Parkersburg South's Abbie Corbin throws to first after fielding a bunt during the Patriots' 9-0 mercy rule victory versus Buckhannon-Upshur on Tuesday evening at Don Godbey Fields in the Class 4A, South Region tournament. (Photo by Jay W. Bennett)

PARKERSBURG — Sixth-seeded Buckhannon-Upshur managed just a pair of singles here Tuesday night in a Class 4A, South Region tournament opener at Don Godbey Fields as No. 3 Parkersburg South breezed to a 9-0 mercy rule win in five innings.

Early on in the spring, the Bucs (23-9) handed the Patriots an 11-3 setback, but head coach Tim Burch’s squad was missing right-hander Annie Shelton, who struck out 11, plunked two and didn’t issue any walks in a shutout performance that also included her going 2 for 3 with a pair of doubles and two runs-batted-in.

“Bottom line, we hit the ball like we wanted to. We moved kids around when we needed to move them around and we pitched like we needed to pitch,” said Burch, whose program returns to action at 6:30 p.m. today at No. 2 George Washington in the double-elimination tournament.

“The rest that we had was good and these kids were fresh, ready and you could see that. Listen, they are a good team. We didn’t have Annie with us that day and that showed. We’re a different team when some of our kids are missing. I told them we’re on the revenge tour right now.”

Losing pitcher Kynnedy Marple (2 IP, 1 BB, 4 SO) hit Patriot leadoff hitter Abbie Corbin on the foot with the second pitch of the game as Shelton followed with an RBI two-bagger just inside the bag at third.

Parkersburg South's Addi Moon is all smiles as she heads toward third base following her solo home run during the Patriots' 9-0 mercy rule victory versus Buckhannon-Upshur on Tuesday evening at Don Godbey Fields in the Class 4A, South Region tournament. (Photo by Jay W. Bennett)

Before Shelton headed to the circle for the now 18-6 Patriots, she had a 2-0 lead as she came home after a Jaiden Vargas RBI fielder’s choice bunt.

Parkersburg South, which defeated GW 9-3 back on April 4 at home before losing 3-1 on the road 10 days later, hadn’t played since last Tuesday.

“We had a full scrimmage, a JV/varsity scrimmage last week,” said the coach. “We had umpires and everything. It was a full game.

“We’ve been working out in the gym, working out on the field and they’ve been getting the rest that they needed, and you can see that. It was really, really good.”

Parkersburg South pushed across a quartet of runs in the second to secure a 6-0 bulge.

Parkersburg South's Payten Mackey hits a run-scoring single to right field during the Patriots' 9-0 mercy rule victory versus Buckhannon-Upshur on Tuesday evening at Don Godbey Fields in the Class 4A, South Region tournament. (Photo by Jay W. Bennett)

Marple retired two of the first three batters she faced, but walked No. 8 hole hitter Annalynn Windland, who made it 3-0 when she scored on Corbin’s RBI double to left-center. It was 4-0 after Shelton smoked a double to the fence in center. After Shy Hays reached on an error, Payten Mackey had an opposite-field RBI knock, which made it 5-0. Mackey and Hays then executed a delayed double-steal as B-U turned to Becca Pastorious in relief for the final two innings.

Shelton, who hit two-hole hitter Payton Brown in the first, then struck out five consecutive and retired six straight before Madi Knabenshue’s bunt single in the third. Although Brown reached on a two-out error to put runners on first and second, Shelton fanned Braylea Squires to escape.

Patriot first baseman Addi Moon led off the last of the third with a solo round-tripper to left-center. Bryleigh Pickens then walked and moved to third following a pair of wild pitches, and it was 8-0 after Annalynn Windland reached on an error. Windland later scored the final run of the affair when Shelton reached on an error.

B-U’s only other hit came via a one-out single in the fourth by Pastorious, who was left stranded after Shelton struck out Maddie Tucker and Charity Talbott.

The Bucs loaded the bases in the fifth and had nobody out after Kristine Frye reached on an error, Knabenshue on a fielder’s choice and Marple by taking an offspeed pitch to the top of her helmet. However, Shelton got Brown to hit into a 3-2 fielder’s choice and then punched out Squires and Zoey Burr to end the threat.

Parkersburg South's Annie Shelton fired a five-inning, two-hit shutout with 11 strikeouts during the Patriots' 9-0 mercy rule victory versus Buckhannon-Upshur on Tuesday evening at Don Godbey Fields in the Class 4A, South Region tournament. (Photo by Jay W. Bennett)

The Bucs also return to action at 6:30 p.m. today when seventh-seeded Parkersburg invades for an elimination game.

“We just got to hit the ball,” stressed Burch. “Their pitcher, well, we know what they got and we’re ready for that.”

Contact Jay Bennett at jbennett@newsandsentinel.com

CLASS 4A, South Region

At Don Godbey Fields

Parkersburg South's Jaiden Vargas bunts the ball during the Patriots' 9-0 mercy rule victory versus Buckhannon-Upshur on Tuesday evening at Don Godbey Fields in the Class 4A, South Region tournament. (Photo by Jay W. Bennett)

Parkersburg South 9, Buckhannon-Upshur 0 (5 inn.)

#6 B-U 000 00 – 0 2 3

#3 South 243 0x – 9 6 2

WP: Annie Shelton 5IP, 2H, 0R, 0ER, 0BB, 11SO

LP: Kynnedy Marple 2IP, 4H, 6R, 4ER, 1BB, 4SO

Becca Pastorious 2IP, 2H, 3R, 1ER, 1BB, 3SO

Buckhannon-Upshur (23-9) hitting: Pastorious 1-2; Madi Knabenshue 1-2

Parkersburg South (18-6) hitting: Abbie Corbin 1-2, 2 R, 2B, RBI; Shelton 2-3, 2 R, SB, 2 2B, 2 RBIs; Shy Hays R, SB; Payten Mackey 1-3 SB, RBI; Jaiden Vargas 1-3, 2B, RBI; Addi Moon 1-3 R, solo HR, RBI; Bryleigh Pickens R; Annalynn Windland 2 R

Next games: #3 Parkersburg South at #2 George Washington, 6:30 p.m. today; #7 Parkersburg at #6 Buckhannon-Upshur, 6:30 p.m. today.