PORTSMOUTH — It took a while for the Symmes Valley Lady Vikings to get going, but once they did, there was no stopping them.

Symmes Valley needed the final two innings to break open a close game and beat the Portsmouth Notre Dame Lady Titans 12-3 Tuesday in a Southern Ohio Conference game.

“We hit the ball well up until the sixth, but we hit the ball right at people and we couldn’t get any hits together,” Lady Vikings coach Jeff “Odie” Estep said.

That all changed in the sixth and seventh innings as the Lady Vikings got 10 of their 14 hits and scored nine runs.

Symmes Valley started the scoring with two runs in the first inning.

With one out, Emily Bowling was safe on an error, Rebecca Capper walked, Megan Coomes had a run-scoring single and Tasha Pointer was safe on an error as a run scored.

Notre Dame got two runs in the third inning to tie the game, but Symmes Valley scored a run in the fifth inning to take the lead for good.

Bowling singled with two outs, Capper walked and Coomes singled.

The Lady Vikings broke the game open with five runs in the sixth inning.

Libby Ash singled to start the inning, Julie Carter doubled her home and Kayla Justice tripled for a run. Mandy Estep singled to drive in Justice.

Bowling, Coomes and Pointer followed with singles to produce two more runs.

After Notre Dame got a run in the sixth inning, Symmes Valley added four insurance runs in the seventh.

Carter and Justice singled, Mindy Shope reached on an error for the first run. Mandy Estep was safe on an error for the second run, Bowling hit a sacrifice fly and Coomes singled in the final run.

Mandy Estep pitched a four-hitter for the win. She struck out 12 and did not walk a batter.

Symmes Valley, 15-2 and 9-1 in the SOC, plays at East Wednesday for a league game.

Sym. Valley2000154=12141

Notre Dame0020010=345

Mandy Estep and Megan Coomes. Keller and Lansing. W-Estep (12-K, 0-BB). L-Keller (5-K, 2-BB). 2B-SV: Julie Carter; PND: Keller. 3B-S: Kayla Justice. Hitting-Symmes Valley: Megan Coomes 4-5, Kayla Justice 2-4, Julie Carter 2-3, Emily Bowling 2-5, Mandy Estep 1-5, Rebecca Capper 1-3, Tasha Pointer 1-5, Libby Ash 1-4; Notre Dame: Lansing 2-3, Keller 13, Glockner 1-3.