By JIM WALKER

Tribune Sports Editor

 

AID — Buckle your safety belts. The Symmes Valley Vikings are in the driver’s seat.

The Vikings used a two-run homer by Tanner Mays to edge the Portmsouth Notre Dame Titans 5-4 on Monday to take a one-game lead in the Southern Ohio Conference race.

Symmes Valley is now 12-9 overall but 11-1 in the conference with three games to play. Notre Dame is 8-2 in the conference with four league games to go.

“We control our own destiny now,” said Vikings’ coach Chad Renfroe. “The kids played so hard and Mitchell threw a heck of a game. He’s really grown up a lot this year.”

Mitchell Corn got the win as he struck out nine, walked two, hit two and gave up 10 hits.

Tyler Noel took the loss as he struck out six, walked six, hit two batters, gave up just four hits and only two runs were earned.

The Vikings took a 3-0 lead in the first inning.

Alec Herrell reached on an error, Scott Dial put down a sacrifice, Mays was safe on an error as a run score, Garrett Foster hit into a fielder’s choice and Corn singled home two runs.

The Titans got within 3-2 in the top of the fifth on a two-run singled by Adam Cooper after singles by Noel and Brad Pierron and an outfield error.

But the Vikings answered in the bottom of the inning on a walk to Cody Myers and then Mays slammer a two-run homer with no outs.

Notre Dame rallied for two runs in the sixth to make it 5-4.

Jacob Milani walked, Noel singled and Pierron had a two-run single.

But Corn shut down the Titans in the seventh to preserve the win.

“I like playing Notre Dame because it’s always a great game. They’re a class act,” said Renfro.

In the Division IV sectionals, Symmes Valley hosts Trimble on Wednesday.

Notre Dame 000 022 0 = 4 10 2

Sym. Valley 300 020 x = 5 4 2

Tyler Noel and Michael Mader. Mitchell Corn and Alec Herrell. W-Corn (K-9, BB-2, HBP-2, ER-4). L-Noel (K-6, BB-6, HBP-2, ER-2). 2B-PND: Brad Pierron. HR-SV: Tanner Mays. Hitting-PND: Tyler Noel 2-3, Brad Pierron 3-4, Adam Cooper 2-4, Michael Mader 1-4, Zach Kayser 1-4, Jacob Milani 1-3; SV: Tanner Mays 1-4, Scott Dial 1-2, Dylan Pelletier 1-1, Mitchell Corn 1-3.