BUFORD — Southeastern Conference baseball signees Nate Taylor of Buford and Cooper Johnson of Mountain View had a pitcher’s duel Monday in the Region 8-AAAAAAA opener, won 2-1 by Buford.

Taylor (3-1) pitched six innings for the win, giving up four hits and one run. The Georgia signee struck out nine and walked one.

Johnson, an Ole Miss recruit, pitched five innings and gave up five hits and two runs. He struck out eight.

Buford (7-4) went up 1-0 in the third inning when Ethan Murray drew a bases loaded walk from Johnson, and stretched the lead to 2-0 in the fifth when Taylor’s sacrifice fly brought home Cannon Goldin. Goldin had reached on a line-drive double.

Mountain View got a run back in the sixth before the Wolves turned to Damian Brown, who struck out the side in a 1-2-3 seventh for his second save of the season.

Taylor also went 2-for-2 with an RBI and a walk, Ayden Lockett was 1-for-3 with a stolen base, Madden Young was 1-for-3 and Cam Wood went 1-for-3.

Mountain View’s top hitters were Jayden Wilson, Johnson, Nick Clayborn and Jesse Crews with one hit each. Crews drove in the Bears’ lone run.