Parkersburg South's Shy Hays slides safely into third with a triple during the Patriots' 9-1 six-inning victory Saturday afternoon versus Buckhannon-Upshur at Don Godbey Fields in a Class AAAA South Region loser’s bracket final. (Photo by Jay W. Bennett)

PARKERSBURG — Annalynn Windland had a three-hit effort including her second homer of the campaign while teammate Annie Shelton did it inside the circle and at the dish here on a rainy Saturday afternoon at Don Godbey Fields as No. 3 Parkersburg South advanced to the state softball tournament for the first time since 2012 after securing a 9-1 six-inning victory versus No. 6 Buckhannon-Upshur in a Class AAAA South Region loser’s bracket final.

“This is our first downpour we’ve faced,” admitted Shelton, who got the key six-run fifth going with a solo bomb to left, her sixth, while finishing with a one-hitter that featured 16 strikeouts.

“The MSAC tournament obviously got rained out, but other than that we haven’t played in anything at all. It was definitely tough. It was hard to pitch.”

B-U (25-10) losing pitcher Kynnedy Marple, who worked the first two frames and allowed an unearned run, drew a leadoff walk to open the game, but Shelton then struck out the next nine batters.

Patriot catcher Abbie Corbin led off the bottom of the first by taking one for the team and scored when Payten Mackey reached on a two-out error.

Parkersburg South's Annie Shelton fired a six-inning one-hitter with 16 strikeouts during the Patriots' 9-1 victory Saturday afternoon versus Buckhannon-Upshur at Don Godbey Fields in a Class AAAA South Region loser’s bracket final. (Photo by Jay W. Bennett)

When the rain started to pick up in the fourth, the Bucs drew consecutive one-out free passes thanks to Braylea Squires and Becca Pastorious, but Shelton got out of the jam by striking out Zoey Burr and Maddie Tucker.

“I’ll give Buckhannon-Upshur credit. They did their very best to change speeds and they did that,” said PSHS skipper Tim Burch, whose squad scored five runs off Pastorious.

“Our kids adjusted well, but with all the weather happening and everything like that and trying to keep everything dry, I just wanted to get out of here before we had a suspended game.”

After Shelton left the yard on a first-pitch line drive solo round-tripper, Pastorious issued a walk to Shy Hays and runners were on second and third after Mackey’s double.

Jaiden Vargas then appeared to get plunked on the first pitch of her at-bat, but before she was officially hit again later in the at-bat, a pair of wild pitches plated pinch-runner Alivia Goff and Mackey for a 4-0 edge.

Parkersburg South catcher and leadoff hitter Abbie Corbin takes one for the team in the first inning of the Patriots' 9-1 six-inning victory versus Buckhannon-Upshur on Saturday afternoon at Don Godbey Fields in a Class AAAA South Region loser's bracket final. (Photo by Jay W. Bennett)

“The first pitch she hit me in my shin, but I didn’t have enough time to move so they said I offered (on a bunt),” Vargas said.

“Later in that same at-bat, got hit again. Well, then that was a lock there. It’s crazy.”

PSHS first baseman Addi Moon followed with a double to the fence in right as second and third were occupied once again. Allison Curfman proceeded to lay down a bunt, which scored a run and it was 7-0 after Windland hit a no-doubt tater to center.

No. 9 hitter Mia Archer, who went 2 for 3, doubled as the Patriots batted around, but B-U relief pitcher Charity Talbott got Corbin to pop up to first.

The Bucs, who lost 9-0 in five innings earlier in the week to the Patriots, plated their lone run in the sixth when Marple reached on an error and crossed on Burr’s bases-loaded RBI walk.

Parkersburg South center fielder Annalynn Windland, pictured here taking an inside pitch, went 3 for 3 with a two-run homer during the Patriots’ 9-1 six-inning victory Saturday afternoon versus Buckhannon-Upshur at Don Godbey Fields in a Class AAAA South Region loser’s bracket final. (Photo by Jay W. Bennett)

Shelton walked to lead off the last of the sixth and scored on a wild pitch. The Patriots, who improved to 19-7 and are slated to open state tournament play on Tuesday, June 2, got their final run when Mackey reached on an error and scored on Vargas’ RBI bunt.

“It’s honestly just really exciting and I think the team really needed this win,” admitted Mackey. “It’s also pretty sweet because I mean we went to states together for volleyball and it’s awesome that for our senior year we get to go one last time together.”

Parkersburg South played its final game at Godbey Fields as the Patriots’ new home will be at the Erickson All-Sports Facility.

“It’s awesome,” said Hays, who tripled in the third. “I mean it’s such a bittersweet feeling and there’s no other team I would want to be with than this one right here.

“We’ve had ups and downs, but to come out on top today it’s just super special and it’s a feeling that we’ve needed for a while.”

The Parkersburg South softball team advanced to the state tournament for the first time since 2012 thanks to Saturday afternoon’s 9-1 six-inning victory against Buckhannon-Upshur in the Class AAAA South Region loser’s bracket final at Don Godbey Fields. (Photo by Jay W. Bennett)

Even though Parkersburg South had to advance out of the loser’s bracket after losing earlier in the week at George Washington, coach Burch was just glad things worked out.

“Obviously we would’ve liked to take care of business at GW, but coming back here today is a momentous thing,” said the coach. “This is our last time, the last time we put lines on this field was this morning. It is a little emotional, but then we got great things ahead for us and I told the kids that. Let’s go out in style and they did.”

Contact Jay Bennett at jbennett@newsandsentinel.com

Class AAAA South Region Loser’s

#3 South 100 062 – 9 9 2

WP: Annie Shelton 6IP, 1H, 1R, 0ER, 4BB, 16SO

LP: Kynnedy Marple 2IP, 2H, 1R, 0ER, 0BB, 2SO

Becca Pastorious 2.1IP, 5H, 5R, 5ER, 1BB, 4SO

Charity Talbott 1.1IP, 2H, 3R, 2ER, 1BB, 0SO

Buckhannon-Upshur (25-10) hitting: Marple R; Payton Brown 1-3; Zoey Burr RBI

Parkersburg South (19-7) hitting: Abbie Corbin R; Shelton 1-3, 2 R, solo HR, RBI; Shy Hays 1-3, 3B; Alivia Goff R; Payten Mackey 1-4, 2 R, 2B; Jaiden Vargas R, RBI; Addi Moon 1-3 R, 2B; Allison Curfman RBI; Annalynn Windland 3-3 R, two-run HR, 2 RBIs; Mia Archer 2-3, 2B

Note: Parkersburg South advanced to the state tournament for the first time since 2012.

Next game: Parkersburg South vs. TBD on Tuesday, June 2 in the Class AAAA state tournament.