MINFORD – Eric Holland didn’t just think about it.

Sunday, May 13, 2001

MINFORD – Eric Holland didn’t just think about it. He put his thoughts into action.

Knowing what he had to do, Holland did just that as the junior catcher singled home the go-ahead runs that gave the Symmes Valley Vikings a 4-1 win over the Green Bobcats Friday in the Division IV district semifinals.

With the score tied 1-1 and runners at second and third, Holland singled to drive them home and give the Vikings the lead for good.

"He threw me an outside pitch and I just went with it," Holland said of his hit. "I was just thinking base hit all the way. I’d already seen him twice. I knew what he had. I just sat back and waited for the pitch I wanted."

Symmes Valley, 13-10, will now play New Boston Wednesday at Minford High School. The game originally was set for 5 p.m. but may be moved back to 7 p.m. under the lights.

The winning rally in the bottom of the sixth began when Justin Myers reached on an error and Johnny Scott went in as a pinch-runner.

Adam Corn then singled to left only to have the next batter popped out. Nathan Pinkerman then put down a sacrifice bunt as both runners moved into scoring position. Holland fell behind 0-2 in the count, then went even at 2-2 before getting his base hit to right field.

Terry Elswick followed with a pinch-hit single to center and an outfield error allowed Holland to score the final run.

"When we had to execute, we got the job done," Vikings coach Rusty Webb said. "Nathan Pinkerman did his job getting the bunt down, and Eric Holland came up with the big hit to put us ahead. Holland’s a three-year starter and he’s supposed to step up and that’s what he did.

"And Terry Elswick did an excellent job to get us the insurance run and some breathing room."

Green tried to rally in the bottom of the inning against Myers.

With one out, Joe Salyers walked , moved up on a ground out, and then Jesse Ferrell walked to put runners at first and second. But Myers struck out the next batter to end the game.

Myers tossed a 3-hitter as he struck out 12, walked two and hit two batters. Of his strikeouts, 10 came in the first four innings.

"That’s not my best game," said Myers. "I think the sun got to me tonight. But when our guys got those runs and we went back up, I said ‘All right.’ "

Green’s Jeff Dixon pitched well in defeat. Dixon allowed six hits, struck out seven, walked two, and only one run was earned.

"It wasn’t our best hitting effort, but I think Dixon had a lot to do with that," Webb said.

Green, 8-10, took a 1-0 lead in the fifth inning with one out.

Jeff Dixon singled to center, Stole second, went to third when Salyers grounded out, and came home on a bunt singled by Dustin Adkins.

Ferrell was safe on an error and Brad Bainer was hit by a pitch to load the bases, but Myers enticed the next batter to fly out to center and end the rally.

Symmes Valley tied the game in the bottom of the inning when Josh Robinson got a two-out double and Joseph Patterson followed with a run-scoring single to center.

Patterson was the only batter to get two hits in the game as he went 2-for-3.

Green 000 010 0 – 1 3 4

Sym. Valley 000 013 x – 4 6 1

Jeff Dixon and Justin Voiers. Justin Myers and Eric Holland. W-Myers 5-1 (12-K, 2-W, 1-ER). L-Dixon (7-K, 2-W, 1-ER). WP-Dixon, Myers 2. HBP-by Myers (Matt Riffe, Brad Bainer). SB-Green: Matt Riffe, Jeff Dixon. Sac-Symmes Valley: Nathan Pinkerman. DP-Symmes Valley (6th). LOB-Green 4, Symmes Valley 5. 2B-Green: Kyle Dyer; Symmes Valley: Josh Robinson. Hitting-Green: Kyle Dyer 1-3, Jeff Dixon 1-3, Dustin Adkins 1-3; Symmes Valley: Josh Robinson 1-3, Joseph Patterson 2-3 (RBI), Adam Corn 1-3, Eric Holland 1-2 (2 RBI), Terry Elswick 1-1.