Parkersburg South’s Peyton Mackey (33) gets ready to celebrate with teammates Shyanne Hayes (15), Addison Moon (77) and Annie Shelton (0) after the Patriots defeated No. 1-seed Cabell Midland 3-0 in an elimination game, Wednesday at the WVSSAC Class AAAA State Softball Tournament in South Charleston. (Photo by Kerry Patrick)

SOUTH CHARLESTON – Aware of the long road that awaits out of the loser’s bracket, Parkersburg South made certain to enjoy the moment after eliminating No. 1 seed Cabell Midland from the Class AAAA field, Wednesday afternoon at the WVSSAC Class AAAA State Softball Tournament.

Sophomore sensation Annie Shelton did the heavy lifting in an elimination game on Wednesday — with her two-run home run over the left field fence in the top of the first inning and throwing a complete-game shutout with one hit allowed while striking out 11 as the Patriots defeated the Knights 3-0 at Little Creek Park.

South improved to 21-9 after turning the tables and ending the season for the same team which knocked the Patriots out of the postseason a year ago.

“This win means everything,” South coach Tim Burch said. “We’ve never really played Cabell Midland well, but the kids put together a perfect game today. They played very well and Annie pitched very well.

“We continued the momentum from last night to today, and the kids did what they needed to do.”

Parkersburg starting pitcher Annie Shelton expresses her excitement after finishing off a complete-game 3-0 win over Cabell Midland in an elimination game, Wednesday at the WVSSAC Class AAAA State Softball Tournament in South Charleston. (Photo by Kerry Patrick)

Shelton, who hit an inside-the-park homer in a win over Jefferson Tuesday night, did not take long at all to make her presence felt.

After leadoff hitter Addie Corbin drew a base on balls, Shelton took the first offering from Cabell Midland southpaw Brandelynn VanMinton, squared it on the heart of the bat and air-mailed the pitch over the left-field fence for a South 2-0 lead.

“Honestly, I visualized that since last night,” Shelton said. “I was looking for an outside pitch actually, be late and drive the ball to right-center. But I got lucky, so it was like I’m driving it.

“I was a little worried because it caught up in the air, but in my mind I knew.”

After losing to Morgantown 3-0 in a winner’s bracket game earlier in the morning, the Knights needed to win two games in the loser’s bracket to stay alive for Thursday’s action. Instead of going to their ace Drea Watts, coach Herman Beckette elected to start VanMinton and preserve Watts’ remaining seven innings for a possible third game of the day.

Parkersburg South senior Peyton Mackey (33) gets her scuffed up elbow attended to by the trainer during Wednesday’s game against Cabell Midland at the WVSSAC Class AAAA State Softball Tournament in South Charleston. (Photo by Kerry Patrick)

In a darned if you do, darned if you don’t decision, Shelton’s blast answered that question. VanMinton allowed an unearned run in the fourth inning before exiting with two outs in the fifth inning.

Watts entered in relief, striking out six of the seven batters she faced in 2 â…” innings of work.

“I wasn’t surprised by the decision,” Burch said. “I told the kids, they think they can beat you with (VanMinton). They think they can beat you with that kid. She was a good pitcher, but we played well.

“We hit when we needed to. We bunted when we needed to. It was a perfect time for us.”

Of the six South hits, freshman Bryleigh Pickens made Burch look like a genius. A starter in the field throughout the season, Pickens sees an at bat or two on rare occasions.

Parkersburg South’s Bryleigh Pickens (24) fist-bumps her first base coach after driving in a run with a fourth-inning single during a 3-0 win over Cabell Midland in an elimination game, Wednesday at the WVSSAC Class AAAA State Softball Tournament in South Charleston. (Photo by Kerry Patrick)

Burch felt Pickens batting from the left side gave South an advantage, and with two outs and Jaiden Vargas standing on third base, Pickens sent a pitch back through the box for an RBI single and a pivotal insurance run.

“Normally I just play flex, play the outfield and somebody is the designated player for me,” Pickens said. “I was just looking for a base hit, run to first base, keep my head down and run. My adrenaline started pumping as I got down to first base.”

As she collected her thoughts after the game, Vargas remembered the shoe being on the other foot last season and watching the expressions on the graduating seniors. Competing in a state tournament is wonderful. Avenging last year’s loss to a No. 1 Cabell Midland outfit is even sweeter.

“Last year when we lost to Cabell Midland, we were upset,” Vargas said. “It was the last game for our seniors. This year, now I am the senior. It’s amazing to keep going with these girls as long as possible and take in every moment.”

Shelton retired the first 10 batters she faced before Becca Conrad produced the Knights’ only hit of the game in the bottom of the fourth inning. Conrad eventually advanced to second.

Parkersburg South baserunner Jaiden Vargas, right, beats a throw to third base during an elimination game against Cabell Midland, Wednesday at the WVSSAC Class AAAA State Softball Tournament in South Charleston. (Photo by Kerry Patrick)

That same inning, the Knights nearly created an opening with two outs. Pinch-hitter Kenzie Kessell looped a ball over the first baseman’s head, but second baseman Mia Archer raced behind the bag into shallow right field and threw a strike to first baseman Addison Moon to retire Kessell for third out.

An infield error in the sixth inning resulted in the only baserunner over the final three innings. That same runner never made it into scoring position. Shelton set down the final six batters, including the 21st and final out on a strikeout.

“I was thinking about my teammates having my back and finding a way to win,” Shelton said. “I don’t care if it was the eighth seed or the one seed. Anybody has a chance to beat anybody on any given day.

“I just trusted my teammates and I knew if I just attacked it would all work out.”

The Patriots played University late Wednesday night in hopes of advancing to Thursday’s elimination final.

Parkersburg South second baseman Mia Archer (9) is congratulated by her teammates after making a sparkling play in the field to end the bottom of the fourth inning against Cabell Midland, Wednesday at the WVSSAC Class AAAA State Softball Tournament in South Charleston. (Photo by Kerry Patrick)

“Our only concern is if we get into a tight game and Annie has to go extra innings of some sort,” Burch said.

University 7, Parkersburg South 1

University dodged bullet upon bullet then fired one that made a direct hit after defeating Parkersburg South 7-1 in the final elimination game on Wednesday night.

South took a 1-0 lead on Peyton Mackey’s ground-rule double in the top of the first inning. University kept South at bay despite allowing seven baserunners over the first four innings. The Patriots stranded six runners during that span. University took advantage in the home half of the fourth inning as the Hawks scored five runs on four hits and a Patriot error.

South ends the 2026 season with a 21-10 record, while University 27-6 and meets George Washington in an elimination final on Thursday morning.

University’s Maddie Campbell entered in relief with one out in the fourth inning and earned the win. In 3 2/3 innings of work, she struck out seven and did not allow a hit.

South sophomore Annie Shelton took the loss despite striking out seven in six innings.

As for University starting pitcher Sophia Lehosit, she worked out of several jams with only one run allowed. After Mackey’s ground-rule double scored Shelton, Lehosit retired the next two batters with two runners on base.

South’s Allison Curfman led off the second inning by reaching on an infield error and advanced to second base on Bryleigh Pickens’ base hit.Curfman took third on a passed ball, but Lehosit set down the next three batters – including two on strikeouts.

In the third inning, Mackey led off with a triple and remained there when Jaiden Vargas reached safely on a fielder’s choice. The next three batters were unable to produce as Lehosit put another zero.

University then went to work in the fourth. With bases loaded and one out, Taylor Casino moved the line with an RBI single and tied the game at 1-1.

Carley Voithofer followed with a single down the left-field line and a 3-1 University lead. With two outs and runners at second and third, Campbell’s single brought home two more to extend the gap to 5-1.

University tacked on another run in both the fifth and sixth inning. Campbell took care of the rest from the mound. She had a clean fifth and sixth inning, including striking out the side in the sixth.

WVSSAC State Softball Tournament

CM 000 000 0 – 1 1 1

WP: Annie Shelton 7.0IP 1H 0R 0ER 0BB 11SO

LP: Brandelynn VanMinton 4.2IP 6H 3R 2ER 2BB 3SO

Drea Watts 2.1IP 0H 0R 0ER 0BB 6SSO

Leading hitters

Parkersburg South (21-9): Addie Corbin run; Annie Shelton 2-4, run, HR, 2 RBIs; Peyton Mackey 1-2; Jaiden Vargas run; Bryleigh Pickens 1-3, RBI

Cabell Midland (26-6): Becca Conrad 1-3