Vikings battle past Oaks to keep title hopes alive

OAK HILL — Will Jones drove in two runs to lead a 3-run fifth inning, and Tanner Corn held the Oaks in check, and the Symmes Valley Vikings held on to beat Oak Hill 4-2 in a key Southern Ohio Conference game on Wednesday.

Symmes Valley improves their record to 15-8 overall and 8-2 in the league. The win also secures the Vikings at least a second place finish and keeps their hopes of a first place finish. Oak Hill falls to 8-5 overall and 6-2.

Northwest currently sits in first place with an 8-1 record and can clinch the SOC title outright with a win on Monday when they face Oak Hill. The Vikings can clinch a share of the title if Oak Hill can win, which would create a three-way tie.

Jones paced the Vikings, going 2-for-4 with a double and 2 RBIs. Tanner Thompson when 2-2. Andy Strow went 2-4 with an RBI. Jackson Fields had a hit and an RBI. Bronx Carpenter and Asher Maynard each had a hit for the Vikings.

Corn pitched a complete game for Symmes Valley, striking out seven batters and allowed just six hits and two earned runs in the win. Corn and the defense allowed just three runners to reach scoring position through the first six innings to keep the Oaks off the board until the seventh.

The game stayed scoreless through four innings before the Vikings finally cracked into the scoring column.

Maynard got things going with a lead off base hit, Austin Simpson moved Maynard over with a sacrifice fly, and Fields singled into left to score the games' first run.

Jones came up with two outs and doubled into right to drive two more runs to give the Vikings a 3-0 lead.

In the fifth, Corn fanned the first two batters in the inning before the Oaks tried to threaten to cut into the deficit.

Landon Brisker and Andy Meldick both singled, then Layne Swingle drew a walk to load up the bases. But Corn was able to get the next batter to ground out and get out of the two-out jam.

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The Vikings got another insurance run in the seventh when Jones singled back up the middle with two outs and reached second on the play. Then Andy Strow followed up with an RBI-single to give Symmes Valley a 4-run cushion.

The Oaks made one final comeback attempt in the bottom of the frame. With one out, Blaise Barker and Brisker both drew a walk and both moved into scoring position after a wild pitch.

Then Swingle lined a two-out double into center to score both runs and cut the score to 4-2.

But Corn retired the final batter, with a ground out to second to end the game.

Mikey Williams took the loss for Oak Hill, striking out five, allowing six hits, two earned runs and three walks in five innings of work.

Swingle led the Oaks offensively with a double and 2 RBIs. Meldick, Joseph Anteby, Williams, Jesse Zachariah, and Brisker all recorded a hit for Oak Hill.

Sym. Valley 000 030 1 = 4 9 0

Oak Hill 000 000 2 = 2 6 2

Tanner Corn and Will Jones. Mikey Williams, Andy Meldick (6) and Eddie Abele. W-Corn (IP-7.0, H-6, R-2, ER-2, K-7, BB-3 WP-2). L-Williams (IP-5.0, H-6, R-3, ER-2, K-5, BB-3, WP-0). Meldick (IP-2.0, H-3, R-1, ER-1, K-2, BB-1, WP-0). Hitting-Symmes Valley: Bronx Carpenter 1-3, Tanner Thompson 2-2, Will Jones 2-4 2-RBI 2B, Andy Strow 2-4 RBI, Asher Maynard 1-3, Jackson Fields 1-3 RBI; Oak Hill: Andy Meldick 1-4, Layne Swingle 1-2 2-RBI 2B, Joseph Anteby 1-3, Mikey Williams 1-3, Jesse Zachariah 1-3, Landon Brisker 1-2.