Jim Walker

jim.walker@irontontribune.com

 

CHILLICOTHE — The famous Beatles’ album “Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Heart Club Band” featured a song called “Getting Better” that said “It’s getting better all the time.”

Symmes Valley Vikings’ coach Chad Renfroe could easily make that the team’s theme song after picking up a pair of road wins over the past three days.

The Vikings beat the Whiteoak Wildcats 11-5 on Monday at Veterans Memorial Field after routing the Western Indians 14-2 in a Southern Ohio Conference game Saturday.

“We’ve still got a lot of work to do, but we’re getting there slowly but surely,” said Vikings’ coach Chad Renfroe.

“We play well at times and then we make the mistakes a young an inexperienced team will make. But we’re improving.”

The Vikings (12-2) jumped out to a 5-0 lead in the first inning on five walks and a two-run single by Jonathon Kouns.

Whiteoak tied the game in the second inning, but the Vikings took the lead for good with four runs in the third.

Trent Thompson singled, Kouns reached on a fielder’s choice, Lane Wilson was safe on an error, two walks forced in runs and Dillon McFann double home two more runs.

A run scored in the fifth when Jarrell reached on an error, stole second and scored on Tanner Mays’ double.

Jarrell generated a run in the seventh when he singled, stole second, went to third on a fly ball and scored on an error.

McFann worked 5.1 inning in relief to get the win.

On Saturday, the Vikings routed the Indians 14-2 as they improved to 10-1 in the SOC.

Mays went 4-5 with a three-run homer in the second inning to lead the offense. Jarrell was 3-5 with a double and two triples, the second triple driving in a run in the seventh inning.

Jacob Klaiber was 2-4 and McFann had a double in the win.

Kouns went 4.2 innings and got the win. He struck out nine, walked six and gave up only two hits.

The Vikings are schedule to play Chesapeake on Tuesday and Beaver Eastern on Wednesday in a league game.

They finish the their league schedule with Eastern on Monday and then travel to Portsmouth Notre Dame next Tuesday for a showdown with the first-place Titans.

Monday’s Game

Sym. Valley 504 010 1 = 11 10 1

Whiteoak 050 000 0 = 5 6 5

Tanner Mays, Dillon McFann (3) and Cameron Meadows. Justin Emory, Andrew Herzog (1), Stephen Anderson (6) and Jason Jones. W-McFann (IP-5.1, H-4, K-4, BB-2). Mays IP-2, H-2, R-5, ER-3, K-2, BB-5, HBP-1. L-Emory. Hitting-SV: Seth Jarrell 2-5, Tanner Mays 2-3, Dillon McFann 1-5, Cameron Meadows 1-3, Trent Thompson 2-3, Jonathon Kouns 1-4, Lane Wilson 1-4; Whiteoak: Justin Emeroy 3-4, Spencer Michael 1-3, Tyler Williams 2-3. 2B-SV: Tanner Mays, Dillon McFann; Whiteoak: Tyler Williams. 3B-Whiteoak: Justin Emery.

 

Saturday’s Game

Sym. Valley 330 201 5 = 14 14 1

Western 000 020 0 = 2 3 4

Jonathon Kouns, Tanner Mays (5), Dillon McFann (7) and Cameron Meadows. Humphrey and Bender. W-Kouns (IP-4.2, H-2, R-2, K-9, BB-6). Mays IP-1.1, H-1, K-3. McFann IP-1, K-2. Hitting-SV: Seth Jarrell 3-5, Tanner Mays 4-5, Jacob Klaiber 2-4, Dillon McFann 1-3, Jacob Easthom 1-3, Travis Gates 1-1, Tyler Carpenter 1-2; Western: Garrett 1-2, Bender 1-2, Boyd 1-3. 2B-SV: Seth Jarrell, Tanner Mays, Dillon McFann. 3B-SV: Seth Jarrell 2. HR-SV: Tanner Mays.