VIDLAIA, La. – Although a victory would not have moved Vidalia past Crowville or Block into one of the top two spots in the district, a win over Crowville on Friday certainly would have done a lot for the Lady Vikings’ confidence.

Instead a late error allowed the visitors to escape with 5-4 win.

After the Lady Vikings tied the score at 3 in the bottom of the sixth with a three-run rally it looked like Vidalia would get things going just in time to earn the much-needed win.

Unfortunately an error on a pop up in the infield allowed Crowville to push across two more runs for a 5-3 advantage.

Vidalia showed some courage in the bottom of the seventh when it cut the lead to 5-4 on a RBI single by Lindsey Haley that scored Jennifer Golden.

However, with just one out and runners on second and third the Lady Vikings just couldn’t get the final hit to finish the rally.

&uot;We did our best to try and come back,&uot; Vidalia head coach Gary Parnham said.

Despite giving up only one earned run, Vidalia Lady Vikings pitcher Amanda Strickland took the loss. She gave up five runs on four hits, three strikeouts and three walks.

Even with the loss the Vikings are in the playoffs with their third-place finish in the district. The Lady Vikings also finished the regular season with 20 wins in 25 games

&uot;We will finish third in the district and will be in the playoffs,&uot; Parnham said. &uot;We don’t know who we’ll play yet, but we’re in.&uot;

The Lady Vikings struggled for much of the contest against Crowville staring pitcher Darcy Kavalir.

Although Haley had a single in the bottom of the third, a double play allowed Kavalir to face the minimum number of batters (16) through the first 5 1/3 innings.

It was not until the sixth inning that the Vidalia bats came to life, and by that time Crowville had a solid 3-0 lead.

Parnham’s squad tied the score in the bottom of the sixth. Haley was again the offensive catalyst as she broke Kavalir’s hold on the Lady Viking offense with a one-out single. Miranda Doughty struck out, but she reached first on a passed ball on the third strike to keep the momentum going.

Heather Miller doubled and drove in two runs to cut the lead to 3-2, and she scored later in the frame on a infield single by Jenny Watson.

Haley led the Lady Vikings with two hits on three at bats.

Miller turned in two RBI on two hits for the Lady Vikings, while Doughty and Watson each recorded one hit and drove in one run.

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Crowville 1000202

Vidalia 0000031 6 errors

Crowville

Mandy burrier 1-2, three runs

Joanna Walker 2-4

Vidalia

Lyn Haley 2-3

Heather Miller 1-4, 2RBI

Miranda Doughty 1-3, 1RBI

Jenny Watson 1-3, 1 RBI

Amanda Strickland LP, 5 runs 1er, 4 hits, 3ks, 3bb

Darcy Kavalir WP. 4r, 3 er, 7 hits, 7ks

four runs scored on errors

some missed throws,

Did our best to try and come back (20-5, 4-4), finish third and will be in playoffs.

Gary Parnham

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