Lady Vikings hang tough in loss to powerhouse Kenton Ridge

AID — It's called a showcase for a reason.

The Symmes Valley Lady Vikings took on one of the top teams appearing in the Valley of Thunder Softball Showcase on Friday evening and showcased their strengths in a tough battle.

But ultimately, the Lady Vikings fell to Division 4 powerhouse Kenton Ridge Lady Cougars 6-2 on the opening day of the softball showcase.

Despite it being their first loss of the season, Lady Vikings’ coach Jeff “Odie” Estep felt the team rose to the occasion to go toe-to-toe with the No. 1 team in Division 4.

“I hate to claim moral victories, but to go the distance against a team like that is a win for us,” said Estep. “They've run-ruled just about everybody except for Wheelersburg.”

Kenton Ridge wasted a little time getting the board in the first inning as Lily Foulk led off with a double on the first pitch. Then with one out, JJ Davis lined a shot over the right field fence to make it 2-0.

In the bottom of the opening frame, Symmes Valley got a run back but just couldn't scratch any more runs over.

Brenna Tibbs singled and Maci Bland reached base on an infield hit and both would move over a base on a double steal. Kenton Ridge elected to intentionally walk Marley Ferguson to load up the bases with no outs.

Tibbs would score on Natalie Simpson's sacrifice fly into center field to make it a 2-1 game with two outs.

Kenton Ridge pitcher Ivee Rastatter would strikeout her second batter of the inning to get her team out of the jam.

Annie Fincham added another run for the Lady Cougars (7-0) in the third when she smacked a pitch off the centerfield wall for a double to score a run.

Symmes Valley (5-1) managed to again cut the deficit to one run in the bottom of the third when Ferguson smashed an opposite field solo shot to make it 3-2.

The game would stay that way until the top of the sixth when the Lady Cougars took advantage of a host of costly errors by Symmes Valley.

With one out, Kendall Glass would reach base on a fielding error, allowing Kendall Massie to score from second. Chloe Glass laid down a bunt and reached on a throwing error and Kendall Glass scored on the play.

However, Chloe Glass tried to advance to third as a throw came into home, but Kendall Thompson made a throw down to third and Ferguson made the tag to get the second out.

Foulk would hit and score all on her own in the following at bat. Foulk would line a single into right field and a pair of throwing errors allowed the sophomore to advance around the base path and score to make it 6-2.

"We kind of lost our composure there in the sixth," said Estep. "But the kids rebounded and played well."

The Lady Vikings tried to mount a final comeback in the seventh, but the Lady Cougars wouldn't risk any chances of it happening.

After a ground out, Kenton Ridge elected to intentionally walk Ferguson for the third time in the game. Thompson hit into a fielder's choice for the second out and Rastatter struck out the final batter to end the game.

Estep knew that Kenton Ridge had their own seventh inning comeback last week against Wheelersburg and wouldn't chance anything.

"When they walked Marley with one out, that was out of pure respect for her," said Estep. "They didn't want to open up that door like what happened last week against Wheelersburg. So their coach told me when she was on deck to go ahead and take a walk down the first when it's her turn to bat."

Kenton Ridge finished with six hits at the plate. Leadoff hitter Lily Foulk went 2-4 with a double. Davis had a home run and two RBI. Rastatter had a double. Fincham had a double and an RBI. Kendall Glass had a hit and an RBI.

Rastatter picked up the win for the Lady Cougars, giving up just five hits and two runs over seven innings, striking out nine and walking six.

Brenna Tibbs also went seven innings in the loss. Tibbs allowed six runs — two of those earned — on six hits, striking out seven and walking three.

Ferguson, Addi Ridenour, Bland, Lydia Saunders, and Tibbs each collected one hit for the Lady Vikings. Both Ferguson and Simpson accounted for the teams' two RBI.

Kenton Ridge 201 003 0 = 6 6 1

Sym. Valley 101 000 0 = 2 5 5

Ivee Rastatter and Brenna Fyffe. Brenna Tibbs and Kaycee Thompson. L-Tibbs (IP-7.0, H-6, R-6, ER-2, K-7, BB-3). W-Rastatter (IP-7.0, H-5, R-2, ER-2, K-9, BB-6). Hitting–Kenton Ridge: Lily Foulk 2-4 2B, JJ Davis 1-4 HR 2-RBI, Ivee Rastatter 1-3 2B, Annie Fincham 1-4 2B RBI, Kendall Glass 1-3 RBI; Symmes Valley: Brenna Tibbs 1-3, Maci Bland 1-4, Marley Ferguson 1-1 HR RBI, Natalie Simpson RBI, Addi Ridenour 1-3, Lydia Saunders 1-2.