball game,” Highlanders coach John Dennison said.

Dennison was excited about Huntington’s Jamie Legg’s performance on the mound as the starting pitcher. Legg collected seven strikeouts while allowing only two earned runs as he demonstrated great control with his off-speed pitches, curveball and fastball.

“Jamie came out today and kept us in the ball game,” Dennison said. “He pitched a good ball game. Had a few errors, a few letdowns (defensively), but other than that, he is the star (of the game).”

Legg, a senior, kept it simple.

“It was working, and we found outs when we needed them,” Legg said.

The Highlanders (16-14) got the bats going in the second inning when junior Grady Franks got on base with a hard hit to third. Senior Evan Childers hit a double down the right-field line to set up runners at second and third base for Legg.

A wild pitch scored Franks, who slid under Big Reds pitcher Gavin Fling’s tag. Legg then hit a grounder with eyes through the second baseman, scoring Childers for a 2-0 lead.

Parkersburg scored all of its runs in the fourth inning..

With two outs, Noah Holland hit an RBI single to right-center. Cole Sisk hit a double down the left-field line, setting up a second-and-third base situation for Jackson Meyers. He hit a ball to deep center field which was dropped, scoring Holland and Sisk for a 3-2 advantage.

Two batters later, with Jackson on third, Fling helped his own cause by hitting an RBI single up the middle for a 4-2 lead.

Fling had an impressive night on the mound as well. The lefty picked off three Highlanders off at first and showed great control of his pitches.

“Gavin did a really good job pitching tonight picking off three guys. That helps a lot,” Big Reds coach Alan Burns said. “We played good defense. We had that one inning where (Huntington) did not hit the ball hard, but we did not make a play at third and a couple easy hits, but they made the play. That’s the way it goes. They have a good team.”

The Highlanders bats came alive again in the sixth inning after Cash White’s infield hit on a check swing to third.

Cooper Mayo then hit an infield single between the shortstop and third. Franks loaded the bases with a grounder up the middle.

With Childers at bat, two pitches got past the Parkersburg catcher, scoring White and Mayo to even the score 4-4.

Legg laid down a perfect bunt down the first-base line and pinch runner Tyler Long scored the go-ahead run for a 5-4 Huntington advantage. Fling was finally able to retire the side three batters later with the bases loaded.

Huntington senior relief pitcher Bradley Johnson came into the game for the last inning and struck out one batter.

“I just tried to throw strikes and get out fast,” Johnson said. “Love my defense. They made two really good plays out there. Without them, we probably lose that game.”

Parkersburg will now face Woodrow Wilson in an elimination game.

“We played Woodrow earlier in the year. So, we will see how we do this time,” Burns said. “We beat them last time, but I think they are sitting there with their No. 1 pitcher. I do not think they threw him against (Parkersburg) South. This will be a test for us.”

Huntington is at George Washington on Wednesday in a winner-to-state game, and Dennison expects the Highlanders will be ready.

“We go into every game planning on winning the ball game. So, our goal tomorrow is to go up there and compete as hard as we can,” Dennison said. “Hopefully get a W and put this Huntington High School in the state tournament for the first time in their history.”