To cap a brutal first week of the season in which they were outscored 49-3, it was fitting that the Vicksburg Gators let one more opponent walk all over them.

The Gators issued a dozen walks to Lewisburg hitters, half of them during a six-run second inning, and lost to the Patriots 9-1 on Saturday.

Vicksburg outhit Lewisburg 5-2, but couldn’t overcome a disastrous start that left it facing an eight-run deficit after just two innings.

“We just kind of lost focus and confidence, and as a pitcher you have to have that confidence. You have to have that bulldog inside you that wants the ball and is at any point in time ready to go,” Vicksburg coach Derrick DeWald said. “That’s just something we’ve got to get better in, bottom line, if we’re going to go anywhere.”

Davis Lott belted a two-run home run in the top of the first to stake Lewisburg to a 2-0 lead, then the Gators did themselves in with the walks in the second innning.

Starter Sean East and reliever Justin Jones walked eight batters in an inning-plus. Three of those came with the bases loaded. The only hit Lewisburg had was an RBI single by Micah Nichols.

It was the third time in four games that the Gators (0-4) have given up at least six runs in an inning.

“We’re taking baby steps. But at the end of the day, when you give up 12 walks and three hit batters, 15 free bases is just not going to cut it,” DeWald said. “I don’t care who you are. If we had 15 free bases the score would be the opposite.”

Will Martin came on in relief of Jones and at last stopped the bleeding. He got out of the jam in the second inning and went on to allow one run in five innings of work. He walked four batters, but also struck out four and didn’t allow a hit.

“I was very pleased with Will coming in and throwing strikes, and keeping it where we could compete,” DeWald said.

Unfortunately for the Gators, they didn’t do much at the plate either.

Marcus Williams went 2-for-3, and East singled a scored a run on a passed ball in the bottom of the fifth inning, but the Gators hit into two double plays and had three runners thrown out trying to steal.

The ineffectiveness at the plate short-circuited most of Vicksburg’s opportunities before they ever got going.

“We have to do a better job reading the ball. We didn’t get good jumps,” DeWald said.

Central Private 11, WC 9

Warren Central kept up with Central Private offensively, but it wasn’t able to do quite enough to bring home the victory. The Vikings clawed back from going down 6-0 in the opening frame to take a 12-4 lead heading into the third inning before blowing it in an eventual 11-9 loss.