The Latta Vikings won over the Lake View Wild Gators 12-11 to claim the 1-A Lower State Championship played at the Dillon Memorial Stadium on Thursday, May 16, before a large enthusiastic crowd.
The two Dillon County rivals fought valiantly throughout the long 10-inning-battle while exchanging the lead several times. The teams battled to a tie after the 7-inning game to force extra innings.
No one left the park. The players played hard, and the fans cheered.
Ultimately, the Latta Vikings won the 1-A Lower State Championship and will continue the battle for the 1-A State Championship.
The tenacious battle between the two teams raged throughout the game.
After 2 innings of play Latta held a 1-0 lead when Nick Lane hit into a fielder’s choice and a run scored. Lake View knotted the score at 1 each in the top of the third inning when Luke Price doubled and Lake View scored.
In the top of the fourth inning, Lake View added 2 runs to go up 3-1 over Latta when Kason Herlong doubled. The Vikings responded with 3 runs in the bottom of the fourth inning to go up 4-3 after Colby Smith singled that scored a run, and Ryan Perritte doubled that scored 2 runs.
Lake View knotted the score at 4 in the top of the fifth inning. Latta added 2 runs in the bottom of the fifth inning to take a 2-run lead, 6-4 due to 2 sacrifice flies.
The Wild Gators had a 5-run spurt in the top of the sixth inning to go up 9-6 over the Vikings. Once again, Luke Price doubled in the inning.
Latta knotted the score with 3 runs in the bottom of the seventh inning to force extra innings when Mason Weatherford singled, a ground out by Colby Smith, and an error.
Neither team could muster a run in the eighth or ninth innings.
In the top of the tenth inning, the Lake View Wild Gators added 2 runs when Chase Price singled. In the bottom of the same inning, the Latta Vikings added 3 runs when Fisher Richardson singled, Mason Weatherford was hit by a pitch, and Preston Brown hit a sacrifice fly to claim the 1-A Lower State Championship.
There were 26 hits in the game. lake View had 16 of those.
Latta’s Caden Lee opened on the mound. He pitched 5 and 2/3 innings and allowed 11 hits, 9 runs of which 6 were earned, struck out 2, and walked 4. Colby Smith pitched 4.1 innings and allowed 5 hits, 2 runs of which 1 was earned, struck out 5, and walked 5.
Kason Herlong began on the mound for the Lake View Wild Gators. He pitched 6 and 2/3 innings and allowed 8 hits, 9 runs of which 7 were earned, struck out 6, and walked 3. Chase Price pitched 3 and 1/3 innings in relief.
Latta’s Eli Jones had a double, 2 singles, a walk, and scored 2 runs in his 6 plate appearances. Fisher Richardson had 2 hits, a rbi, and scored 2 runs in his 5 at-bats. Mason Weatherford had 2 hits, a walk, and 3 rbi in his 4 plate appearances. Seth Minshew had a double and scored 2 runs in his 4 at-bats. BW Berry had a hit, a walk, and scored a run in his 2 plate appearances. Patrick Brown had a hit, a rbi, and scored a run in his 5 at-bats. Colby Smith had a hit, a walk, 2 rbi, and scored a run in his 5 plate appearances. Nick Lane garnered a walk and a rbi in his 4 plate appearances. Ryan Perritte had a double, a walk, and 2 rbi in his 5 plate appearances. JP Bley had a walk and scored a run in his 2 plate appearances.
Latta’s Fisher Richardson, Nick Lane, Patrick Brown, Colby Smith, and C. Huggins each had a stolen base.
Lake View’s Braden Borders had 4 hits in 7 at-bats. Luke Price had 2 hits, 3 rbi, and scored a run. Luke King drove in 3 runs. Kason Herlong had 3 hits, a walk, 2 rbi, and scored 2 runs in his 5 plate appearances. DJ Hardee had multiple hits. Chase Price had a hit and 2 rbi in his 2 at-bats. Chris McGill collected 4 walks in the game.
Lake View committed 3 errors, and Latta committed 2 errors in the game.
PHOTO GALLERY
Photos by Johnnie Daniels/The Dillon County News, LLC
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