The ECI Bulldogs split a pair of games last week, opening region play with a comeback win before dropping a high-scoring road contest. On Tuesday, February 24, ECI earned its first region victory of the season, rallying past Metter Tigers 11–5 at home. The Bulldogs followed that performance with an 11-run effort of their own Wednesday in Brooklet but fell to Southeast Bulloch Yellowjackets 13–11. ECI trailed Metter 5–1 entering the bottom of the fifth inning before exploding for 10 runs and sending 15 batters to the plate to seize control of the game. Jackson Kennedy drove in the Bulldogs’ first run in the opening inning with a sacrifice fly that scored Ab Marsh. Metter took the lead in the fourth inning with four runs, including a two-run home run over the center-field fence. The Tigers added another run in the fifth on three consecutive singles to go ahead 5–1. That lead was short-lived. The Bulldogs answered with their big fifth inning to pull ahead 11–5, a margin that held through the final outs as ECI secured the region win. Bryson Thompson led the Bulldogs at the plate with two hits. Kennedy started on the mound, allowing eight hits while striking out seven in 4-1/3 innings. Jud Underwood closed out the game, giving up just one hit and striking out seven Metter batters over the final frames.
With another key region matchup approaching, head coach Collins used Wednesday’s non-region game to give younger pitchers valuable innings. ECI jumped out to an 11–6 lead by the fourth inning against Southeast Bulloch but could not hold on, as the Yellowjackets rallied for a 13–11 win. The loss was the Bulldogs’ first since February 14. Jud Underwood and Lake Bush each collected two hits in the loss, while Thompson drove in three runs with a double in the second inning. Jacob Hughes, Bush, Hane Henry and Gunner Johnson all saw time on the mound for ECI.
Friday’s scheduled region game at Metter was postponed due to wet field conditions.
The Bulldogs have three games scheduled this week. ECI traveled to Pembroke Tuesday to face Bryan County, will host Bryan County on Friday to complete the region series, and welcome Toombs County on Thursday for a non-region matchup.
