Jim Walker
jim.walker@irontontribune.com

PEDRO — Youth reared its head.
With only two seniors on the roster, the inexperience was apparent as the Symmes Valley Lady Vikings opened the season with a pair of losses on Saturday, falling 15-1 to the Gallipolis Blue Angels and 8-4 to the Coal Grove Lady Hornets.
“We’ve played well in our scrimmages, but when the real lights came on we showed how young we were,” said Lady Vikings’ coach Jeff “Odie” Estep.
Hunter Copley threw a one-hitter as Gallipolis won in five innings at the Rock Hill “Queen of the Hill” tournament. Copley fanned six and walked two.
Sierra Ross had the lone hit for Symmes Valley.
Gallipolis blew the game open with a seven-run fourth on five hits and four errors.
The Lady Vikings lost to Coal Grove as the Lady Hornets’ Kasey Murphy outdueled the Lady Vikings’ Sarah Kingery.
Murphy gave up five hits, struck out seven and walked one. Kingery allowed seven hits, fanned seven and did not walk a batter.
Coal Grove got a run in the third on a hit by Lauren Myers who moved up on a ground out, came to third on Leah Crum’s base hit and scored on a wild pitch.
Symmes Valley took the lead with three runs in the bottom of the inning.
Emily Sharp reached on an error, Sierra Ross singled, and Taylor Webb had a two-run double. Webb stole third and came home when Hannah Newcomb grounded out.
The Lady Hornets got a run in the fourth when Amaya Waulk doubled, Waller sacrificed her to third and she scored on a passed ball.
Murphy put Coal Grove up 5-3 lead in the fourth on a home run after Myers singled and Gracie Riley reached on an error.
The lead went to 6-3 in the top of the sixth on two errors, a fielder’s choice and a passed ball.
The Lady Vikings got the run back when Webb was safe on an error and scored on Kara Saunders’ ground out.
Coal Grove added  two runs in the seventh.
Murphy and Crum singled, McKenzie Moore was safe on a fielder’s choice, a wild pitch scored Murphy and Khylee Keaton hit into a fielder’s choice for an RBI.
Symmes Valley hosts Chesapeake on Monday.
First Game
Gallipolis        330    72    =    15    14    3
Sym. Valley        000    10    =    1    1    8
Hunter Copley and Jenna Meadows. Kara Saunders and Erica Ross. W-Copley. L-Saunders. Hitting-Gallia: Jenna Meadows 3-4 HR, Alex Barnes 2-4, Hunter Copley 2-3, Kimberly Edelmann 2-4, Bailey Meadows 2-4, Carly Shriver 1-4, Kenedie Roush 1-1, Paxton Roberts 1-4; SV: Sierra Ross 1-2.
——
Second Game
Coal Grove    001    131    2    =    8    7    3
Sym. Valley    003    001    0    =    4    5    4
Kasey Murphy and Leah Crum. Sarah Kingery and Erica Ross. W-Murphy (K-7, BB-1). L-Kingery (K-7, BB-0). Hitting-CG: Lauren Myers 2-4, Kasey Murphy 2-4 HR, Leah Crum 2-4, Amaya Waulk 1-4; SV: Sierra Ross 2-3, Taylor Webb 1-3, Sarah Kingery 1-4, Hailee Littlejohn 1-1.