Jim Walker
jim.walker@irontontribune.com

LATHAM — Glenn Frey sang it and Kassie Baldwin played it.
“The pressure’s high, just to stay alive, ‘Cause the heat is on,” Frey wrote in his song “The Heat Is On.”
The pressure was on Baldwin who not only kept the Symmes Valley Lady Vikings alive but gave them a win.
Baldwin hit the first of two foul shots with 1.2 seconds on the block as the Lady Vikings edged the Western Lady Indians 61-60 on Wednesday in a Southern Ohio Conference game.
“There was a lot of pressure on Baldwin and she clutched up,” said Lady Vikings’ coach Alvin Carpenter.
“Anytime you go on the road and get a win, you have to be happy with the results. I was proud of how our girls played. They made some clutch plays.”
Jensyn Shepherd had 19 points, 12 rebounds and five blocked shots for the Lady Vikings. Baldwin finished with 11 points.
Sierra Ross had 14 rebounds, 10 assists and four steals while Payton Walsh had 11 rebounds.
C.C. Shanks scored 20 points while Haley Whitt and Kylie Tong got 10 each for Western.
Ross and Crabtree each went 2-of-2 at the foul line down the stretch to put the Lady Vikings ahead, but Shanks — who had eight points in the quarter — came up with a steal and scored with six seconds left to tie the game.
On the inbounds play Baldwin was fouled and hit the first of two foul shots with 1.2 seconds left to play to give the Lady Vikings the win.
Shepherd scored eight in the first quarter as Symmes Valley took an 18-8 lead.
Tong had eight points in the second quarter to offset six by Ross as Western rallied to get within 31-28 at the half.
Western came back to tie the game 42-42 at the end of the third quarter.
Walsh scored seven in the fourth to set up Baldwin’s winning shot.
The Lady Vikings are 15-5 overall and 9-3 in the SOC.
“We played Monday in a real physical game. Tonight we got a lead and then lost the lead but came back and won. Those are two good games to play to get ready for the tournament,” said Carpenter.
Symmes Valley visits Portsmouth Clay on Thursday and hosts New Boston on Monday.
Sym. Valley    18    13    11    19    =    61
Western    8    20    14    18    =    60
SYMMES VALLEY (15-5, 9-3): Kaitlyn Crabtree 3 0 2-2 8, Jensyn Shepherd 8 0 2-4 18, Sierra Ross 0 2 2-4 8, Rachael Hayes 1 0 0-0 2, Kinsey Kitts 0 0 0-0 0, Chelsye Napier 0 0 0-0 0, Hailee Littlejohn 0 0 0-0 0, Kassie Baldwin 3 1 2-4 11, Payton Walsh 0 2 2-4 8, Taylor Sells 3 0 0-0 6, Kinsey Kazee 0 0 0-0 0. Totals: 23-67 10-18 61. Rebounds: 54 (Ross 14, Shepherd 12, Walsh 11). Assists: 15 (Ross 10). Blocked shots: 6 (Shepherd 5). Steals: 10 (Crabtree 5, Ross 4). Turnovers: 11. Fouls: 15. Fouled out: None.
WESTERN (NA): Sylvia Evans 3 0 0-1 6, Haley Whitt 1 0 8-9 10, C.C. Shanks 2 3 7-8 20, Sierra Bowles 1 0 0-0 2, Kaylee Shepherd 3 0 2-2 8, Shalee Gray 2 0 0-0 4, Kylie Tong 2 2 0-0 10, Taylor Horner 0 0 0-0 0. Totals: 14 5 17-20 60. Fouls: 15. Fouled out: None.