Jim Walker

jim.walker@irontontribune.com

 

AID — As Hall of Fame catcher Yogi Berra once said, “Half the game is 90 percent pitching.”

While it might seem confusing, the basic idea is pitching is the key to winning baseball games.

Pitching was the key for the Symmes Valley Vikings who began the week with Southern Ohio Conference wins over the Green Bobcats and Western Indians.

Mitch Corn fired a two-hitter as the Vikings blanked Green 11-0 on Monday. Trent Thompson tossed a three-hitter on Tuesday as Symmes Valley shutout Western 12-0 in five innings.

Corn struck out 12 and walked just one for the complete game win. Thompson fanned nine and walked three in his five-inning effort.

“Corn was pretty dominating. He was throwing the ball really well,” said Vikings’ coach Chad Renfroe. “Thompson is just a freshman but he threw the ball really well. Our pitching has been pretty good.”

Jacob Easthom had a two-run double to highlight a five-run second inning in the win over Western. His hit followed singles by D.J. Miller, Alec Herrell, Seth Jarrell and Tanner Mays.

Mays and Herrell each went 2-3 as the Vikings had eight hits.

Symmes Valley belted 11 hits in the win over Green. Mays, Lane Wilson and Jacob Klaiber were 2-3 to pace the offense.

The Vikings took a 2-0 lead in the first inning, then erupted for seven runs in the fifth inning.

Mays had a two-run double, Miller an RBI double and Easthom a run-scoring single to trigger the big rally.

The Vikings play Whiteoak at Chillicothe’s Veterans’ Stadium on Wednesday.

Western 000 00 = 0 3 2

Sym. Valley 354 3x = 12 8 0

Hunter East and Bailey Henderson. Trent Thompson and Alec Herrell. W-Thompson (K-9, BB-3). L-East. 2B-SV: Jacob Estham. Hitting-Western: Dakota Garrett 1-2, Dustin Branscomb 1-2, Shane Thompson 1-2; SV: D.J. Miller 1-1, Alec Herrell 2-3, Danny Wiseman 1-1, Seth Jarrell 1-3, Tanner Mays 2-3, Jacob Easthom 1-1.

Monday’s Game

Sym. Valley 200 070 2 = 11 11 3

Green 000 000 0 = 0 2 7

Mitch Corn and Alec Herrell. Tyler Crace, Rob Applegate (5), Caleb Johnson (6) and Matt Howard. W-Corn (K-12, BB-1, HBP-1). L-Crace. Hitting-SV: D.J. Miller 1-2, Alec Herrell 1-3, Seth Jarrell 1-4, Tanner Mays 2-3, Jacob Easthom 1-4, Jacob Klaiber 2-3, Lane Wilson 2-3, K.C. Coburn 1-1; Green: Caleb Johnson 1-3, Matt Howard 1-3.