The ECI baseball team took the next step in returning to the Class A Division II championship game.
The Bulldogs swept both games of the opening doubleheader against Wheeler Co. in the second round on Monday. Wheeler came into the game with a 22-6 record and ranked 11 in state polls. The Bulldogs sent the Wheeler Bulldogs back to Alamo taking the first game 10-0 and completing the sweep with a 9-4 win in the nightcap. The Bulldogs scored in every inning in the first game except the fourth pounding out 12 hits. Ab Marsh and Aden McQuaig had the hot bats going 3-3. Gabe Lee led in the RBI dept. with four on the backs of his 2-3 day. Hudson Henry had two hits and two RBI.
Andrew Chalkley pitched the six-inning game limiting Wheeler to just three hits with six strikeouts.
The Bulldogs struck early in the second game Monday. Hudson Henry got ECI on the board in the first on his second homerun of the playoffs. Tuff Boddiford, on after a double, scored on a wild pitch to put the Bulldogs up 2-0. The Bulldogs added five more runs in the top of the second inning, sending nine batters to the plate. Henry had the big blow of the inning with his second homerun just inside the leftfield foul pole to give ECI an early 7-0 lead. The Bulldogs added a run in the third and fourth innings to lead the Bulldogs from Alamo 9-0. Wheeler added their first runs of the series scoring two each in the fourth and fifth with ECI holding a 9-4 lead. Neither team put runs on the board the last two innings as ECI advanced to the third round with a 9-4 win. James Parker started the game for the Bulldogs going four and 1/3 innings, scattering six hits while striking out five Bulldog batters. Hudson Henry pitched one and 2/3 innings allowing just one hit with three strikeouts. Tuff Boddiford closed out the game in the seventh, setting Wheeler down in order with two strikeouts. Henry led the team at the plate with three hits and four RBI. Jackson Kennedy also had multiple hits ending the game with two.
As of Tuesday morning, the Bulldogs are still awaiting on their next opponent. Christian Heritage and Lake Oconee split their doubleheader on Monday and played the must win game three on Tuesday night.
