By Jim Walker

jim.walker@irontontribune.com

RIO GRANDE — In baseball or softball, a batter has to take a round bat and hit a round ball square.

Symmes Valley made the contact but the Lady Vikings had trouble squaring up as they lost 3-1 to the Manchester Lady Greyhounds in the Division 4 district semifinals on Tuesday.

The Lady Vikings struck out just once as they managed only 5 hits.

“We hit the ball, we just didn’t hit it square. Wells pitched her tail off. She kept the ball down and threw strikes. It just wasn’t meant to be,” said Lady Vikings’ coach Jeff “Odie” Estep.

Lauren Wells pitched well in defeat. She gave up only 5 hits, 2 earned runs, struck out 5 and walked only one in going the distance.

The Lady Greyhounds (15-4) got a pair of runs in the first inning.

With one out, Jenna Campbell reached on a fielder’s choice, Emilee Applegate walked, Kameyl Carter reached on an error that allowed Applegate to score and Carter scored on a double by Young.

The Vikings (12-10) came back in the bottom of the inning to cut the deficit to 2-1.

Kylie Thompson led of with a double, Wells put down a sacrifice and Emma Ridenour got an RBI single.

But Manchester scored an insurance run in the fourth inning.

Rylie Young led off with a double, Maggie Roberts reached on an error and Ashleigh Dunn hit into a fielder’s choice to score Young.

Before the season, pitching ace and one of the team’s best hitters Savannah Mart suffered a knee injury and was lost for the year. Estep said the leadership of seniors Kylie Jenkins, Kylie Thompson and Lauren Wells were instrumental in the Symmes Valley success.

“I’m proud of all the girls. They stepped up. They won some games they probably shouldn’t have won. When Savannah went down, I didn’t know if we would just pack it in or step it up. But our seniors gave us some great leadership,” said Estep.

Desiree Simpson went 2-3 with a double to lead the Lady Vikings’ offense. Thompson was 1-3 with a double and Jocelyn Carpenter and Ridenour were 1-3.

Manchester 200 100 0 = 3 5 0

Sym. Valley 100 000 0 = 1 5 3

Emilee Applegate and Maggie Robert. Lauren Wells and Jocelyn Carpenter. W-Applegate (IP-7.0, H-5, R-1, ER-1, K-1, BB-0). L-Wells (IP-7.0, H-5, R-3, ER-2, K-5, BB-1). Hitting-MHS: Rylie Young 2-3 2-2B, Maggie Roberts 1-3, Emilee Applegate 1-3, Jenna Campbell 1-4; SV: Desiree Simpson 2-3 2B, Kylie Thompson 1-3 2B, Jocelyn Carpenter 1-3, Emma Ridenour 1-3.