Jim Walker

jim.walker@irontontribune.com

 

PORTSMOUTH — Just like after a slide into second base, the Symmes Valley Lady Vikings need to get up and dust themselves off.

They Lady Vikings lost a showdown game 11-5 against the Portsmouth Clay Lady Panthers on Monday and need to bounce back.

Quickly.

“We just have to pick ourselves up and come back and try to get a share of the title tomorrow. We need some players to step up and take charge,” said Lady Vikings’ coach Jeff “Odie” Estep.

“We just made too many errors. Clay is a good team and you can’t give them anything.”

Portsmouth Clay is 21-3 and 13-0 in the SOC. Symmes Valley is 16-4 overall and 11-1 in the league.

The two teams meet again at Symmes Valley on Tuesday. The Lady Vikings need a win to earn a share of the league title.

The Lady Vikings took a 2-0 lead in the top of first when Taylor Webb doubled and Kaitlyn Payne belted a two-run homer to center.

Clay came back to take a 3-2 lead in the bottom of the inning.

Jensen Warnock singled, Cassidy Wells reached on an error, Tressa Carter singled and Gabby Hickman singled for two runs. Carter scored on a sacrifice fly by Julia Swain.

Symmes Valley tied the game in the third when Payne reached on an error, moved up on a wild pitch and Sarah Kingery doubled her home.

Clay scored six runs in the fourth on just two hits in the fourth inning but also got two walks and four Lady Vikings’ errors.

The Lady Vikings got a run in the fifth.

Webb was safe on an error and went to third on two wild pitches. Payne walked and stole second and Webb scored on the throw to second.

Clay got two runs in the bottom of the inning.

Bre Donahue walked, Swain had a sacrifice bunt and Hannah Oliver doubled her home. Warnock capped to rally with an RBI single.

Symmes Valley came back with a run in the sixth when Kara Saunders was safe on a fielder’s choice, went to third on two passed balls and scored on Webb’s base hit.

Webb was 2-4 as the Lady Vikings had just five hits.

Sym. Valley 201 011 0 = 5 5 6

Ports. Clay 300 620 x = 11 9 4

Kaitlyn Payne and Tiara Hatfield. Hannah Oliver and Cassidy Wells. W-Oliver (K-7, BB-4). L-Payne (K-5, BB-4). Hitting-SV: Taylor Webb 2-4 2B, Sarah Kingery 1-4 2B rbi, Kaitlyn Payne 1-2 HR rbi-2, Tiara Hatfield 1-4; Clay: Jensen Warnock 3-3, Tressa Carter 2-4, Gabby Hickman 2-4, Julia Swain 1-3, Hannah Oliver 1-3.