Eastern hangs on to beat Vikings in slugfest

AID — A six-run rally in the fifth got Symmes Valley back in the game, but the comeback fell just short and the Eastern Meigs Eagles held on for a 9-6 win over the Vikings in an offensive slugfest on Friday.

In total, both teams compiled 21 hits by 15 different batters and drove in 13 runs.

Symmes Valley's offensive output was led by multi-hit games by Bronx Carpenter and Tanner Corn. Carpenter finished 2-of-4 and Corn went 2-3 with an RBI.

Will Jones doubled and drove in a run. Andy Strow and Asher Maynard had a hit with an RBI. Braden Hankins, Austin Simpson, Gradee Holland and Jackson Fields also registered a base hit for the Vikings.

Brady Rockhold got the start and went four innings, picking up the win for Eastern.

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Eastern got on the board first when Austin Collins doubled into left to score two runs. Collins scored two batters later on a sacrifice fly by Rohwan Gilmore. Then a two-out RBI single from Lance Atha scored another to give the Eagles a 4-0 lead.

The Eagles added to their lead in the fifth. Rockhold singled into right to score a run, another run scored on a walk with the bases loaded, then two more runs scored on an error to put the Eagles ahead 9-0.

But the Vikings battled back in the bottom of the inning, starting with base hits from Fields and Carpenter. Then Jones doubled into deep right field to score both runners. Corn later drove a pitch back up the middle to score Jones. Then Hankins and Simpson singled to load up the bases. Corn scored on a balk and Maynard singled in two runs to cut the deficit to 9-6 after five.

The Vikings would threaten in the bottom of the seventh, getting a runner into scoring position with one out, but Rockhold would manage to retire the next two batters with. a strikeout and a fly out to secure the win.

Corn took the loss for the Vikings after going 4 and 1/3 innings. Hankins and Thompson combined to finish out the game in relief.

The Vikings fall to 13-7 overall, while Eastern improves to 17-4.

Symmes Valley travels to South Gallia on Monday for a Southern Ohio Conference matchup.

Eastern 400 050 0 = 9 10 1

Sym. Valley 000 060 0 = 6 11 5

Brady Rockhold, Trey Mugrage (5), Clayton Moore (6) and Caleb Abner. Tanner Corn, Braden Hankins (5), Tanner Thompson (7) and Will Jones. W-Rockhold (IP-4.0, H-3, R-0, ER-0, K-3, BB-4, WP-0). Mugrage (IP-0.2, H-7, R-6, ER-5, K-3, BB-4, WP-0). Moore (IP-2.1, H-1, R-0, ER-0, K-2, BB-0, WP-0). L-Corn (IP-4.1, H-7, R-9, ER-5, K-2, BB-4, WP-0). Hankins (IP-1.2, H-3, R-0, ER-0, K-1, BB-1, WP-0). Thompson (IP-1.0, H-0, R-0, ER-0, K-0, BB-0, WP-0). Hitting-Eastern: Ethan Edwards 2-5 RBI, Alex Collins 1-3 2-RBI 2B, Caleb Abner 1-3, Rohwan Gilmore RBI, Aiden Wilhelm 3-3, Brady Rockhold 2-3 RBI, Lane Atha 1-3 2-RBI, Lance Hensler 2RBI; Symmes Valley: Bronx Carpenter 2-4, Will Jones 1-2 RBI 2B, Andy Strow 1-3 RBI, Tanner Corn 2-3 RBI, Braden Hankins 1-4, Austin Simpson 1-1, Gradee Holland 1-2, Asher Maynard 1-3 RBI, Jackson Fields 1-3.