The ECI baseball team picked up 2 more region wins last week taking both games from Screven Co. outscoring the Sylvania team 14-1. With their wins against the Gamecocks, they improved their region record to 6-2, tying them with Claxton who are also 6-2. The Bulldogs and Tigers play a 2-game series next week.
ECI defeated Screven 3-0 in their first game on Tuesday, March 30. Joseph Stewart and Bryce Kearson combined for a 4 hit shutout on the mound.
The game remained scoreless until the Bulldogs broke through in the top of the third. With one out, the top of the order, Farnum, Kearson and Hughes all singled for a 1-0 lead. Kearson added one more on a steal of second by Hughes to make the score 2-0.
Both pitchers, Stewart for the Bulldogs and Hart for the Gamecocks kept batters off stride with just 2 runners reaching scoring position for the next three innings.
The Bulldogs added the final run of the game in the top of the seventh. Jack Walden doubled in Avery who was on after a walk to make the final score of the game 3-0.
Joseph Stewart started on the mound for ECI scattering just 3 hits in his 5 innings of work, Kearson closed out the final 2 innings allowing just one Gamecock to reach on a hit.
Hughes and Farnum led ECI at the plate with 2 hits each, with 4 other Bulldogs picking up a hit.
ECI closed out the baseball week on Thursday with a 11-1 win over the Gamecocks.
The Bulldogs pounded out 15 hits against Screven while ECI’s workhorse Hughes and the defense behind him held the visiting team to just 3 hits.
The Bulldogs scored 3 in the first, 2 in the second, and 4 in the third to take a 9-0 lead after 3 innings.
The Gamecocks’ only run of the two-game series came in the top of the fourth.
The Bulldogs ended the game in the bottom of the sixth inning with the assistance of the Gamecocks.
With one out, Walden singled, and one batter later Henry doubled in McQuaig running for Walden for a 10-1 lead. With runners on first and second the Screven coach intentionally walked Whitehead to load the bases. With 2 outs the Gamecock hit Rehberg on his third pitch scoring Henry to run rule Screven 11-1 in six.
Kearson was perfect at the plate going 4-4 with 2 doubles. Jack Walden was 2-3 with 2 doubles. Hughes, Robertson, and Henry ended the game with 2 hits each.
Hughes continued his dominance on the mound allowing just 3 hits, striking out 4 gamecocks.
The Bulldogs have 3 games on spring break. ECI has 2 important region games to begin the week. They need to keep pace with Claxton and Metter before they face those two over the next two weeks.
They hosted Portal Monday and went to Portal on Tuesday for back to back games against the Panthers. Wednesday they are hosting Southeast Bulloch in a non-region match-up.
