MINFORD — And the tiebreaker goes to …

The Symmes Valley Lady Vikings and Portsmouth Clay Lady Panthers split their regular season games. Saturday’s Division IV district championship game was the rubber match.

Behind the pitching of Mandi Estep, the Lady Vikings bounced Clay from the tournament with 2-1 win to earn a berth in the regional tournament for the third straight season.

“Our kids really stepped up to the challenge. I told them whoever puts the pressure on first is going to win and we got out to the lead and held on,” Lady Viking coach Jeff “Odie” Estep said.

“They made a couple of mistakes and we came up with some clutch hits.”

Estep struck out five and walked none as she allowed just six hits.

Symmes Valley, 23-4, will play Crestline at 5 p.m. Wednesday at Pickerington in the regional semifinals.

Mandi Estep doubled to start the game and went to third base on a passed ball. Emily Bowling reached on a fielder’s choice to leave runners on the corners.

After Bowling stole second base, Rebecca Capper hit a fly ball that would have scored Estep but she was called out for leaving the base early. However, an overthrow at home on the play allowed Bowling to score.

The Lady Vikings pushed the lead to 2-0 in the fifth inning.

Haily Pelletier reached on a one-out error, moved to second base on a passed ball and scored on a two-out base hit by Courtney Nelson down the left field line.

Clay had the bases loaded in the fourth inning and hit into a double play, then got runners at second and third in the sixth inning only to have Mandi Estep get two pop ups and a strikeout to end the threat.

The Lady Panthers got their only run in the bottom of the seventh inning.

Cameron Donini singled with one out and scored on a two-out double by Mallory White double, but Estep got a ground out to end the game.

“Mandi made some good pitches and we made some good plays behind her,” coach Estep said.

Sym. Valley1000100=252

Ports. Clay0000001=162

Mandi Estep and Megan Coomes. Cami Groves and Chassidy Adams. W-Estep (5-K, 0-B). L-Groves (12-K, 1-BB). 2B-Symmes Valley: Mandi Estep; Clay: xx White. Hitting-Symmes Valley: Mandi Estep 1-4, Emily Bowling 1-4, Megan Coomes 1-3, Haily Pelletier 1-3, Courtney Nelson 1-2; Ports. Clay: Cami Groves 2-3, Mallory White 1-4, Cameron Donini 1-3, Cayla Warnock 1-3, Chassidy Adams 1-3.