Jim Walker

jim.walker@irontontribune.com

 

PORTSMOUTH — The Symmes Valley Lady Vikings and Portsmouth Clay lady Panthers played copy cat.

The teams played mirror images most of the game including two-run seventh inning rallies with Clay using their rally for a 6-5 Southern Ohio Conference win on Thursday.

“We pounded the ball, it just doesn’t show it in the boxscore. They made good plays,” said Lady Vikings’ coach Jeff “Odie” Estep. “But they hit the ball and we made good plays, too.”

The Lady Vikings (3-5, 3-3) took a 2-0 lead in the first inning. Stephanie Browns reached on an error, Autumn Keathley hit into a fielder’s choice. Kaitlyn Payne singled, a wild pitch scored a run and Catlin Carpenter had an RBI single.

Clay got a run in the second but Payne walked, stole second and scored on a wild pitch to make it 3-1.

The Lady Panthers scored a run in the third to get within 3-2 and got two more in the sixth to lead 4-3.

The Lady Vikings rallied for two runs in the seventh when Brown singled, Tiara Hatfield had a two-out single and Carpenter smacked a two-run double.

But with two outs in the bottom of the inning, Marissa Messer doubled, Autumn Griffith singled and two errors allowed both runners to score.

Brown took the loss as she allowed just six hits, struck out four and did not walk a batter.

Carpenter was 2-4 with a double.

Sym. Valley 201 000 2 = 5 6 4

Ports. Clay 011 002 2 = 6 6 4

Stephanie Brown and Tiara Hatfield. Autumn Griffith and Jessica Moore. W-Griffith (K-7, BB-5). L-Brown (K-4, BB-0). 2B-SV: Catlin Carpenter. Hitting-SV: Caitlin Carpenter 2-4, Tiara Hatfield 1-3, Kaitlyn Payne 1-3, Stephanie Brown 1-3, Hannah Maynard 1-2; Clay: Marissa Messer 3-4, Autumn Griffith 1-4, Cami Whitley 1-3, Madisen Fuller 1-3.