Jim Walker
jim.walker@irontontribune.com

BEAVER — Sometimes it’s not how many hits you get but when you get them.
Chayden Renfroe pitched a three-hitter but the Symmes Valley Vikings lost 4-3 to the Eastern Eagles in a Southern Ohio Conference game on Friday.
“We had and error and they got one timely hit and that was the difference,” said Vikings’ coach Chad Renfroe.
“Chayden pitched well enough to win. You give up three hits you should win. We just couldn’t get a timely hit.”
Renfroe struck out eight and walked six — one intentionally — in going the distance.
Cole Haislop pitched a five-hitter for Eastern. He struck out nine and walked one.
The Vikings took a 2-0 lead in the first inning.
Payton Hayes singled and Sam Angelo had an RBI double.
Nick Klaiber then reached on an error and Angelo scored.
The Vikings went up 3-0 in the third.
Laykin Gothard and Hayes singled, moved up on an error and Gothard scored on a balk.
The Eagles got a run in the fourth when Clay Martin walked, moved up on a passed ball, took third on an error and scored on a ground out.
Eastern went ahead with three runs in the fifth.
Ethan Leist reached on a three-base error and scored on a sacrifice fly by Evan Leist.
Parker Clemmons then singled, Martin walked, and after a wild pitch Dalton Tomlinson was intentionally walked. Austin Canady crossed up the strategy with a two-run single.
Hayes was 2-4 for the Vikings — the only batter with multiple hits.
Symmes Valley hosts Oak Hill on Thursday.
Sym. Valley    201    000    0    =    3    5    2
Eastern        000    130    x    =    4    3    3
Chayden Renfroe and Laykin Gothard. Cole Haislop and Clay Martin. W-Haislop (K-9, BB-1). L-Renfroe (K-8, BB-5. IBB-1). Hitting-SV: Laykin Gothard 1-4, Hayes 2-4, Sam Angelo 1-3 2B, Derek Brace 1-3; BE: Parker Clemmons 1-3, Dalton Tomlinson 1-2, Austin Canaday 1-2.