MINFORD— After playing like they were having a nervous breakdown, the Symmes Valley Lady Vikings broke down the Lucasville Valley Lady Indians.

Appearing nervous, the Lady Vikings were guilty of four errors early in the game that led to a pair of unearned runs. But Symmes Valley bounced back to beat Lucasville 5-2 on Tuesday in the Division IV district softball semifinals.

“We seemed a little tense starting out. We had some errors in the first three innings, but then we settled down,” said Lady Vikings’ coach Jeff “Odie” Estep.

“Libby (Ash) only had two strikeouts and that’s the least we’ve had, so we had to play defense and we did after the first few innings.”

Valley had only two runners reach base after the third inning.

“Libby did a good job keeping them off-balance with her changeup,” said Estep. “And we got some clutch hits in the innings we scored.”

Symmes Valley (18-5) plays at Sciotoville East at 4:30 p.m. on Wednesday in their final league game, then face Portsmouth Clay at 1 p.m. on Saturday in the district finals at Minford High School.

Portsmouth Clay beat Waterford 5-1 in the first game.

Lucasville got an unearned run in the top of the second only to have the Lady Vikings scored twice in the bottom of the frame.

Chelsea Wall doubled to start the inning, went to third on a wild pitch and scored when Kayla Ross grounded out.

Jessie Morris followed with a base hit, stole second base and came around to score on two passed balls.

Symmes Valley stole nine bases.

“Any time you get some timely hits with people on base, you’re going to score some runs. And we were aggressive running the bases,” said Estep.

Lucasville tied the game with an unearned run in the third only to have Symmes Valley get three runs in the fourth inning to decide the outcome.

Morris and Brooke Skinner singled with one out and Julie Carter had a two-run double. A wild pitch sent Carter to third and she scored when Ash grounded out.

Lucasville 011 000 0 = 2 3 2

Sym. Valley 020 300 x = 5 5 4

Dillow and Shepherd. Libby Ash and Chelsea Wall. W-Ash (2-K, 0-BB, 0-ER). L-Dillow (6-K, 2-BB). 2B-LV: Dillow; SV: Haily Pelletier, Chelsea Wall, Julie Carter. Hitting-LV: Dillow 1-3, Patrick 1-3, Mills 1-3; Symmes Valley: Jessie Morris 2-3, Brooke Skinner 1-2, Julie Carter 1-3, Chelsea Wall 1-3, Haily Pelletier 1-3.