Parkersburg South third baseman Payten Mackey squeezes a pop up as shortstop Shy Hays backs up on the play during the Wood County Patriots' 6-1 Class AAAA state quarterfinal setback Tuesday afternoon to George Washington at Little Creek State Park. (Photo by Jay W. Bennett)

SOUTH CHARLESTON — Keep fighting.

That was the message from Parkersburg South head softball coach Tim Burch after the Patriots suffered a 6-1 setback to fellow Mountain State Athletic Conference program George Washington here Tuesday afternoon in a Class AAAA state quarterfinal at Little Creek State Park.

Sloan Graley and Natali Tomblin, who had an inside-the-park home run, led GW with two runs-batted-in apiece while Kynzi Bellamy (7 IP, 2 BB, 12 SO) carried a no-hitter into the sixth en route to the mound triumph.

“I thought we hit the ball well early on,” admitted Burch, who got a leadoff walk to start the game from Abbie Corbin, but Bellamy proceeded to get losing pitcher Annie Shelton (6 IP, 1 BB, 10 SO) to line out before getting an inning-ending double play when she fanned Shy Hays and Corbin was caught stealing.

The Kanawha County Patriots, who had nine hits and scored in each of the first three innings, got a leadoff triple from Graley. GW took the lead for good when she crossed on Tomblin’s RBI fielder’s choice.

Parkersburg South shortstop Shy Hays can't quite get to a ball that fell in for a bloop single off the bat of George Washington's Camdyn Mckinney during the Wood County Patriots' 6-1 Class AAAA state quarterfinal setback Tuesday afternoon at Little Creek State Park. (Photo by Jay W. Bennett)

Parkersburg South (19-9) once again had the leadoff runner on in the top of the second after Payten Mackey reached on an error, but the No. 6 seed was unable to move her around.

Kacie Long and Lyndi Campbell reached with one away in the second via a hit by pitch and a single, respectively. They were both brought home for a 3-0 cushion when Sloan came through with a two-out, two-run knock to left.

Bellamy, who allowed one earned run, had a 1-2-3 third. After issuing a free pass to Shelton to lead off the fourth, the GW freshman retired six straight before Mia Archer reached via an error to open the sixth.

However, Parkersburg South found itself trailing 5-0 at that point. Tomblin doubled and scored in the third following a wild pitch and then added an inside-the-park solo homer in the fifth when she pulled a shot down the right-field line just inside the bag that went all the way to the fence.

It looked like Bellamy might keep her shutout intact for the No. 3 seed after Archer reached as she fanned both Corbin and Shelton.

Parkersburg South's Annie Shelton delivers to the plate during the Wood County Patriots' 6-1 Class AAAA state quarterfinal setback Tuesday afternoon to George Washington at Little Creek State Park. (Photo by Jay W. Bennett)

Finally, though, the Wood County Patriots got their first hit when Hays singled to center. One batter later, Mackey hustled down the line for an RBI infield single to make it 5-1.

GW No. 8 hitter Camdyn Mckinney had a one-out double in the sixth. Courtesy runner Mattie Carte made it 6-1 when Niah Verdula knocked her in with a bunt single.

George Washington, which lost to PSHS the first time they played and then won the next two before meeting for the fourth time at state, improved to 27-5.

In the South seventh, Bellamy struck out Annalynn Windland and then got Allison Curfman to ground out. PSHS kept its faint hopes alive when first baseman Addi Moon came through with a single to left. However, pinch-runner Alyvia Goff was left at first as Bellamy finished off her three-hitter by striking out Archer.

PARKERSBURG SOUTH 2, WASHINGTON 1

Parkersburg South’s Addi Moon touches first base to make sure of an out after she grabbed a low liner off the bat of George Washington's Sloan Graley during the Wood County Patriots' 6-1 Class AAAA state quarterfinal setback Tuesday afternoon at Little Creek State Park. (Photo by Jay W. Bennett)

Shelton pitched a complete game and provided an offensive spark in South’s 2-1 win over Washington in an elimination game Tuesday night.

Shelton gave the Patriots their lead of the day with a solo home run in the fourth inning. South added another run in the frame when Curfman’s fielder’s choice grounder plated Hays, who had doubled earlier in the inning.

Washington got one back in the sixth on Kenzie O’Hara’s RBI single to make it 2-1. With runners on first and second and two outs, Shelton punched out Peyton Burns to escape further damage. That was just one of 15 strikeouts in the win for Shelton, who surrendered just two hits and did issue a walk.

PSHS (20-9) will take on either Cabell Midland or Morgantown at 4 p.m. today

Contact Jay Bennett at jbennett@newsandsentiel.com

Parkersburg South right fielder Jaiden Vargas throws a ball back to the infield during the Wood County Patriots' 6-1 Class AAAA state quarterfinal setback Tuesday afternoon to George Washington at Little Creek State Park. (Photo by Jay W. Bennett)

Class AAAA State Quarterfinal

George Washington 6, Parkersburg South 1

#6 PS 000 001 0 – 1 3 1

#3 GW 121 011 x – 6 9 2

Parkersburg South's Mia Archer fouls off a pitch during the Wood County Patriots' 6-1 Class AAAA state quarterfinal setback Tuesday afternoon to George Washington at Little Creek State Park. (Photo by Jay W. Bennett)

WP: Kynzi Bellamy 7IP, 3H, 1R, 1ER, 2BB, 12SO

LP: Annie Shelton 6IP, 9H, 6R, 6ER, 1BB, 10SO

Parkersburg South (19-9) hitting: Mia Archer R, SB; Shy Hays 1-3; Payten Mackey 1-3 RBI; Addi Moon 1-3

George Washington (27-5) hitting: Natali Tomblin 2-4 R, 2B, HR, 2 RBIs; Sloan Graley 2-4 R, 2 SB, 3B, 2 RBIs; Kacie Long R; Mattie Carte R, SB; Lyndi Campbell 1-2 R; Niah Verdula 1-4 SB, RBI; Ava Armstrong 1-2; Camdyn Mckinney 2-3, 2B

Elimination Game

Parkersburg South 2, Washington 1

W 000 001 0 — 1 2 1

P 000 200 x — 2 4 3

WP: Shelton 7 IP, 0 BB, 15 SO

LP: Kenzie O’Hara 6 IP, 0 BB, 11 SO

Washington (16-10) hitting: O’Hara 1-3, RBI; Brooke Hardy 1-2, R

Parkersburg South (20-9) hitting: Shelton 1-3, HR, RBI; Addison Moon 2-3; Shy Hays 1-3, 2B, R; Allison Curfman RBI

Next game: Parkersburg South vs. Cabell Midland/Morgantown loser, 4 p.m. in South Charleston

Parkersburg South's Abbie Corbin gets back to first safely following a lineout during the Wood County Patriots' 6-1 Class AAAA state quarterfinal setback Tuesday afternoon to George Washington at Little Creek State Park. (Photo by Jay W. Bennett)