The ECI Bulldogs faced defending Class A state champion Lanier County last Friday in the GHSA Class A Division II state championship series, dropping both games of the doubleheader. The runner-up finish marks the third time since 2015 the Bulldogs have reached the state championship series.
Lanier County won the opener 5-2 before edging ECI 4-3 in a seventh-inning walk-off in Game 2 to secure its third consecutive state baseball championship.
Throughout the season, Lanier County relied heavily on senior Grant Gano, a Georgia Southern commit, and junior Christian Contreras on the mound. Gano lived up to expectations in Game 1, throwing in the upper 80s and touching 92 mph several times while leading Lanier to the 5-2 victory.
Lanier struck early in the opener, scoring two runs in the first inning to take a 2-0 lead. The Bulldogs from Lakeland added another run in the third to extend the advantage to 3-0.
ECI answered in the bottom of the fourth after loading the bases with no outs. The Bulldogs pushed across a run to cut the deficit to 3-1.
Lanier added two insurance runs in the top of the seventh following a throwing error to extend the lead to 5-1.
Tuff Boddiford led off the bottom of the seventh with a home run over the left-field fence, his third homer in the last three playoff games, trimming the lead to 5-2. ECI put two more runners on base with one out in the inning but could not deliver the timely hit needed to continue the rally.
Boddiford, Jud Underwood and Davis Johnson collected hits for ECI in Game 1. Jackson Kennedy pitched the first five innings, allowing six hits while striking out five. Lake Bush surrendered one hit over two innings of relief.
Missed opportunities proved costly for ECI in the second game.
The Bulldogs loaded the bases in each of the first two innings but were unable to capitalize. Lanier took advantage early, using a single, a walk and a throwing error to build a 2-0 lead in the first inning.
ECI again loaded the bases with no outs in the second inning, but Lanier escaped the jam with a double play and a strikeout to end the Bulldog threat.
The Bulldogs battled back in the fourth inning to take their first lead of the series.
Jacob Hughes opened the inning with a single and advanced to second on a sacrifice bunt by Lake Bush. Ab Marsh drew a walk before Jackson Kennedy drove in two runs with a line-drive single to center field, tying the game at 2-2. Starting pitcher Bryson Thompson then helped his own cause with an RBI double to the left-field corner, giving ECI a 3-2 lead.
Lanier answered in the bottom half of the inning to tie the game at 3-3.
The score remained tied entering the bottom of the seventh. Lanier loaded the bases with three walks, including one intentional walk, before drawing a two-out walk to end the game and the Bulldogs’ season.
Although ECI outhit Lanier 8-5, 10 walks, two errors and missed scoring opportunities proved to be the difference.
Hughes led the Bulldogs offensively with three hits. Kennedy, Thompson, Davis Johnson, Gunner Johnson and Marsh added hits for ECI.
Thompson pitched six innings, allowing five hits. Bush and Boddiford worked in relief during the seventh inning.
ECI finished the season with a 26-14 record, a region championship and a Class A Division II state runner-up finish.
The Bulldogs will graduate three key seniors in Bryson Thompson, Tuff Boddiford and Jackson Kennedy.
Boddiford and Kennedy completed standout careers that included four region championships, two state runner-up finishes, one Elite Eight appearance and one Final Four appearance. Thompson, who transferred from Evans before his junior season, helped lead ECI to two Final Four appearances, two region titles and a state runner-up finish.
Head coach Brooks Collins praised his team’s perseverance throughout the season.
“The season didn’t end as we expected, but these guys battled to the very last day of the season,” Collins said. “They battled through highs, lows and adversity and still found a way to reach the destination. They have truly created a brotherhood they will never forget.”
Collins also thanked the ECI fans for their support throughout the postseason.
“Thank you to all our fans and to the Dawghouse that supported us this season,” Collins said. “Our student section, the Dawg Pound, went above and beyond and provided an amazing atmosphere.”
