Williamstown first baseman Tyler Keiser applies a tage late on a Ravenswood baserunner during a pickoff attempt during Tuesday’s Class AA, Region I elimination game in Williamstown. (Photo by Kerry Patrick)

WILLIAMSTOWN — Lately, when Ravenswood and Williamstown hook up in a boys athletic event expect quirky.

Tuesday night in a Class AA, Region I elimination baseball game, a one-hour rain and lightning delay with Ravenswood leading 3-2 in the top of the fourth inning didn’t phase Williamstown. Instead, the Yellowjackets thrived when play resumed with a four-run, fourth inning which made the difference in a 7-6 win at Williams “Bill” Coiner Field.

The last time these same two schools hooked up with the male student body involved occurred earlier this year in a postseason basketball game when the city of Williamstown, including the high school gymnasium. suffered a power outage minutes before tip-off. The game, including players, fans and officials, was moved to Parkersburg High School.

Since Ravenswood baseball was eliminated from the playoffs, Williamstown won’t see the Red Devils until another sports season comes along.

Williamstown, which improved to 19-14, next host an Oak Glen team which handed the Yellowjackets their first regional loss in the double-elimination format. Game time is set for 5 p.m. on Wednesday.

Williamstown starting pitcher Austin McDonald delivers a pitch during Tuesday’s Class AA, Region I elimination game in Williamstown. (Photo by Kerry Patrick)

Also on Tuesday, Oak Glen lost at Doddridge County 10-0 in six innings.

“We have to keep on scrapping — having a loss in the tournament is tough because you are playing to stay alive,” Williamstown coach Levi Maxwell said. “Your back is against the wall. You have to win three more games. That’s the thing, we have to win tomorrow to be able to win the other two.

“We put ourselves in that situation and hopefully we can keep going.”

Williamstown used three pitchers to secure the win. Starter Austin McDonald lasted 4 â…” innings, allowing six runs on five hits. The junior also struck out five while walking one.

McDonald’s defining moment occurred on the game’s first pitch after the weather delay. After Kalem Hupp’s two-run homer put the Red Devils in front 4-3 with nobody out, McDonald reached a full count on the next hitter (Evan Hickman).

Ravenswood’s Nic Akers celebrates his third-inning, two-run triple during Tuesday’s Class AA, Region I elimination game in Williamstown. (Photo by Kerry Patrick)

The umpire saw lightning in the sky and pulled both teams off the field of play. After the one-hour wait, McDonald returned to the mound and his very first pitch resulted in a third strike for the inning’s first out. In total, McDonald retired three batters in a row to keep Williamstown within a run.

“McDonald gave us a great chance to win — all we were asking from him was to throw strikes,” Maxwell said.

Wyatt Siley doubled home Williamstown’s first run of the game then singled to open the third inning and later scored on an infield grounder. The Yellowjackets’ third run occurred when Colten Rinard’s two-single brought home Jackson Fulton.

The downtime in the dugout during the storm did not slow down the Yellowjacket offense for home half of the fourth inning. Wyatt Powell’s RBI double was followed by Siley’s RBI grounder.

Later in that same inning, Dylan Pucella hit a gapper to right field which scored Powell. Pucella dove into third base for a triple and continued to home plate when the outfielder’s throw skipped off the third baseman’s forehead and out of play.

Ravenswood first baseman Isaac Adkins, right, waits for the ball on the pickoff attempt as Williamstown baserunner Tyler Keiser dives back into the bag during Tuesday’s Class AA, Region I elimination game in Williamstown. (Photo by Kerry Patrick)

Ravenswood answered in the fifth inning with its second homer of the game as Joe Casto went yard to open the frame. With runners on first and second and out, Ralphie Rhodes singled home Brooks Wolfe to cut the deficit to 7-6.

From there, Williamstown’s bullpen took over. Brayden Strcula, a freshman who throws from the left side, filled in for 1 â…” innings of shutout ball, striking out three and walking two. He did not allow a hit.

“Every year, we tell our freshmen — we tell those younger guys to be ready for big situations because you never know when you are going to be called upon,” Maxwell said. “And Brayden did more than we were anticipating.”

With runners on first and second base with two outs in the sixth inning and seeking to close out the game, Jenner Burge entered in relief. His first pitch resulted in a fielder’s choice and ended the Ravenswood threat.

In the seventh inning, however, it got dicey for Burge trying to stay under the 30-pitch threshold and remain available for the next day’s game. He walked the first batter then allowed a base hit.

Ravenswood starting pitcher Joe Casto delivers a pitch during Tuesday’s Class AA, Region I elimination game in Williamstown. (Photo by Kerry Patrick)

Burge then retired the next two hitters. In the meantime, the two baserunners both stole a base to leave runners at second and third with two outs.

Ravenswood’s No. 8 hitter, Lucas Pursley, stepped to the plate. He hit a hard grounder to the right of first baseman Tyler Keiser, who fell to the seat of his pants trying to locate the ball. In a sitting position, he grabbed it and tossed a throw to Burge covering first. On a bang-bang play, the batter was retired for the final out of the game.

“At first, I just figured dive on it and save it from becoming extra bases,” Keiser said. “I was just on my butt. I just got it, threw it to Jennner trying to get it to him quick to get that out.”

In a recent move to create offense, Keiser batted from the lead-off spot in the batting order and went 3-for-4 with two runs scored and a double.

“Tyler has been getting on more than anybody — he has been putting the ball in play,” Maxwell said. “He’s been aggressive swinging the bat. He gives us the best chance right now to lead off the game. He is getting on base and giving us a chance to score runs.”

Two of Ravenswood’s top three mainstays on the pitching staff — Joe Casto and Evan Hickman – combined for the six-inning outing against Williamstown. Casto allowed seven runs on eight hits over 3 â…” innings of work. In relief, Hickman allowed a single to the first batter he faced then retired the next six in the Yellowjacket lineup — including four by strikeouts.

“We tried to pitch Williamstown backwards — get them to chase some stuff and throw a little more off-speed because a lot of times teams like Williamstown are built for speed,” Ravenswood coach Wes Swain said.

Ravenswood ends the season at 9-16.

“I told the guys, the way they played the last six or seven games of the season they could have won a lot of baseball games,” Swain said. “We get most of our kids back. Hopefully, they learn how to focus and how to come to every game and take care of business.”

Class AA, Region I

At Williamstown

Williamstown 7, Ravenswood 6

RAV 002 220 0 – 6 6 1

WHS 102 400 x – 7 9 2

WP: Austin McDonald 4.1IP 5H 6R 1BB 5SO

Save: Jenner Burge 1.1IP 1H 0R 1BB 1SO

Brayden Strcula 1.1IP 0H 0R 2BB 3SO

LP: Joe Casto 3.2IP 8H 7R 5BB 4SO

Evan Hickman 2.1IP 1H 0R 0BB 4SO

Leading hitters

Ravenswood (9-16): Joe Casto 1-3, 2 runs, HR, RBI; Brooks Wolfe 2 runs; Nic Akers 1-4, 3B, 2 RBIs; Ralphie Rhodes 4-4, run, RBI, SB; Kalem Hupp 1-4, run, HR, 2 RBIs

Williamstown (19-14): Tyler Keiser 3-4, 2 runs, 2B; Wyatt Powell 1-3, run, 2B, Wyatt Siley 2-4, run, 2B, 2 RBIs; Jackson Fulton run; Dylan Pucella 1-3, run, 3B, RBI; Tyler Coleman RBI; Colten Rinard 2-3, RBI; Daniel Cunningham run

Next game: Oak Glen at Williamstown, 5 p.m. Wednesday. Ravenswood eliminated from postseason.