EASTERN — It don’t come easy.

The Symmes Valley Lady Vikings found themselves in a tough game, but they were able to rise to the challenge as they scored four runs late and beat the Eastern Lady Eagles 9-2 Monday in a Southern Ohio Conference game.

“Eastern played us tough. They made us work for everything we got. This was a good win,” said Lady Vikings’ coach Jeff “Odie” Estep.

Eastern got a run in the bottom of the first inning to take the early lead, but the Lady Vikings came back to score twice in the second inning.

Chelsea Wall and Jessie Morris singled, Brittany Foster hit into a fielder’s choice, Chelsea Keathley singled for a run and Ada Humphrey hit into a fielder’s choice to drive in the second run.

The Lady Eagles tied the game in the third inning but Symmes Valley scored a run in the fourth inning to take the lead for good.

Morris doubled, Foster walked, Humphrey hit into a force play and Nance had a run-scoring single.

The Lady Vikings added single runs in each of the fifth and sixth innings.

In the fifth, Kayla Ross singled, moved up on a wild pitch and scored on Wall’s double.

Humphrey singled in the sixth, Nance and Corn reached on errors, and Brooke Skinner grounded out as the run scored.

Symmes Valley broke the game open with four runs in the seventh inning.

With one out, Morris, Foster and Humphrey all singled for a run. Nance walked to load the bases and Corn followed with a three-run double.

Morris went 4-for-4 to lead a 16-hit assault. Ross was 3-4 while Nance, Wall, and Keathley were 2-4 and Humphrey 2-5.

Nance went four innings to get the win as she struck out two, walked one, gave up six hits and allowed one earned run. Corn finished and had three strikeouts as she set down all nine batters she faced.

The Lady Vikings host Portsmouth Notre Dame today in a conference game.

Sym. Valley 020 111 4 = 9 16 2

Eastern 101 000 0 = 2 6 3

Nikki Nance, Erica Corn (5) and Chelsea Wall. Staker and Thornsbury. W-Nance (2-K, 1-BB, 6-H, 2-R, 1-ER). Corn (3-K, 0-BB). L-Staker. 2B-Symmes Valley: Erica Corn, Jessie Morris; Eastern: Staker. Hitting-Symmes Valley: Jessie Morris 4-4, Nikki Nance 2-4, Kayla Ross 3-4, Chelsea Wall 2-4, Ada Humphrey 2-5, Chelsea Keathley 2-4, Brittany Foster 1-3; Eastern: Tackett 2-3, Pack 1-3, Thronsbury 1-3, Staker 1-2, Rapp 1-3.

Fairland 16,

Coal Grove 0

PROCTORVILLE — Sashe Burcham pulled double duty.

Burcham not only pitched a 2-hitter, but she collected three hits and drove in three runs as the Fairland Lady Dragons beat the Coal Grove Lady Hornets 16-0 in five innings Monday.

Burcham was 3-4 with two doubles and three RBIs as Fairland improved to 2-3 and 1-0 in the Ohio Valley Conference.

Jaimie Phillips had a big game as she went 2-4 with a double and three RBIs. Carrie Pinkerman was 2-4 with a double and a run batted in as Fairland banged out 11 hits.

Burcham had a two-run double in a four-run first inning that sent eight batters to the plate.

“She got us started pretty quick,” said Fairland coach Joe Auxier.

The Lady Dragons host Ironton on today.

Coal Grove 000 00 = 0 2 8

Fairland 435 4x = 16 11 0

Kemper and Wilson. Sashe Burcham, Jaimie Phillips (5) and Chloe Stanley. W-Burcham (6-K, 0-BB, 2-H). Phillips 2-K, 1-BB. L-Kemper. 2B-Fairland: Jaimie Phillips, Carrie Pinkerman, Sashe Burcham 2. Hitting-Fairland: Jaimie Phillips 2-4, Carrie Pinkerman 2-4, Sashe Burcham 3-4, Chelsea Stanley 1-3, Chloe Stanley 1-3, Miranda Hayes 1-3, Keri Napier 1-3.