By Jim Walker

jim.walker@irontontribune.com

TIPP CITY — Two big challenges stood in front of Symmes Valley on Saturday and the Lady Vikings did more than stand their ground.

They won. Twice.

The LadyVikings came away with a 13-10 win over the Tippecanoe Red Devils and a 7-4 victory over the Northmont Thunderbolts.

“Those were two huge wins heading into the tournament draw,” said Lady Vikings’ coach Jeff “Odie’ Estep. “With our kids, somebody, sometime, comes through with a big play or a big hit. We’re getting a lot of contributions from our bench.”

The Lady Vikings (19-1) went up 2-0 in the first inning when Brenna TIbbs was safe on an error, stole second and went to third on an overthrow and scored on a hit by Marley Ferguson.

A wild pitch sent Ferguson to second and Lindsey Freeman had an RBI  single.

Tippecanoe (14-5) answered with 2 of its own in the bottom of the inning to tie the game and then erupted for 6 runs in the second inning to take an 8-2 lead.

But Symmes Valley got 5 runs in the third to trail 8-7.

Alyssa Waugh singled, Freeman walked, Justice singled to load the bases and Kaycee Thompson reached on an outfield error that scored 3 runs. Addi Ridenour singled for a run, stole second and scored when Tibbs reached on an error.

The Lady Red Devils got a run in the fourth to lead 9-7 only to have the Lady Vikings get the run back in the fifth as Natalie Simpson doubled and Justice had an RBI single.

Symmes Valley got 5 runs in the top of the seventh to lead 13-9.

Justice led off with a single and Thompson and Ridenour both reached on errors for a run. Tibbs singled, both moved up on a wild pitch and Ferguson had a 2-run single.

Freeman was safe on an error, Simpson singled for a run and Justice was safe on an error as the final run scored.

Tibbs got the win with 5.2 innings of work. She gave up 8 hits, 2 earned runs with 7 strikeouts and 2 walks.

Justice went 3-5 with an RBI, Ferguson 3-5 with 2 RBI, Simpson 2-4 with a double and 2 RBI, and Freeman, Waugh, Tibbs and Addi Ridenour all 1-4.

First Game

Sym. Valley  205 010 5 = 13 12 2

Tippecanoe 260 100 1 = 10 13 6

Addy Hawk, Brenna Tibbs (2) and Kaycee Thompson. Ella Henn and Charlize McCormick. W-Tibbs (IP-5.2, H-8, R-2, ER-2, K-7, BB-2). Hawk (IP-1.1, H-5, R-7, ER-5, K-1, BB-1) L-Henn (IP-7.0, H-12, R-13, ER-9, K-7, BB-3). Hitting-Symmes Valley: Autumn Justice 3-5 RBI, Marley Ferguson 3-5 2-RBI, Natalie Simpson 2-4 2-RBI 2B, Lindsey Freeman 1-4, Alyssa Waugh 1-4, Brenna Tibbs 1-4, Addi Ridenour 1-4; Tippecanoe: Gracie Raiff 3-5 2B, Emily Aselage 2-5 2B 3B, Kyla Fry 2-3, Jocelyn Shelton 2-4, Ella Henn 2-4, Snell 1-4, Emma Davis 1-4.

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Symmes Valley 7

Northmont 4

In the second game, the Lady Vikings came from behind again with 3 runs in each the fourth and fifth innings en route to the 7-4 win.

Northmont (10-8) took a 3-0 lead in the top of the first inning.

The Lady Vikings got a run back in the bottom of the inning as Brenna Tibbs walked, stole second, took third on a passed ball and scored on Alyssa Waugh’s ground out.

The Lady vikings took a 4-3 lead in the fourth.

Waugh tripled and Ferguson singled for a run to start the inning. Lindsey Freeman followed with a home to left field for the lead.

The Thunderbolts tied the game in the top of the fifth but the Lady Vikings got 3 in the bottom of the inning to take the lead for good

Tibbs walked, Emma Ridenour was safe on an error, and then two throwing errors scored Tibbs. Ferguson singled for a run, Freeman doubled and a passed ball scored Ferguson.

Hawk went 5 innings allowing 6 hits, 4 earned runs with 5 strikeouts and 3 walks to get the win.

Freeman was 203 with a double, home run and 3 RBI, Ferguson 2-3 with 2 RBI, Tibbs 1-2 and Waugh 1-3 with a triple.

Second Game

Northmont  300 010 0 = 4 6 4

Sym. Valley 100 330 x = 7 6 2

Johnson, Graftin (5) and Anyanwu. Addy Hawk, Brenna Tibbs (6) and Kaycee Thompson. W-Hawk (IP-5.0, H-6, R-4, ER-4, K-5, BB-3). Save-Tibbs (IP-2.0, H-0, R-0, K-5, BB-0). Johnson (IP-4.0, H-4, R-4, ER-3, K-4, BB-1). Graftin (IP-2.0, H-3, R-2, ER-3, K-1, BB-1). Hitting–Northmont: Grafin 2-4 2B, Kautz 1-4, Meeds 1-3, Gaffin 1-3, Borgmeir 1-3; Symmes Valley: Lindsey Freeman 2-3 3-RBI 2B HR, Marley Ferguson 2-3 2-RBI, Brenna Tibbs 1-2, Alyssa Waugh 1-3 3B.