MINFORD -- Few hits and fewer runs meant only one thing: a pitchers' duel.

Symmes Valley's Lori Harmon and Leesburg Fairfield's Danielle Holden locked up in a battle Wednesday that saw the teams combine for only three hits.

Fairfield had just one hit but managed to come away with a 1-0 win over the Lady Vikings in the Division IV district tournament softball semifinals.

Holden struck out nine and walked one. Harmon fanned seven and issued just one walk.

"They had a good pitcher. She threw the ball well. She had a good change-up that kept us off balance," Vikings coach Jeff "Odie" Estep said."But Harmon threw well for us. It's a shame because either team could have won."

The only run of the game came in the third.

Priest was hit by a pitch, Moore was safe on an error, Chain hit into a fielder's choice, and a wild pitch scored

the runner from third.

Tommie Holbrook and Kayla Bowman had the only Viking hits. Holden had Leesburg's lone hit.

Despite the loss, Estep was proud of his team's accomplishments this season.

"We had a good season. The girls really turned it around this year. They young kids stepped up and played for us," Estep said.

Symmes valley finished 15-9 on the season and runners-up in the Southern Ohio Conference league. The Lady Vikings were 8-13 last season.

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Lori Harmon and Tommie Holbrook. Danielle Holden and Katy Chain. W-Holden (9-K, 1-W). H-Harmon (7-K, 1-W). Hitting-Symmes Valley: Tommie Holbrook 1-3, Kayla Bowman 1-3; Leesburg Fairfield: Danielle Holden 1-2. Jim Walker/The Ironton Tribune