PICKERINGTON - Symmes Valley Lady Vikings head coach Jeff "Odie" Estep is putting some oil on the hinges of the regional tournament door.

For only the second

time in school history and first since 1989 when Estep was an assistant, the Lady Vikings will play for a regional softball championship.

Behind the stellar pitching of Lori Harmon, Symmes Valley slipped past the Trimble Lady

Tomcats 1-0 in eight innings Wednesday to advance to the regional finals.

Symmes Valley, 26-4, will play in the regional championship game at noon Saturday against the winner of Thursday's game between Newark Catholic (18-10) and Crestline (27-3).

"We've knocked at the door a few times, but this is the first time we've been able to get it open," Estep said.

Harmon pitched 6.1 perfect innings before giving up a base hit. She ended with a two-hitter, 14 strikeouts and no walks.

"Harmon pitched a great game and we made some key catches in the infield and the outfield," Estep said. "We hit the ball hard and had chances to score, but we couldn't capitalize."

Symmes Valley had runners at first and second base in the first and second innings, and runners at first and third base in the sixth inning but they failed to score.

The Lady Vikings finally broke the scoreless battle in the bottom of the eighth inning.

Emily Bowling led off the eighth inning with a double. After Harmon was intentionally walked, the runners moved up a base on a wild pitch.

Megan Coomes was walked to load the bases and Rebecca Capper hit an 0-2 pitch for a single up the middle to score Bowling and end the game.

"We were fortunate in the eighth that Capper came through with a clutch hit. It was a heck of a game," Estep said.

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No outs when winning run scored.

Wodgerd and Andrews. Lori Harmon and Megan Coomes. W-Harmon (14-K, 0-BB). Wodgerd (4-K, 3-BB). 2B-Symmes Valley: Lori Harmon, Emily Bowling. Hitting-Trimble: Wodgerd 1-3, Jago 1-3; Symmes Valley: Lori Harmon 3-3, Emily Bowling 2-4, Rebecca Capper 1-3.