Marietta Post 64 baserunner Will Tornes slides headfirst into home plate for his team’s first run of the game against Parkersburg Post 15, Wednesday at Pioneer Park. (Photo by Kerry Patrick)

MARIETTA – Taking the aggressive approach on offense reaped huge benefits for Parkersburg Post 15 during a 9-5 win over Marietta Post 64, Wednesday at Pioneer Park.

Post 64 starting pitcher Logan Fling was unable to get out of the first inning as Post 15 scored six times. Post 15 didn’t let off the gas pedal with single runs in both the second and third inning and finished the night with 10 hits. Half of the hit total resulted in extra bases, including a pair of doubles from leadoff hitter Carter McLain.

“Focused, aggressive and it translated to six runs in the first inning,” Post 15 manager Mike Goodwin said. “Every at bat, I thought, we were patient and composed at the plate. Got our pitch and when we swung the bat we put the hammer to it.”

With four games guaranteed this weekend at the Mountaineer Classic in Morgantown, Post 15 improved to 13-6. Post 64 drops to 17-4 with a trip to the Coshocton Tournament this weekend.

Post 15’s quick-hitter in the first inning, included an RBI single from Evan Swain, a two-run single from Carder Kinder and an RBI base hit from Eli Davis.

Parkersburg Post 15 courtesy runner Wyatt Boice, left, slides home ahead of the throw to Marietta Post 64 catcher Brandon Cline during Wednesday’s game at Pioneer Park. (Photo by Kerry Patrick)

With plenty of outs still ahead, Post 64 scored in three of its first four innings. Cooper Laumann’s sacrifice fly put Marietta on the board in the first inning.

Post 64 answered with another two runs in the home half of the second inning on a two-out, two-run single from Gavin Fling. Gavin Fling also doubled in a run in the fourth inning to cut the deficit to 8-4.

Leadoff hitter Will Tornes was not given an official at bat after walking four times and scoring three times.

“Will Tornes has done an outstanding job for us,” said Post 64 manager Chad Porter. “He is one of our leading hitters. He is a dangerous baserunner and plays really well in center field as well.

“When he gets on and gets going, with Gavin in the two hole, that’s a really good mix and tough to defend. I kept looking up and Will was on base all the time.”

Logan Fling started on the mound for Marietta Post 64 against Parkersburg Post 15, Wednesday at Pioneer Park. (Photo by Kerry Patrick)

Meanwhile, after Drew Warden entered in relief in the first inning with one out and loaded, he lasted 5.2 innings. After allowing a single run in his first three innings of work, Warden went through one stretch retiring 11 of 13 batters he faced.

“Drew was in a really tough spot in that first inning – he didn’t really get comfortable until that second and third inning he was out there,” Porter said. “He made some adjustments mechanically and was able to get ahead of hitters.

“He helped us stay in the baseball game. He battled and he competed.”

Starting pitcher Caden Parker didn’t quite have his ‘A’ game, but his stuff was serviceable as he gave Post 15 five innings of five-hit ball. The right-hander struck out four but did issue seven walks.

As Post 64 pecked away at the deficit, Parker received several web gems to snuff out potential run-scoring threats to end both the fourth and fifth innings with runners in scoring position.

Parkersburg Post 15 batter Caden Parker, right, greets Carter McClain (96) after McClain scored the first run of the game Wednesday against Marietta Post 64 at Pioneer Park. (Photo by Kerry Patrick)

Trailing 8-4 in the bottom of the fourth inning and a runner on third base, cleanup hitter Brandon Cline hit a wicked liner that second baseman Peyton West snared while diving to his right.

With one out in the fifth and Post 64 runners on first and second, Goodwin was closely monitoring Parker’s pitch count. Goodwin could rest easy after Drew Warden’s sinking fly to right field was picked off the ground by Colin McCarter, who immediately got to his feet, threw to second base and doubled off the runner.

“Parker was almost pitched out – I almost pulled him,” Goodwin said. “I gave him one more chance. The ball goes to right field and we get out of the inning.

“Caden did enough for us to get us deeper in the game. I really wanted to get him to at least the fifth inning, and that’s what he did. Wyatt (Boice) came in and pretty much shut the door on them.”

In a non-save situation, Boice allowed just one unearned run without giving up a hit and walked one to go with one strikeout in two innings of work.

Caden Parker started on the mound for Parkersburg Post 15 against Marietta Post 64, Wednesday at Pioneer Park. (Photo by Kerry Patrick)

“Marietta is a very fundamentally good baseball team – coach Porter does a great job with them,” Goodwin said. “They are always going to compete and they did tonight.”

Contact Kerry Patrick at kpatrick@newsandsentinel.com

Parkersburg Post 15’s Carter McClain delivers a double to open Wednesday’s game against Marietta Post 64 at PIoneer Park. (Photo by Kerry Patrick)