AID - Not only did the Symmes Valley Vikings have on their hitting shoes, they were shined to a bright gloss.

The Vikings banged out 26 hits and scored 23 runs in a pair of Southern Ohio Conference wins Friday and Saturday.

On Friday, the Vikings had 11 hits in an 11-5 win over Portsmouth Clay. They came back with 15 hits in a 15-14 come-from-behind win over Portsmouth East on Saturday.

Clay took a 1-0 lead to start Friday's game, but the Vikings came back in the bottom of the inning when Kyle Gilmore singled, Burcham was

hit by a pitch and Artrip homered.

Clay got single runs in the second and third innings to tie the game. The Vikings took the lead for good in the bottom of the third inning.

Gilmore and Artrip singled and Justin Holland doubled for the first run. Chase Higgins and Kyle Meadows followed with RBI singles.

Burcham hit a one-out solo home run in the fourth to extend the lead to 7-4.

Caleb Bland walked and came around to score on a base hit by Higgins to cap the scoring in the fifth inning.

Burcham went the distance to get the win.

In Saturday's game, Meadows hit a pair of three-run homers to spark the comeback victory.

Meadows' first blast came in the fourth inning when the Vikings cut the deficit to 14-9.

Meadows' second home run got the Vikings within 14-13 in a six-run sixth inning. Gilmore singled in the tying run and Burcham singled home Walsh with the go-ahead run.

"Those home runs were keys in winning the game. That was a real big comeback," coach John Patterson said.

Meadows finished 4-4 while Burcham and Holland each went 3-4.

Symmes Valley, 13-4 overall and 11-4 in the SOC, plays at Green Monday and Portsmouth Notre Dame Tuesday in league games. The Vikings host the sectional tournament finals Thursday.

Friday's Game

Ports. Clay111100 1-584

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Frantz and Curley. Cory Burcham and Justin Holland. W-Burcham (5-K, 3-W). L-Frantz (0-K,1-W). 2B-SV: Justin Holland. HR-Symmes Valley: Chad Artrip, Cory Burcham. Hitting-Clay: Stewart 2-4, Curley 1-3, Duduit 2-4, Frantz 1-4, Kotcamp 1-4, Fitch 1-1; Symmes Valley: Kyle Gilmore 3-4, Cory Burcham 1-3, Chad Artrip 2-3, Justin Holland 1-3, Chase Higgins 2-3, Kyle Meadows 1-3, Jesse Myers 1-3.

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Saturday's Game

Ports. East102(11)000-14106

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Kean, Peters (4) and Stiltner. Kyle Meadows, Justin Walsh (3), Matt Owens (4), Chase Higgins (6) and Justin Holland. W-Higgins (2-K, 1-W). L-Peter. HR-Symmes Valley: Kyle Meadows 2. Hitting-East: Henderson 3-4, Adkins 2-4, Peters 1-3, Kean 1-3, Stiltner 1-3, Luther 1-4, Williams 1-4; Symmes Valley: Kyle Gilmore 1-3, Tyler Dickess 1-1, Cory Burcham 3-4, Justin Holland 3-4, Caleb Bland 1-5, Kyle Meadows 4-4, Derek Carpenter 1-2, Justin Walsh 1-3, Matt Owens 1-4.