CRESTVIEW — Chilly weather greeted Crestview High School’s baseball team Tuesday as the Bulldogs opened the season against Pine Forest.
The temperatures might have been cool, but Crestview’s bats were red hot as the Bulldogs pounded out 12 hits en route to a 13-3 win to help celebrate the birthday of Crestview Coach Tim Gillis.
The game was called after five innings on the mercy rule.
“I really liked our bats,” Gillis said. “Even our outs were hard outs. You have to have some threats up and down the lineup and we really do.
“There’s nothing like winning. We got a lead and didn’t get satisfied and that’s always good to see.”
Every batter in the Bulldog starting lineup reached base at least one time.
Five players: Zach Degraaf, Devin Wimmer, Dayne Justice, BA Larkins and Alik Whited each had two hits.
Wimmer didn’t score, but he drove in four runs from his cleanup spot in the batting order.
Crestview (1-0) didn’t waste any time getiing on the scoreboard in the bottom of the first inning.
With one out, Austin Polk reached on an error, Corey Armstrong walked and both scored on a double by Wimmer.
Crestview added four runs in each of the second and third innings pushing innings pushing the score to 10-1
Armstrong had the big hit of the second inning, a two-run single. Crestview sent 10 batters to the plate in the big third inning.
All of Pine Forest’s runs were unearned. The Eagles scored a run in the third and two in the fourth.
The Bulldogs put the finishing touches on the win in the bottom of the fifth using a two-out rally to seal the win.
Matt French reached on a walk. Justice singled. Larkins drove in French with a base hit.
A Whited double scored Justice and Degraaf ended the game with a base hit to score Larkins.
Jeremy Willis and Ryan Weekley teamed up on the mound to hold Pine Forest to three hits.
Willis picked up the win working three innings and striking out six Eagle batters.
“I was planning on throwing four or five guys, but when we went five that changed that,” Gillis said. “But I’ll take that any day of the week.
“For us to finish the game off, I was proud of that.”
This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: Crestview opens baseball season with win (PHOTOS)