The ECI baseball team swept their second round series last Thursday taking both games against Lanier Co.
ECI entered the game as the number two ranked team and took care of the number five ranked team in the first game 5-1 and left no doubt in the second game with a 14-3 win.
The Bulldogs advanced to the Elite-8 round of the state playoffs and will host Towns Co. today, Wednesday at Joe Harvey Field.
The Bulldogs from Lanier had an inkling of the kind of day it would be in the first game. Bryce Kearson struck out the first 5 batters he faced with Lanier going 3 up 3 down in the first two innings to start the best of 3 series.
ECI got on the board first scoring two runs in the bottom of the second inning. Jacob Durden singled Tuff Boddiford to third. With two outs, a couple of hot shots to third by Aden McQuaig and Kearson the third baseman couldn’t handle and the Bulldogs led 2-0 after two innings.
Lanier Co. stole one in the top of the third inning, literally. Nobles singled and stole second, third and home to score their first and only run of the game.
Jacob Durden led off the Bulldogs’ half of the fourth with a double and scored one batter later on, a Charlie Rehberg single. Rehberg scored a couple batters later on - a Hudson Henry single to put the Bulldogs up 4-1 with 3 innings to play.
James Parker, running for Lawson Mercer in the bottom of the sixth, steals second. Hudson Henry singles in Parker to put the final run of the game on the board.
Lanier threatened in the top of the seventh, but Kearson struck out the final two batters to take the win 5-1.
Kearson allowed just two hits to Lanier while striking out 15 batters with one walk.
The Bulldogs blistered Lanier’s ace, Culpepper, for 10 hits with Kearson leading in that department with three. Hudson Henry and Jacob Durden ended the game with two hits each.
The Bulldogs easily took the second game of the series by a score of 14-3.
The Bulldogs pounded out 14 hits against the five different Lanier Co. pitchers, scoring multiple runs in four out of seven innings.
PJ Farnum menaced the visiting Bulldogs with 4 RBI on three hits at the plate and on the basepaths, stealing two bases. Kearson matched PJ with 3 hits, along with 3 RBI. Gabe Lee and McQuaig were the other Bulldogs with multiple hits with two each.
Jacob Durden pitched 5 innings for the Bulldogs, scattering six hits with 6 strikeouts. Lawson Mercer, not getting any work last week during the Hawkinsville sweep, closed out the final two innings allowing no hits, striking out 6 of the 7 batters he faced.
Towns county will leave the mountains of north Georgia and travel past the gnat line to face the Bulldogs in the Elite-8 round of the state playoffs. The Indians from Hiawassee had a season record of 22-11 and were the runner up in region 8 to region champions Washington Wilkes.
Along with the Bulldogs, McIntosh Co. from region 3 advanced taking the three-game series 2-1 from Seminole Co. McIntosh from Darien will have to refuel the bus when they travel to Bowden this week.
In other elite 8 games, Washington Wilkes will travel to Folkston to face Charlton Co. and in a battle of regions champions, Wilcox will take a trip to Ellaville to take on Schley Co.
