Jim Walker
jim.walker@irontontribune.com

AID — It took extra innings and an extra day but the Portsmouth Clay Panthers finally brought the game to an end.
Clay scored a run in the 11th inning and held on to edge the Symmes Valley Vikings a heartbreaking 5-4 loss on Thursday.
The game tied 4-4 when it was suspended in the eighth inning on Monday of last week. With the win, Clay was able to clinch the Southern Ohio Conference title.
“We couldn’t get the bats going. We had our chances. But I can’t fault my kids’ effort. They played hard the whole game and didn’t quit. I’m proud of them,” said Vikings’ coach Chad Renfroe.
Symmes Valley had just three hits as Caden Brammer, Tanner McComas and Brayden Webb all had singles. Webb was walked intentionally five times.
The Vikings’ Devin Renfroe and the Panthers’ Clay Cottle were locked in a scoreless battle until the sixth inning when Clay (14-6, 11-0) put together a four-run rally.
Cottle doubled and scored on a hit by Jaden Jessee who then stole second and scored on Evan Woods’ RBI single. Carson Porginski singled and the runners moved up on an error. Mitchell King was safe on an error as two runs scored.
The Vikings (14-3, 9-3) rallied and tied the game in the bottom of the seventh.
Levi Best reached on an error, Levi Niece was hit by a pitch and then Webb, A.J. Littreal, Renfroe and McComas all walked to score three runs. Nick Strow hit into a fielder’s choice to score the fourth run.
But Cottle was able to get out of the inning as the Vikings left the bases loaded.
The pitchers continued to dominate the game until the Panthers managed to manufacture a run in the 11th.
Shaden Malone led off with a single, Cottle and Jessee walked and Woods hit a sacrifice fly.
The Vikings did manage to threaten in the ninth inning only to come up empty.
McComas singled and was sacrificed over to second base. But Best hit a screaming liner to the outfield that was caught and the next batter struck out to end the threat.
Porginski was 3-6 and Cottle 3-5 as Clay had 10 hits.
Symmes Valley plays at Rock Hill on Monday.
Ports. Clay 000 004 000 01 = 5 10 2
Sym. Valley 000 000 400 00 = 4 3 1
Clay Cottle, Shaden Malone (4), Clay Cottle (7) and Mitchell King. Devin Renfroe, Brayden Webb (6), Caden Brammer (6), A.J. Littreal (6), Brayden Webb (8) and Nick Strow. W-Cottle (8.1 H-3, R-4, ER-4, K-14, BB-8, HB-2). Malone (IP-2.2, H-0, R-0, K-6, BB-4). L-Webb (IP-3.2, H-4, R-3, ER-3, K-5, BB-4, 2-IBB). Renfroe (IP-5.1, H-2, R-0, K-5, BB-5). Brammer (IP-0.1, H-2, R-2, ER-0, K-1, BB-0). Littreal (IP-1.2, K-3, BB-1). Hitting-PC: Shaden Malone 1-5, Clay Cottle 3-5, Jaden Jessee 1-5, Evan Wood 1-4, Carson Porginski 3-6, Mitchell King 1-4; SV: Caden Brammer 1-4, Brayden Webb 1-1 5-BB, Tanner McComas 1-3.