Fast start lifts Lions by Vikings

Published 12:00 am Friday, May 19, 2000

The Symmes Valley Vikings got a good start, but the Leesburg Fairfield Lions started even better as they posted a 5-2 win Thursday to capture the Division IV district championship.

Friday, May 19, 2000

The Symmes Valley Vikings got a good start, but the Leesburg Fairfield Lions started even better as they posted a 5-2 win Thursday to capture the Division IV district championship.

Email newsletter signup

Symmes Valley jumped on Lions starter Dan Cannon for two runs in the top of the first, but Fairfield answered with four runs in the bottom of the inning of Vikings ace Justin Myers who lost for just the second time this season.

"The one inning got us," Vikings coach Rusty Webb said.

Cannon and Myers matched each other almost the entire game. Each gave up three hits, each walked three, and Myers struck out 10 while Cannon fanned nine.

"I’ll take the blame for this one," Webb said. "I underestimated their pitcher. I saw him pitch the other day and he wasn’t as effective as he was today. He got his breaking ball over and he mixed his pitches well and kept us off-balance."

Jeremy Simpson walked to start the game, stole second, and scored thanks to a pair of wild pitches.

After a strikeout, Anthony Owens walked, Myers singled, and Adam Corn had a two-out, run-scoring single to center.

But the Lions came right back.

With one out, Justin Bennington walked, stole second, and scored on a double by center by Jared Kiesling.

Cannon walked and both runners moved up a base on a wild pitch. Josh Akins delivered a two-run singled to put the Lions ahead 3-2.

Jarod Haines hit into a fielder’s choice for the second out, but Jeff Rinehart tripled to left-center and it was 4-2.

The Lions got an unearned run in the third. Cannon walked with one out, stole second, and scored when Haines’ ground ball to short was thrown away at first base.

Fairfield had two other scoring chances thanks to Viking errors.

Kiesling reached on a dropped fly ball with two outs in the fifth. Pinch-runner Ben Fryman stole second and went to third on a wild pitch, but he was left stranded.

Haines reached with one out in the sixth when his deep fly ball to right-center was dropped. Pinch-runner Craig Morris took third on a wild pitch, but Myers ended the threat with two straight strikeouts.

Cannon walked Jeremy Copley to start the second inning, but he retired 17 straight batters until Copley had a two-out single in the seventh. Cannon got the next batter to fly out to right field to end the game.

"We didn’t hit the ball well, and when we did hit the ball, it was right at someone," said Webb. "I thought Noah Henson and Adam Corn played well defensively. But I don’t want to take anything away from (Fairfield). They played a good ball game."

Symmes Valley finished the season 15-3, won the Southern Ohio Conference, and were district runners-up. Webb had nothing but praise despite the loss.

"I’m proud of the kids. They played well all year," said Webb. "And I’ve got to thank our fans. They really supported us during the regular season and the tournament."

Leesburg Fairfield is now 17-6 on the season.

Sym. Valley 200 000 0 – 2 3 3

Fairfield 401 000 x – 5 3 1

Justin Myers and Anthony Owens. Dan Cannon and Josh Akins. W-Cannon (9-K, 3-W). L-Myers (10-K, 3-W). WP-Myers 3, Cannon 2. LOB-Symmes Valley 3, Fairfield 3. SB-Symmes Valley: Jeremy Simpson; Fairfield: Justin Bennington, Dan Cannon, Ben Fryman. 2B-Fairfield: Jared Kiesling. 3B-Fairfield: Jeff Rinehart. Hitting: Symmes Valley: Justin Myers 1-3, Adam Corn 1-3, Jeremy Copley 1-2; Fairfield: Jared Kiesling 1-3, Josh Akins 1-3, Jeff Rinehart 1-3.