The ECI Bulldogs baseball team continues its non-region schedule this week with two games before opening region play on Feb. 24 at home against the Metter Tigers. ECI will host Johnson County Trojans on Thursday for its home opener. The Bulldogs and Trojans have not faced each other on the baseball field in several years. On Saturday, ECI travels to Swainsboro for a matchup with the Swainsboro Tigers.
The Bulldogs enter the week with a 1-2 record after opening the season on Feb. 10 with a loss to the Savannah Christian Raiders. ECI then traveled to Brunswick on Feb. 14 to compete in a tournament, facing West Forsyth Wolverines and Pierce County Bears. Against Savannah Christian, the Bulldogs struck early. Ab Marsh led off the game with a single, and Bryson Thompson followed with a two-run home run—his first of the season—to give ECI an early 2-0 lead. The Raiders responded with a big first inning, scoring eight runs to take control of the game. ECI loaded the bases in the second inning but was unable to capitalize. The Bulldogs closed the gap in the third inning as Davis Johnson and Jackson Kennedy laced singles, and Lake Bush added a double to make the score 8-5. Savannah Christian extended its lead in the fifth inning and eventually pulled away for a 13-7 win.
Thompson led ECI offensively with two hits and two RBIs, while five other Bulldogs collected one hit each. Jackson Kennedy started on the mound, and Bush provided solid relief allowing just 3 hits in 4 1/3 innings before Thompson closed out the game in the sixth.
Saturday’s tournament games were played at Adam Wainwright Field in Brunswick. In the first game, ECI scored an early run in the third inning against West Forsyth. The Wolverines responded with three runs in the fourth and added four more later to secure a 7-4 victory, despite ECI rallying to tie the game in the fifth. Marsh had three hits and Tuff Boddiford added two for the Bulldogs. Judd Underwood started and struck out five in 4 1/3 innings. Lake Bush relieved Underwood giving up 3 hits while striking out one.
The second game of the day was a pitchers’ duel against Pierce County. The Bears scored twice in the fourth inning to take a 2-0 lead, but the Bulldogs scratched back and tied the game in the seventh. Judd Underwood sparked the rally with a leadoff double in the seventh, and ECI capitalized on walks and errors to force extra innings. In the bottom of the eighth, Thompson singled and later scored the winning run when Jackson Kennedy drew a bases-loaded walk, lifting ECI to a 3-2 victory. Thompson and Davis Johnson each recorded two hits in the win. Thompson and Davis Johnson led the Bulldog hitters with 2 hit each. Thompson also toed the rubber for the first 4 innings, giving up 3 hits while striking out 3 Bear batters. Jacob Hughes relieved Thompson for 3 innings allowing just 2 hits. Jackson Kennedy closed the game in the eighth with 2 hits.
First pitch for Thursday’s home opener against Johnson County is scheduled for 6 p.m., while Saturday’s game at Swainsboro is set for 1:30 p.m.
