Parkersburg's Kendall Kimes slides safely into third base in front of Warren's Hailey Metz for a triple during the Big Reds' 8-6 setback on Tuesday evening at Larry Allen Field. (Photo by Jay W. Bennett)

PARKERSBURG — Jayda Murray and Danica Gates had three hits apiece and Gracie Adams worked four innings with five punchouts here Tuesday afternoon at Larry Allen Field to help lead Warren to an 8-6 victory versus Parkersburg.

The Big Reds, who got three hits from Kendall Kimes and a round-tripper from Brynn Frye, tried to rally in the last of the seventh, but Addalyn Williams eventually got the final out to spoil the Big Reds’ Teacher Appreciation Night.

“Man, I’m just proud of the girls,” said WHS head coach Katie Wells, whose club improved to 5-3 and welcomes in Vinton County at 5 p.m. today. “We’re figuring out that we’ve got 10 or 11 that can make things happen.

“They are starting to learn how to play situational softball versus our old school black and white, taking some risks and playing things just a little different. The growth has been huge just in the last week. We got to get the bunts down when we need them.”

Gates’ RBI single to center scored courtesy runner Jeanna Klinglesmith to open the scoring in the second.

Warren's Danica Gates gets back to first before Parkersburg's Krista Durkin can apply the tag during the Warriors' 8-6 victory Tuesday evening at Larry Allen Field. (Photo by Jay W. Bennett)

No. 9 hitter Emma Lang started the third with a bloop single and after swiping second she scored on Hailey Metz’ RBI two-bagger. It was 3-0 Warriors following a DeLaney Gates sacrifice fly.

Big Red No. 8 hitter Ella Collins opened the last of the third with a walk and then Frye followed with a two-run no-doubt bomb to center. PHS squared it at three when Krista Durkin drew a two-out free pass and scored following Camella Cooper’s bloop single thanks to a Warrior outfield error.

The lead was short-lived for the now 2-6 Big Reds, who play 6 p.m. today at South Charleston, when Murray lined a shot into center for a solo tater. Danica Gates singled and later scored for a 5-3 edge following a delayed double-steal.

JoJo Wilson singled and crossed in the fourth following a Warrior outfield error, but 5-4 was as close as the Big Reds would get.

“A little short,” admitted PHS head coach Erica Cameron. “That was a game that if we would have brought our ‘A’ game we should’ve won that, so that hurts when we don’t bring our ‘A’ game and you can look back and see where you should’ve capitalized and didn’t.

Warren's Gracie Adams worked four innings with five strikeouts to earn the mound triumph during the Warriors' 8-6 victory Tuesday evening versus host Parkersburg at Larry Allen Field. (Photo by Jay W. Bennett)

“Instead you kind of dug holes for yourself. That’s hard to look back and reflect on, but it is still young in the season and this is a determined team when they want to be. They didn’t lay down in the seventh inning.”

Lila Smith singled and scored on Murray’s RBI double to right in the fifth.

PHS found itself trailing 8-4 going to the bottom of the sixth as Danica Gates had a ground-rule double and scored on Lang’s single. Lang made it 8-4 when she came home on Ana Shutt’s run-scoring single.

Cooper was replaced in the fourth by eventual losing pitcher Addi Cameron, who had a two-out double in the seventh but was left stranded as the Big Reds’ rally came up short.

Peyton Metz worked the fifth and sixth for the Warriors, who watched Williams give up a pair of runs in the top of the seventh. Kimes had an infield single and made it 8-5 when Durkin had an opposite-field triple to left. The senior first baseman made it 8-6 when she made it home during a rundown.

Warren courtesy runner Jeanna Klinglesmith rounds third and heads for home during the Warriors' 8-6 victory versus host Parkersburg on Tuesday evening at Larry Allen Field. (Photo by Jay W. Bennett)

“We had a couple girls, Brynn Frye and JoJo Wilson, come through tonight,” said coach Cameron, who admitted she got the idea for Teacher Appreciation Night from the Jackson Middle School volleyball team. “They have been struggling a little bit so it was awesome to see them at the plate.

“Now we just got to start pulling more of it together. It will come together. I thought it (TAN) was a really cool idea and a way to encourage the teachers to come out and support the girls.”

Contact Jay Bennett at jbennett@newsandsentinel.com

Parkersburg's Brynn Frye belted a two-run homer during the Big Reds' 8-6 setback versus Warren on Tuesday evening at Larry Allen Field. (Photo by Jay W. Bennett)