Warren celebrates after a sixth-inning home run by Brandon Cline during a game against Parkersburg South Saturday in Vincent. (Photo by Jordan Holland)

VINCENT — What a difference two-plus weeks makes.

When Warren and Parkersburg South squared off on April 24 at Hank Greenburg Field, the Patriots came away with an 18-8 win in what both coaches agreed wasn’t the most cleanly-played ballgame.

Warrior pitchers issued 12 walks in that contest, prompting South head coach Bryan Youngblood to make a prediction regarding Saturday’s rematch in Vincent.

“We see Warren again,” the South skipper stated after that win, “and I can guarantee the next game is not going to be like this one.”

It wasn’t.

Parkersburg South first baseman Easton Walker (8) fields a pickoff throw as Warren’s Jayce Hilverding dives back to the bag during Saturday’s game in Vincent. (Photo by Jordan Holland)

Both teams, for the most part, threw strikes and played solid defense. Once again, it was the Patriots who prevailed, this time by a final tally of 4-2.

“I thought we cleaned some things up from the last time we played,” said Warren head coach Chad Porter, who got a quality start from Haiden Strong on the mound. “Haiden hasn’t pitched a lot this season, but he gave us a good start today. He was locating and hitting his spots, which is what we needed.”

Strong surrendered three runs over six innings. He walked just two batters while striking out two in a losing effort.

Ty Davis got the starting nod for South and delivered five innings of two-run ball. He fanned three and walked one to earn the win.

“Our pitcher, Ty Davis, came in and did a good job,” Youngblood said. “He hasn’t seen a lot of innings this year, but we figured we’d start him today to give him some work. He did a good job holding them in place.”

Warren’s Haiden Strong delivers a pitch during a game against Parkersburg South Saturday in Vincent. (Photo by Jordan Holland)

With South up 3-0 in the sixth, Davis got into some trouble. Brandon Cline led off the frame with a solo home run to left field to get the Warriors on the board. Saben Jonas and Strong followed with back-to-back singles to put runners on the corners with nobody out.

Youngblood then opted to replace Davis with Dylan Holliday on the mound. Holliday got Jayce Hilverding to ground to short, which Eli Davis and Ty Davis, now at second base, turned into a 6-4-3 double play. Jonas scored on the play, but the Patriots were fine with that tradeoff, especially after Holliday got Al Winters to ground out to end the inning.

“Dylan has probably been the most consistent player we’ve had this year, both in the batter’s box and on the hill,” Youngblood said. “Dylan’s been a consistent player. I knew putting him in that situation, he’d get us out of it.”

With Warren back within a run, lefty Braylon Murray took the mound in relief in the top of the seventh. Murray quickly retired the first two batters before Youngblood elected to bring TJ Thomas into the game as a pinch-hitter. The move paid off as Thomas, who drove in six runs in the first meeting with Warren, yanked a solo home run over the left field fence to give the Patriots some insurance.

“That was huge,” Youngblood said. “TJ has been dealing with some injuries this year so he’s been in and out of the lineup. TJ deserves it. I need to go buy a lottery ticket or something because I had a gut feeling he was going to take a pitch yard if he got a good pitch. TJ’s got some power. When he puts a swing on the ball, he sends it.”

Warren out-hit South 7-4, but all four of South’s hits went for extra bases, including Thomas’ blast.

“Obviously it’s a wind-out-of-your-sails moment,” Porter said of the home run. “You get within one and you’re trying to hold it there. But our guys were fighting back all day. They’ve fought all year. I’m proud of their effort.”

Holliday pitched a 1-2-3 bottom of the seventh, which included a diving catch by first baseman Easton Walker, to pick up the save.

South improved to 16-11, which Youngblood said is their most regular season wins since 2018. The Patriots play host to Huntington at 6 p.m. Monday to begin postseason action.

“Going with Parker Vannoy on the hill,” Youngblood said. “We know our path to making it to Charleston (for the state tournament). We just have to take up the task of getting there.”

Holliday, Ashton Burr and Connor McMullen all doubled for PSHS.

McMullen’s two-bagger in the second inning plated the game’s first run. In the sixth, Carter McLain was hit by a pitch to lead off. He ended up at third base after an errant pickoff throw, and scored on Walker’s sacrifice fly. Later in the inning, Burr’s double to left field brought in another run, making it 3-0.

In addition to a solid showing on the bump, Strong went 2 for 3 at the plate, making him the only player to have a multi-hit game. Jacob Sealey, Jonas, Hilverding and Winters all singled for the Warriors, who welcome Eastern at 5 p.m. Monday.

“Warren’s got a young program, but Chad Porter does an outstanding job of developing his players,” Youngblood said. “He knows the game. He was not going to let (18-8) happen again, and his kids weren’t going to let that happen again.”

Contact Jordan Holland at jholland@mariettatimes.com.