Although it is still early in the season, the region race is already shaping up to be a close one. Screven County currently leads the region with a 4-0 record, while ECI, Bryan County, and Metter sit at 2-1. Portal follows with a 2-2 mark in region play. The Bulldogs hold the tiebreaker edge over Bryan County and still have one game remaining with Metter in the series after defeating the Tigers earlier in the season.
ECI let one slip away last week in Pembroke. The Bulldogs built a comfortable 7-2 lead in the top of the third inning, only to see the five-run advantage shrink to 7-6 by the fifth. Holding a 10-6 lead in the top of the seventh inning, ECI watched Bryan County rally for four runs in the bottom of the frame to send the game into extra innings. Bryan County eventually scored the winning run on an error, handing the Bulldogs a heartbreaking 11-10 loss in the ninth inning.
Gunnar Johnson led ECI at the plate with three hits. Ab Marsh, Davis Johnson, Lake Bush, Jackson Kennedy, Jud Underwood, and Brayden Rich each added a hit. Jud Underwood, Lake Bush, Jackson Kennedy, and Bryson Thompson all saw time on the mound for the Bulldogs, combining to allow nine hits while recording 14 strikeouts.
The Bulldogs hosted Bryan County Friday night to complete the two-game region series. While it may still be early in the season, it was an important game for ECI, which wanted to avoid falling two games behind Bryan County in the standings. The Bulldogs also needed a win by more than one run to secure the tiebreaker. ECI delivered just that, defeating Bryan County 9-3. The Bulldogs took an early 1-0 lead in the first inning before breaking the game open in the bottom of the fourth with seven runs. The biggest hit of the inning came on a two-run triple by Bryson Thompson, which pushed ECI’s lead to 8-1.
This time, a Bryan County comeback was not in the cards. The Indians went down in order in the top of the seventh, giving the Bulldogs the 9-3 victory and the region tiebreaker.
Lake Bush and Bryson Thompson led the Bulldogs with two hits each, while Davis Johnson and Jacob Hughes added one hit apiece. Jackson Kennedy started on the mound for ECI, scattering nine hits while striking out six and walking none. Bryson Thompson closed out the final 2⅔ innings, allowing no hits and striking out five Bryan County batters.
On Thursday, March 5, the Bulldogs hosted Toombs County in a non-region matchup. ECI dominated the Bulldogs from Lyons both on the mound and at the plate. Lake Bush led the way with a complete-game, five-hit shutout as ECI earned a 6-0 victory. The Bulldogs did not allow a Toombs County runner to reach second base until the top of the seventh inning. Bryson Thompson got the scoring started, hitting the first pitch he saw for a line-drive home run to give ECI a 1-0 lead in the second inning. Gunnar Johnson followed with his first career home run in the bottom of the fourth, extending the Bulldogs’ lead to 2-0. ECI added three more runs in the fifth inning behind a Jud Underwood double and singles by Jack Lee and Brayden Rich. The Bulldogs scored their final run in the seventh when Jackson Kennedy singled in Davis Johnson to seal the 6-0 win. ECI pounded out 13 hits in the game. Underwood led the way with three hits, while Ab Marsh, Lake Bush, and Bryson Thompson each recorded two.
The Bulldogs have three games on tap this week. They hosted Jenkins County Tuesday in a region matchup at Joe Harvey Field. ECI will travel to Millen on Friday for a rematch with the Eagles before heading to Swainsboro on Saturday for a non-region game against the Tigers.
