One of the better matchups in the sweet 16 round of the state playoffs happens at Joe Harvey Field this week.
The number two ranked ECI Bulldogs will host number five ranked Lanier Co. Bulldogs from Lakeland Ga. Thursday and Friday in a best of 3 series.
The ECI softball team has battled with Lanier in the past. They were the only team to beat the Bulldogs in the state playoffs. ECI bounded back to beat Lanier twice on championship Saturday to capture the 2022 state title.
The Bulldogs from Lanier play in region 2 with a 22-9 season record. Their only region losses were to region champion and number one ranked Charlton Co. and were region runner-up with a 16-4 record.
ECI enters the second round with a 24-8 season record and swept through the region with a 12-0 record.
ECI has a team ERA of 2.5 with Bryce Kearson, Lawson Mercer and Jacob Durden doing most of the work. Kearson and Durden both have a 1.5 ERA.
The Bulldogs offense has a team batting average of .349 with seven starters over the .300 mark. They have belted 24 homeruns with Lawson Mercer (7) and Hudson Henry (6) leading the way. The team has scored 273 runs this season for an average of over 8 runs per game.
Lanier pitching staff has a 2.9 team ERA. They rely mostly on their 3 seniors, Parker Culpepper, Josh Furney and Roberts along with sophomore Ashton Cook on the mound.
The Bulldogs from Lanier have a team .249 batting average scoring 249 runs for a average of 8 runs per game. The offense has hit 9 homeruns with catcher-pitcher Culpepper leading with five.
Two other region 3 teams advanced to the sweet 16 with both facing region champions. Jenkins Co. will travel to Folkston to take on Charlton Co. and McIntosh Co. will travel across state to Donaldsonville to face Seminole Co.
First pitch Thursday, (tomorrow) is 3:00 with second game scheduled for 5:30. The “IF” needed game starts at 5:30 on Friday.
