Newark – Playing bigger schools didn’t bother the Symmes Valley Lady Vikings.

Monday, April 17, 2000

Newark – Playing bigger schools didn’t bother the Symmes Valley Lady Vikings. Their problem was with their own defense.

Facing Amherst Steele with 651 girls and Wapakoneta St. Mary’s with more than 800 girls, Symmes Valley played two excellent games only to come up on the short end at the Newark Tournament.

"We played two Division I schools and hung with them," Vikings coach Jeff "Odie" Estep said. "We played well and we know we can play with the bigger schools."

Candace Sharp fired a two-hitter and struck out 12 in the first game, but the Lady Vikings had three errors and lost 3-2 to Amherst Steele.

In the second game, Cortney Scott tossed a one-hit masterpiece but suffered a 4-1 loss as the Lady Vikings committed four errors.

"Both pitchers threw great games. They shut them down," said Estep.

Amherst took a 2-0 lead in the second, but the Lady Vikings came back to tie the game with single runs in the fourth and sixth innings.

In the fourth, Sharp singled, stole second, and scored on Scott’s double.

The two produced the second run when Sharp singled and scored from first on another double by Scott.

But an error in the seventh allowed Amherst to score the winning run.

Sharp and Scott each went 2-for-3 for the Vikes four hits.

Three errors enabled St. Mary’s to score three times without a hit in the first inning.

St. Mary’s added a run in the second and Symmes Valley got its lone run in the fourth when Scott and Keren Bell singled, Scott stole third, and Anna Bodmer reached on an error to send Scott home.

Ginny Young singled to load the bases with no outs, but the Lady Vikings failed to score again.

"In both games we beat them every way but on the scoreboard," said Estep.

The Lady Vikings also had four hits in the second game.

"We hit the ball hard, but we hit it right at them," said Estep.

Symmes Valley is now 4-4 on the season. Amherst Steele is 6-1 and Wapakoneta 7-1.

First Game

Sym. Valley 000 101 0 – 2 4 3

Amherst Steele 020 000 1 – 3 2 1

Candace Sharp and Tommie Holbrook. Guerrieri and Jones. W-Guerrieri (2-K, 3-W). L-Sharp (12-K, 0-W). 2B-SV: Cortney Scott 2. 3B-AS: Kuhn. Hitting-SV: Candace Sharp 2-3, Cortney Scott 2-3 (2 RBI).

Second Game

Sym. Valley 000 100 0 – 1 4 4

St. Mary’s 310 000 x – 4 1 1

Cortney Scott and Tommie Holbrook. Smith and Fredrick. W-Smith (5-K, 3-W). L-Scott (3-K, 4-W).