Vikings pile up runs in win over Western

LATHAM — New Balance? Nice, but no. Under Armour? Not now. Nike? No, they won’t do. Adidas? Converse? Hoka? What then?

We need our hitting shoes.

The Symmes Valley Vikings put on their hitting shoes on Monday and got 13 hits as they rolled to an 18-2 Southern Ohio Conference win over the Western Indians.

While the Vikings were belting out hits, pitcher Gradee Holland was turning in a 2-hit masterpiece.

In 5 innings, Holland allowed just 2 hits and 2 earned runs as he struck out 9 and walked just one. Holland faced just 21 batters and threw 78 pitches with 54 being strikes.

Will Jones went 3-3 with 2 RBI, Luke Niece 2-3 with 2 RBI and Andy Strow 2-4 with 3 RBI to pace the offense.

Zander Hurn ws 2-4 with a double and RBI, Mason Stevenson 1-3 with a triple and 2 RBI, Hankins 1-2 with 2 RBI, Tanner Thompson 1-2 and an RBI, Tanner Corn 1-3 with an RBI and Jaxon Gates 1-1.

Symmes Valley (3-0, 1-0) got a run in the first inning when Niece reached on an error, stole second and scored on a hit by Jones.

The Vikings blew the game open with 7 runs in the second inning to lead 8-0.

Aydan Taylor was hit by a pitch, Thompson singled, Stevenson tripled for 2 runs, Niece and Jones singled, Hurn reached on an error, Strow singledTaylor walked and Hankins singled.

Western got its 2 runs in the fourth inning when Tyler Kerns singled, Wes Satterfield walked and Logan Thompson doubled them home.

The Vikings host Beaver Eastern on Wednesday and visit Meigs Eastern on Thursday.

Sym. Valley 173 16 = 18 13 1

Western   000 20 = 2 2 6

Gradee Holland and Will Jones. Joshua Brewster, Logan Thompson (4) and Tyler Kerns. W-Holland (IP-5.0,H-2, R-2, ER-2, K-9, BB-1, HBP-2). L-Brewster (IP3.0, H-9, R-11, ER-4, K-1, BB-3, HBP-1). Thompson (IP-2-0, H-4, R-7, ER-7, K-2, BB-5, HBP-2). Hitting-Symmes Valley: Luke Niece 2-3 2-RBI, Jaxon Gates 1-1, Will Jones 3-3 2-RBI, Tanner Corn 1-3 RBI, Zander Hurn 1-4 2B RBI, Andy Strow 2-4 3-RBI, B Hankins 1-2 RBI,  Tanner Thompson 1-2 RBI, Mason Stevenson 1-3 3B 2-RBI; Western: Tyler Kerns 1-2, Logan Thompson 1-2 2B 2-RBI.