Warren courtesy runner Al Winters celebrates after scoring with assistant coach Zac Carte during the Warriors' 2-1 setback in 10 innings on Saturday afternoon versus Parkersburg South. (Photo by Jay W. Bennett)

VINCENT — Asher Prunty had his first career four-hit performance, Carter Fluty came through with the game-winning run-batted-in and Parkersburg South stopped a four-game skid thanks to the solid pitching of Branson Linville and Peyton West here Saturday afternoon as the Patriots outlasted Warren, 2-1, in 10 innings.

Linville, who worked the first five frames and allowed five hits with an earned run, one walk and four strikeouts, didn’t factor into the decision. West fired five innings of one-hit relief that included no free passes as well as a career-high 11 strikeouts as the Patriots improved to 9-19 with Cabell Midland set to invade Hank Greenburg Field on Monday night.

“They could’ve folded,” said PSHS skipper Bryan Youngblood. “There was energy on the bench. There was energy in the field. When you have a season like we’re having this year, a rebuild season, sometimes that energy is lacking, but today there was energy. I’ll be honest. That contributed to putting us over the top. It’s tough to be on the bench.

“I get it, but I can only play nine, 10 players. It makes it better when you’re on the bench and in the game paying attention and cheering on your teammates, and you want your teammates to do well because when you get in there you want them to do the same thing for you. It’s a tough job managing a high school baseball team and filling out that lineup every single day.”

Warren head man Chad Porter’s program, which had just got back to .500 at 11-11 after winning six straight, appeared to be in good shape with a 1-0 lead going into the top of the seventh.

Parkersburg South's Peyton West, who struck out a career-high 11, worked five innings in relief to earn the mound triumph during the Patriots' 2-1 victory in 10 innings on Saturday afternoon at Warren. (Photo by Jay W. Bennett)

Will Carte’s two-out double in the second was followed by No. 9 hitter and losing pitcher Carter Strong’s run-scoring double that plated courtesy runner Al Winters. However, a two-out error kept the Patriots’ hopes alive in the seventh and Eli Davis’ run-scoring single to center scored pinch-runner Josh Benson, who came in after Prunty collected his third knock to open the frame.

In the top of the 10th, CJ McCartney once again reached on a WHS infield error. After he swiped second and third base, Fluty lifted a ball into right field that was deep enough to score what proved to be the winning run.

“We’re playing a lot of guys that don’t have a lot of varsity experience and it showed at times today. It’s shown at times all year. We lost pretty much our entire lineup last year,” admitted Youngblood, who watched his squad leave eight stranded and go 1 for 9 with runners in scoring position.

“Only two consistent guys back from our lineup last year. I hate using that as an excuse, but let’s face it at the varsity level experience matters. Man, I hate saying that. I really do hate saying that, but it’s the truth. It’s the truth. I mean we’ll get there and this is a great group of kids. They fought to the end today.”

Warren, which plays host at 5 p.m. Monday to Morgan, went 1 for 7 with RISP and left seven on base, including six in scoring position. Braylen Murray singled in the first as did Tate Jonas, but they were left stranded at second and third.

Warren's Will Carte motions to the dugout following his double in the second inning of the Warriors' 2-1 setback in 10 innings on Saturday afternoon versus Parkersburg South. (Photo by Jay W. Bennett)

Warrior shortstop Cody Eding, who was 2 for 4, had a two-out single in the fourth and stole second, but after Carte walked Linville got Strong to fly out to center.

West opened the sixth and struck out the side and Eding was left stranded at second in the seventh after his second hit. The righty West would’ve retired 12 straight if not for an error that allowed Murray to reach with two away in the 10th, but the Patriot fanned Jayce Hilverding on a check swing to end it.

Parkersburg South left the bases loaded in the fifth after Prunty and Easton Miller singled with two outs and No. 9 hitter Logan McVey walked, but McCartney flew out to center on the first pitch of his at-bat.

The Patriots, who swept the season series after previously beating the Warriors 7-5 on April 20, appeared to have something going in the ninth after Prunty singled to open the inning. Miller followed with a comebacker toward Strong, who went the distance and allowed eight hits and no earned runs with three walks and as many punchouts.

However, Strong had to run toward the third-base line and when he went to pick up the ball he missed it, but third baseman Aiden Lipscomb was there to pick it up. In the meantime, Prunty noticed no one was covering third as he rounded second and tried to make it, but was tagged out by Lipscomb about three-fourths of the way down the basepath.

The Parkersburg South dugout makes some noise during the Patriots' 2-1 victory in 10 innings on Saturday afternoon at Warren. (Photo by Jay W. Bennett)

“I didn’t bring him over,” quipped Youngblood of the play. “Asher’s coming along. Asher is going to be a good ballplayer as soon as he learns the nuances of the game a little bit better. He’s going to be a good ballplayer.”

Contact Jay Benett at jbennett@newsandsentinel.com

Parkersburg South 2, Warren 1 (10 inn.)

Warren 010 000 000 0 – 1 6 2

Warren's Carter Strong, pictured here making a throw to first, was the tough-luck loser during the Warriors' 2-1 setback in 10 innings on Saturday afternoon to Parkersburg South. The right-hander pitched a complete game and allowed eight hits with no earned runs. (Photo by Jay W. Bennett)

WP: Peyton West 5IP, 1H, 0R, 0ER, 0BB, 11SO

Branson Linville (starter) 5IP, 5H, 1 R, 1ER, 1BB, 4SO

LP: Carter Strong 10IP, 8H, 2R, 0ER, 3BB, 3SO

Parkersburg South (9-19) hitting: CJ McCartney R, 3 SB; Eli Davis 1-5 RBI; Carter Fluty RBI; Logan Graham 1-4 SB; Asher Prunty 4-4; Josh Benson R; Easton Miller 2-4, 2B

Warren (11-12) hitting: Braylen Murray 1-5; Tate Jonas 1-4; Cody Eding 2-4 SB; Will Carte 1-3, 2B; Al Winters R; C. Strong 1-3, 2B, RBI

Parkersburg South's Asher Prunty, who had his first career four-hit game during the Patriots' 2-1 victory in 10 innings on Saturday at Warren, takes a pitch. (Photo by Jay W. Bennett)

Next games: Morgan at Warren, 5 p.m. Monday; Cabell Midland at Parkersburg South, 7 p.m. Monday.

Warren shortstop Cody Eding went 2 for 4 with a stolen base during the Warriors' 2-1 setback in 10 innings on Saturday afternoon versus Parkersburg South. (Photo by Jay W. Bennett)

Parkersburg South catcher Easton Miller makes a throw to first during the Patriots' 2-1 victory in 10 innings on Saturday afternoon at Warren. (Photo by Jay W. Bennett)