Photo Provided John Marshall second baseman Aubrey Lilley fields a ball Wednesday during the Monarchs' WVSSAC Class AAA state tournament game against Winfield inside South Charleston's Little Creek Park.

CHARLESTON — Despite a setback in their second game Wednesday, the John Marshall Monarchs are still in the hunt.

Playing in this week’s WVSSAC Class AAA state softball tournament, a double-elimination affair, the top-seeded Monarchs won their morning game against No. 5 Keyser, 9-7, before dropping their afternoon game against No. 2 Winfield 9-0 inside South Charleston’s Little Creek Park.

With the split result, John Marshall will need to win-out if they are to claim the state title, with a game due for 10:30 a.m. on Thursday against the winner of Wednesday’s late-night game between Keyser and No. 3 Herbert Hoover, and a rematch against No. 2 Winfield on-tap should the Monarchs prevail in their morning game.

In John Marshall’s initial encounter against the Golden Tornado on Wednesday, the Monarchs jumped out to a 4-0 lead after the first inning, but trailed 7-6 after four innings.

John Marshall got the last laugh, scoring three runs in the fifth inning. In that frame, Masyn Inclan collected an RBI on a groundout to tie the score, and a throwing error with two outs allowed Nora Shock and Kaylee White to score and push John Marshall back out in front.

Monarchs ace Lily Dijkstra kept Keyser off the scoreboard the rest of the way. Dijkstra, who pitched a complete game in John Marshall’s 14-0 win against Robert C. Byrd on Tuesday, likewise went the distance against Keyser, striking out a pair and earning another win inside the circle.

Masyn Inclan continued her strong offensive showing at the state tournament with three hits and two RBI. Ella Finley collected two hits and Elaina Taylor doubled and drove in three runs. Finley and Paislee Babiczuk also knocked in runs for John Marshall, who had nine hits as a team.

“I figured we’d have to play really well, and we played well enough,” John Marshall head coach Rob Blake said after the game. “We hit just enough, and whether you win by 14 or you win by two, the key is to move on.”

The Monarchs would be stymied by the two-seeded Generals in their night game, losing in five innings as Winfield scored in every inning, including getting out to a 2-0 lead after the first frame thanks to a two-run double by standout Mattie Carroll, who pitched five perfect innings Tuesday in the Generals’ win over Brooke.

Winfield, seeking a four-peat as state champions, didn’t put Carroll back inside the circle vs. John Marshall, though Generals pitcher Emeri Nelson still did well to help Winfield shutout the Monarchs.

Nelson worked around seven John Marshall hits to keep the Monarchs off the scoreboard. John Marshall put two on the basepaths in the first and fifth innings, but couldn’t break through.

“Tomorrow is a new day,” Blake said after the game. “The good thing about this tournament is you can get beat and still come out on top. Hopefully we can get that mindset and be ready to go and to attack every game that we play tomorrow.”

Dijkstra was saddled with the loss, pitching 4.1 innings in the five-inning affair. She struck out a pair. Finley recorded the final two outs.

Dijkstra, Inclan and Taylor each had two hits against Winfield. Dijkstra hit a double, the Monarchs’ lone extra-base hit of the game.

“There’s nothing we can do about it now, so we have to welcome it and run with it,” Blake said. “We have three pitchers and tomorrow we’re going to have to use at least two, and maybe our third too.”