Lake View’s Wild Gators defeated Johnsonville 5-4 to advance to the Lower State championship game against Latta on Friday, where the Vikings earned a 3-2 come-from-behind win to advance to the state championship series for the first time since 1966.

After falling 4-3 to Latta in the second round of the lower state playoffs, Lake View had to host Johnsonville in an elimination game on Wednesday.

Johnsonville took a 2-0 lead in the top of the fourth with Carson Wilkes hitting a two-run single. But Lake View’s Nate Lewis, Hunter Walters, and Weston Rogers all singled in the bottom of the inning to load the bases with one out. A missed throw allowed Lewis to score and Darius Leonard hit a two-run triple to score Walters and Rogers for a 3-2 lead.

Lake View added two more runs in the fifth for the 5-2 lead, but Johnsonville rallied in the seventh, with Colin Barnhill making it to base on a hit-by-pitch from Lake View’s Carson Rogers. Darius Leonard took over pitching duties and gave up two singles to score Barnhill and allow Hunter Springs and Carson Lee to reach base. Collin Howell walked to load the bases, and Jacob Prosser hit a sacrifice fly to score Springs to leave the Flashes trailing 5-4. But the next batter ground out to end the inning with Lake View claiming the 5-4 win.

Carson Rogers got the win on the mound for Lake View, allowing three runs and one walk while striking out two in 6/3 innings pitched. Darius Leonard got the save, getting two outs. Jon Jon Long took the loss for the Flashes, allowing five runs and nine hits in five innings.

At bat, Weston Rogers had three hits and one RBI; Nate Lewis had two hits and two runs; and Darius Leonard had two hits; a triple, and two RBIs to lead Lake View.

Carson Lee and Carson Wilkes each had two hits for the Flashes, and Hunter Springs had a single.

The win advanced the Wild Gators advanced to the lower state championship on Friday where they faced local region rival Latta for the fourth time this season. Latta won all three previous encounters and took a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the first inning, scoring the runner on a sacrifice fly. But the Wild Gators tied things in the top of the second, and with the bases loaded in the fifth, the first runner was tagged out at home but Roger Scott made it in safe to give Lake View a 2-1 lead before the next batter flew out to end the inning.

In the bottom of the seventh, Latta’s Josh Bowen hit a single to score Christian Hendrix and tie the game at 2-2. A throwing error allowed Bowen to advance to second, and Jackson Williams hit a double to bring Bowen home for a 3-2 win and the lower state title.

John Kever Love pitched a complete game for the win, allowing six hits and one earned run while striking out three. Hunter Walters took the loss for Lake View, allowing seven hits, two walks, and two earned runs with one out.

Josh Bowen and Jackson Williams each went 2-for-4 for Latta with Williams getting the game-winning double. Donell Stanley and Buck Terry each went 2-for-3 for the Vikings who had seven hits in the win.

Luc Newell, Roger Scott, Eric Munoz, and Hunter Walters each went 1-for-3 for Lake View. The Wild Gators had six hits in the game.

Lake View ended the season with 21-5 record.

Latta improved to 22-2 overall as they advanced to the state title series for the first time since 1966. The Vikings were scheduled to host Upper State Champion St. Joseph’s Catholic on Monday, and will be at St. Joseph’s for game two on Wednesday. The Knights are 26-1 heading into the state series.

UPDATE: Latta defeated St. Joseph’s 5-3 on Monday night in Latta.

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