BRIAN STOUT / Sports Writer

BIG STONE GAP "? Sophomore Marie Chandler fanned 15 hitters and tossed a solid one-hit gem Monday while leading the host Powell Valley Lady Vikings to a 6-1 softball victory over Pikeville (Ky.) High.

Powell Valley (3-1) pounded out 12 hits as Chandler made quick work of the Lady Panthers (2-1) and the Lady Vikings began a busy week with a win over their out-of-state rivals.

"I thought she pitched very well,"? said Powell Valley coach Paul Clendenon. "She had her junk pitches going really well at the beginning. We made a couple of good plays behind her which always helps."?

Chandler (2-0) walked five hitters, but never gave up another hit after the first inning and went on to get the complete game win after the Lady Panthers scored an unearned run early in the opening inning.

"I tried to stay consistent and hit my spots,"? said Chandler.

The Lady Viking pitcher helped herself at the plate by going 3-for-4 with two RBIs in the win.

"That was a pretty decent game for us. I thought Pikeville played pretty well,"? said Clendenon. "I thought that was our best playing so far to this point.

"Contact is all that matters. Moving runners over, getting runners in scoring position, and putting pressure on the defense are all things that we did a little bit better than we have been doing it."?

Sophomore center fielder Carissa Blanton went 2-for-3 at the plate for the Lady Vikings with a stolen base, a walk, an RBI, and a run.

"I was kind of nervous going into the game because we lost our last game against Gate City,"? Blanton said. "I just decided to focus on the ball and I hit it."?

Pikeville got on the board with a run in the top half of the first inning when lead-off hitter Sam May was hit by a pitch and later scored on wild pitch to give the Lady Panthers an early 1-0 lead.

The Lady Vikings tied the game 1-1 in the bottom of the third inning when Chandler doubled with two out over the head of the center fielder and catcher Cassie Sturgill followed with another double to score courtesy runner Brittany Bishop.

Third baseman Chelsae Wise scored on a fielder's choice play in the bottom of the fourth inning as Powell Valley took a 2-1 lead.

The Powell Valley girls added two more runs in the bottom of the fifth inning to go up 4-1 when Carissa Blanton scored on a wild pitch and Bishop scored when the Lady Panther pitcher threw away a toss to first base.

Chandler drove in courtesy-runner Marie Blanton with a single for the first of two insurance runs in the bottom of the sixth inning.

"I just tried to find a pitch I could drive because I knew we needed some more runs,"? Chandler said.

Carissa Blanton singled to left field to score courtesy runner Erica Gilliam as the Lady Vikings took a 6-1 advantage late in the game.

"This team is the best that we saw last year,"? said Pikeville coach Nikki Cole. "It will be the best team that we will see this year. I'm really proud that we held them 1-0 for three innings. They're a tough team. I'm just proud we stuck it out."?

Tara Sword (2-1) threw all six innings for the Lady Panthers and took the loss after giving up four earned runs on 12 hits. Sword fanned one batter and walked four hitters in the loss.

"We had some mental errors in the last two innings that gave them some extra cushion runs,"? said Cole. "I'm really glad our girls stepped up to the plate and held them to a 6-1 ballgame.

"Our fans and players know when it comes to Virginia softball they've got it down to a science. We're anxious for them (Powell Valley) to come over and see our facilities and for us to be their host for a game,"? said Cole.