by RON WEATHERFORD
Having sewn up the region championship and the number one seed in the playoffs, the ECI softball team could have relaxed just to play out the season with the state playoff beginning next week. But not on senior recognition night.
The team has come an error or walk away from a perfect game twice this season, with no hitters. Thursday, they had that perfect game in the last region game against Jenkins Co.
Sullee Boddiford and the Bulldogs defense no-hit the Eagles along with no walks or errors to defeat Jenkins Co. 12-0 facing the minimum batters.
The Bulldogs jumped on the Eagles quickly in the first inning. Kelsey Harper led off the inning with a single. Jayna Kearson provided all the runs needed with a two-run shot for a 2-0 lead. The Bulldogs followed that up with four doubles from Charla Clifton, Shayla Stephenson, Ally Taylor, and Lily Robertson to put ECI up 5-0 in the first inning.
The Lady Dawgs scored 6 more in the second inning with seniors Shayla Stephenson and Lily Kate Robertson hitting homeruns to put ECI up 11-0.
Kearson led off the third with a double and later scored the twelfth run on Dot Russell’s double for a 12-0 Bulldog lead.
The Eagles went down in order in the top of the fourth with ECI taking the win 12-0.
In the playoffs, especially if they reach Columbus again, the Lady Dawgs will face very good teams with pitching and defense. They have already faced larger schools this season from AAAAAAA to AA preparing for stiff competition in the playoffs.
With that in mind, Coach Wimberly has the Bulldogs playing 3 region champions to end the season.
Last Tuesday the Bulldogs played the 17-4 Eagles Landing Christian Academy. The Bulldogs defeated EL in a come from behind pitcher’s duel 2-1.
With baserunners and hits hard to come by, the Chargers were the first to break through, scoring a run in the fourth inning to take a 1-0 lead.
The Bulldogs fought back as champions do, scoring 2 runs in the fifth inning to take a 2-1 lead. Kayanna Thompson hit a one out triple and later scored on a Jayna Kearson single to tie the game 1-1. Shayla Stephenson plated Kearson with a two out single to put ECI up 2-1.
The Eagles threated in the fifth two runners in with scoring position and again with a leadoff triple in the seventh but pitching and defense ended the threat with ECI taking the 2-1 win.
Yesterday the Bulldogs traveled to Macon to take on region 6AAA champion, the 23-4 Tattnall Square Trojans.
They will end the regular season Thursday at home against region 2AAAAAA champion South Effingham Mustangs with a 21-4 record.
The Bulldogs will host Wheeler Co. in the first round of the state playoffs next week in a best of 3 series. If successful, they will also host the second round.
