By Jim Walker

jim.walker@irontontribune.com

AID — It was senior night and the Symmes Valley senior players wanted to extend their home playing careers as long as they could.

About 12 innings long.

The Lady Vikings got a run in the bottom of the 12th inning as they outlasted the Rock Hill Redwomen 4-3 in a non-league game on Thursday.

“I will say this, both teams held their composure. We had opportunities to score and they shut us down and they had opportunities to score and we shut them down. But hats off to Rock Hill. They played well,” said Lady Vikings’ coach Jeff “Odie” Estep.

The win was a memorable sendoff for seniors Kylie Jenkins, Kylie Thompson and Lauren Wells.

“It’ll be something our seniors will have great memories of 20 years from now,” said Estep.

Rock Hill got all its runs in the fourth inning.

Aleigha Matney walked, Charlee Long hit into fielder’s choice, Nevaeh Hackworth singled and Abby Morrison singled in a run. Shaylin Matney singed in a second run and Isabelle Melvin was safe on an error as a run scored.

The Lady Vikings tied the game in the sixth.

Desiree Simpson singled and scored on a one-out double by Emma Ridenour. Lily Schneider singled to put runners on the corners and Jordie Ellison had an RBI single. Jenkins grounded out as a run scored.

In the bottom of the 12th, Thompson singled leading off the inning, Wells put down a sacrifice bunt and Simpson singled to centerfield to drive home Thompson.

Wells pitched a complete game for the win. She gave up 5 hits, 2 earned runs, fanned 6, walked 3 and hit a batter.

Melvin worked 11.1 innings in taking the loss. She gave up 10 hits, 4 earned runs, struck out 4 and walked one.

“Both pitchers pitched well. They both got in three jams and worked out of them,” said Estep.

Simpson led the Vikings as she went 4-6. Ridenour was 3-5, Thompson 2-6, Ellison 2-5 and both Schneider and Wells 1-5.

Hackworth was 2-6, Montana Casey 1-2 and both Morrison and Shaylin Matney 1-5 for Rock Hill.

Rock Hill 000 300 000 000 = 3 5 3

Sym. Valley 000 003 000 001 = 4 10 3

Isabelle Melvin and Shaylin Matney. Lauren Wells and Jocelyn Carpenter. W-Wells (IP-12.0, H-5, R-3, ER-2, K-6, BB-3, HBP-1). L-Melvin (IP-11.1, H-10, R-4, ER-4, K-4, BB-1). Hitting-RH: Nevaeh Hackworth 2-6, Abby Morrison 1-5, Shaylin Matney 1-5, Montana Casey 1-2; SV: Desiree Simpson 4-6, Emma Ridenour 3-5, Kylie Thompson 2-6, Jordie Ellison 2-5, Lily Schneider 1-5, Lauren Wells 1-5.