Williamstown's Nevaeh Moore makes it to second base before Wirt County shortstop Kinsley Nicolais can apply the tag during Thursday's senior night. (Photo by Jay W. Bennett)

WILLIAMSTOWN — Wirt County’s Kylee Barker and Rylee Noland knocked in two runs apiece while Addi Smith scattered 10 hits in a complete game effort that featured one walk and nine strikeouts as the Tigers held off Williamstown for an 8-7 Little Kanawha Conference victory to spoil the Yellowjackets’ senior night here Thursday.

Williamstown, which received a clean first frame from starting pitcher Alexis Stephens that included one free pass and two punchouts, nearly overcame six errors. However, Alyssa Clare (6 IP, 4 BB, 9 SO) was the hard-luck loser after allowing eight hits and just one earned run.

“That was close. The defense is what’s been hurting us all year long and we just can’t score enough runs to offset that,” admitted WHS head man Ron Stanley, who along with a couple of volunteers started working on the field at 9 a.m.

“Every hour or so we’d get a little shower and it would set us back. We just kept working at it. We had the same situation last year. We had really bad rain the night before and worked all day on the field for Wirt County.”

Williamstown, which slipped to 6-16 and has a twinbill today at Gilmer County, celebrated the senior quartet of Stephens, Shayle Montgomery, Nevaeh Moore and Taytum Oates.

Williamstown catcher Shayle Montgomery makes a throw to first during Thursday's senior night against Wirt County. (Photo by Jay W. Bennett)

Montgomery, who went 3-for-4 with a pair of runs and two stolen bases, reached on an infield single in the bottom of the first and scored after Moore struck out, and made it to first on a wild pitch.

“Alexis, who started on the mound, she got to pitch one inning because she’s under doctor restrictions right now,” added Stanley. “She’s been injured most of her career actually since her freshman year.

“She started out the season pitching quite a bit and it was nice to have two pitchers switching on and off, but lately we’ve just had Alyssa Clare pitching. It was nice to see Alexis back on the mound again, even if it was for only one inning.”

Wirt County, which had five players turn in their uniforms last week, got an unearned run off Clare in the top of the second. Kyra Wine led off the frame with a walk and later scored when Morgan Williams reached on an error.

A one-out single by Smith, who was the lone Tiger with two hits, led to a 2-1 cushion in the top of third when Wine singled her home.

Williamstown's Alexis Stephens delivers to the plate during Thursday's senior night against Wirt County. (Photo by Jay W. Bennett)

The Tigers of head coach Candice Hardbarger, who improved to 7-12 and head Monday to Elk Valley Christian, tallied their only earned run to push ahead 3-1 in the fifth. Smith singled and after a walk to Barker the Tiger pitcher swiped third and then came home on Noland’s RBI groundout.

Williamstown was able to get to Smith for a pair of runs in the last of the fifth to tie it. A two-out single by Gracie Rush was followed by an Elli Hanlon single as a Tiger outfield error led to a run. Moore then delivered a run-scoring knock to center.

A pair of Yellowjacket errors helped the orange and black put up five runs in the top of the sixth. No. 9 hitter Olivia Pettus got it started by drawing a one-out free pass and the bases were loaded after Nicolais reached on an error and Mallory Bell had an infield single. Barker had the big hit in the frame with a two-run single while Noland also had an RBI single.

After Smith retired the ‘Jackets in order in the bottom of the sixth the hosts had No. 9 hitter Kaylee Rafferty leading off the seventh.

The left fielder singled to center and after Montgomery followed with a hit the 8-3 advantage was quickly cut to 8-5 via Rush’s two-run double that went just inside the first-base bag. Hanlon made it 8-6 after her RBI two-bagger, but the only other run came on a Sophia Adkins’ RBI groundout as Smith got Inessa Buck to hit a comebacker to end it.

Williamstown's Taytum Oates takes an inside pitch during Thursday's senior night against Wirt County. (Photo by Jay W. Bennett)

Pinch-runner Lexi Deem, who came in for Lakyn Harshbarger after she drew a walk, was stranded at third on a day when the ‘Jackets went 4-for-15 with runners in scoring position.

“The game was awesome. I’m proud of my girls,” said coach Hardbarger. “The last three games we have done amazing, especially after the week we had losing five girls.

“We have rallied together and finally played like a team. I’m proud of them. Even with errors they still stuck it out and got the win, and that’s all I can ask for.”

Contact Jay Bennett at jbennett@newsandsentinel.com

Wirt County 8, Williamstown 7

WP: Addi Smith 7IP, 10H, 7R, 5ER, 1BB, 9SO

LP: Alyssa Clare 6IP, 8H, 8R, 1ER, 4BB, 9SO

Alexis Stephens (starter) 1IP, 0H, 0R, 0ER, 1BB, 2SO

Wirt County (7-12) hitting: Kinsley Nicolais 1-5 R; Mallory Bell 1-4 R; Smith 2-4, 2 R, SB; Kylee Barker 1-3 R, 2 RBIs; Kyra Wine 1-2, 2 R, RBI; Rylee Noland 1-4, 2 RBIs; Mattie Ross 1-4; Olivia Pettus R

Williamstown (6-16) hitting: Shayle Montgomery 3-4, 2 R, 2 SB; Gracie Rush 2-4, 2 R, 2B, 2 RBIs; Elli Hanlon 2-4, 2 R, 2B, RBI; Nevaeh Moore 1-4, 2 SB, RBI; Sophia Adkins RBI; Inessa Buck 1-4; Kaylee Rafferty 1-3 R

Next games: Williamstown at Gilmer County (DH), 5 p.m. today; Wirt County at Elk Valley Christian, 5:30 p.m. Monday.