Lake View’s Wild Gators opened the baseball season with a 12-2 win over Mullins on Monday night in Lake View.

The Auctioneers got their first run in the top of the first inning with a Fowler reaching on a base hit and scoring on a hit from DJ Atkinson. Lake View tied things up in the bottom of the inning with Carson Rogers reaching base on a walk and advancing on a hit from Weston Rogers, with Josh Price getting the RBI.

Mullins couldn’t get anything going in the second, and despite a hit from Luc Newell and a sacrifice fly from Brent Herlong, the Gators couldn’t build any moment. The Auctioneers got three hits in the third from DJ Atkinson, Lauyans, and Hillburn, but couldn’t quite bring Atkinson home. But the Gators added four runs in the bottom of the third with Carson Rogers, Roger Scott, and Justin Elliott all reaching base on walks. Weston Rogers singled for two RBI, and Elliott scored on a base hit from Herlong.

Lake View held off Mullins in the fourth and added four more runs in the bottom of the inning with Carson Rogers reaching on a hit by pitch, and Weston Rogers and Price both getting walks and Price bringing in Blake Legette for a RBI.

Mullins managed to score again in the top of the fifth with Dylan Ard reaching on an error. Atkinson hit a double to advance Ard to third and Lauyans brought him home with a base hit to leave Mullins trailing 9-2. Lake View’s Legette reached on an error in the top of the fifth and was brought in on a fielder’s choice from Roger Scott. Weston Rogers hit into another fielder’s choice to reach base and scored on an error, and Price got a base hit, stole second, and came in on a single from Elliott to end the game at 12-2.

Weston Rogers earned the win on the mound for Lake View, pitching all five innings and facing 24 batters for seven hits, two runs, and seven outs.

Dylan Ard pitched 3.3 innings for Mullins for four hits, nine runs, three earned runs, three outs, and six walks. DJ Atkinson pitched 1.3 innings of relief for the Auctioneers for four hits and three runs.

At bat for Lake View, Brent Herlong went 2-for-2 with a RBI; Weston Rogers went 2-for-3 with two RBI and three runs scored; Justin Elliott went 2-for-3 with two RBI and a run; Luc Newell went 1-for-2 for six RBI; Josh Price was 1-for-3 with three RBI and two runs scored; Roger Scott scored a run with a RBI; Carson Rogers scored three runs; and Blake Legette scored two runs. Lake View had eight hits in the win.

Mullins was led by DJ Atkinson who went 3-for-3 with a RBI. Lauyans went 2-for-3 with a RBI; Fowler went 1-for-3 with a run scored; Hillburn went 1-for-3; and Dylan Ard scored one run. Mullins had seven hits in the effort.

The Wild Gators take a 1-0 record into the start of regular season action.

Lake View was scheduled to travel to Mullins on Wednesday night and will be at home to host Green Sea-Floyds on Friday at 5:30 p.m.

Photos by Mark King/THE DILLON HERALD. Click the images below to view at full size!