Jim Walker
jim.walker@irontontribune.com

RIO GRANDE — In a game that had 21 runs, the Symmes Valley Lady Vikings’ bats just ran out.
The Lady Vikings had a seventh inning rally fall just short as they lost an 11-10 heartbreaker to the Peebles Lady Indians in the Division 4 district finals at the University of Rio Grande on Saturday.
“It was a heck of a game. If you had told me we would score 10 runs against that team I’d never dreamed we would lose. We didn’t have a kid strike out. It was just whomever was going to get the breaks,” said coach Estep. “It’s a game of inches.”
Symmes Valley had 11 hits with Savannah Mart going 4-for-4 with a home run and four runs batted in. Kelsie Gothard was 2-4 with a double, triple and two RBI.
Peebles Avery Storer was 2-3 with a triple, a home run and six RBI. Marisa Moore was 3-4 with a double while Baylie Johnston and Lanie Johnston each went 2-4.
The Lady Viking took a 4-0 lead with a pair of runs in each of the first and third innings.
In the first, Kylee Thompson singled and scored on Gothard’s triple. Mart followed with an RBI single.
In the third, Thompson was safe on an error, Gothard had an RBI double but was thrown out at third base. Mart then hit a solo home run.
Peebles came back with three runs in the bottom of the third.
Caydence Carroll walked and Moore doubled. After a line out, Kyndell Lloyd walked and Storer hit a bases-clearing triple.
Symmes Valley went up 7-3 lead in the top of the fifth.
Desiree Simpson single, Thompson walked and Gothard grounded out as the runners advance. Mart singled home both runners and courtesy runner Makya Mays stole second and scored on Emily Estep’s ground out.
But Peebles scored four runs in the bottom of the fifth.
Moore and Baylie Johnston singled and Lloyd walked to load the bases. Emmi Nichols hit a sacrifice fly. Storer followed with the big blow as she slammed a three-run homer.
In the sixth, Kylee Jenkins was safe on an error. Kaitlyn Stevenson hit into a fielder’s choice, Simpson was safe on an error and Thompson hit a sacrifice fly to score Jenkins.
The Lady Indians got four more runs in the sixth with one out.
Moore, Baylie Johnston and Lloyd all singled for a run. Nichols singled to drive in two runs and Lanie Johnson had a two-out single to drive in the final run and make it 11-8.
The Lady Vikings rallied in the seventh only to come up a run short.
Mart led off with a single and after a force out Jocelyn Carpenter singled. Lilly Schneider singled for one run and Jordy Ellison reached on an error for the second run.
Symmes Valley will lose only seniors Emily Estep, Kelsie Gothard and Kaitlyn Stevenson from a team that finished the season 18-9.
“We had a good season. The kids played hard and the kids grew up a lot,” said coach Estep. “We say farewell to three seniors who did a lot for our program and they will be missed.”
Peebles (12-12) will play Portsmouth Notre Dame in the regional semifinals.
Sym. Valley 202 031 2 = 10 11 0
Peebles 003 044 x = 11 12 2
Savannah Mart, Kyliee Thompson (6) and Jocelyn Carpenter. Lanie Johnston and Lily McFarland. W-Johnston (IP-7.0, H-11, R-10, ER-7, K-0, BB-2). Mart (IP-5.2, H-10, R-10, ER-6, BB-4, K-3). R-Thompson (IP-0.1, H-2, R-1, ER-1). Hitting-SV: Savannah Mart 4-4 HR 4-RBI, Kelsie Gothard 2-4 2-RBI 2B 3B, Desiree Simpson 1-5, Kylee Thompson 1-3, Jocelyn Carpenter 1-4, Kylee Jenkins 1-2, Lilly Schneider 1-1 RBI, Emily Estep RBI; PHS: Marisa Moore 3-4 2B, Baylie Johnston 2-4, Avery Storer 2-3 3B HR, Lanie Johnston 2-4.