About The Forest-blade. (Swainsboro, Ga.) 1996-current | View Entire Issue (March 3, 2021)
TheBlade Swainsboro, GA • March 3, 2021 • ummiEmaniielConntyLive.com Bulldogs gearing up for region play by RON WEATHER FORD The ECI baseball team picked up a couple more wins last week to bring their season record to 4-1. Tuesday, February 23 the Bulldogs traveled to Grovetown for another non-region game, coming back with a 4-2 win over the higher classification 6A Warriors. All the scoring during the game was in the first three innings with no runners crossing the plate in the final four. Hudson Henry led off the game with a single and scored on a Lawson Mercer single two batters later as ECI took a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the first inning. The Bulldogs added three more runs in the sec ond inning. With Chase Whitehead on second after an error, Natavus Robertson scores White- head on a single for a 2-0 ECI lead. Jack Walden scores Charlie Rehberg and Robertson who were on after singles to put ECI up 4-0 after two innings. The Warriors scored their only two runs of the game in the bottom of the third on two singles, a walk and passed ball to make the scored 4-2 after three. Both pitchers shut down the offenses the fi nal four innings allowing just 3 hits for both teams as the Bulldogs took the win 4-2. Lawson Mercer led ECI at the plate picking up two hits with six other Bulldogs getting one hit each. Trey Hughes pitched 6 innings for the Bulldogs allowing just 4 hits with 11 strikeouts. Joseph Stewart closed the game in the seventh striking out the side with both pitchers combining for 14 strikeouts. Saturday the Bulldogs played in the annual Burke Co. Invitational. ECI went 1-1 for the day losing their first game of the season in a 3-2 walkoff in the seventh against Burke Co. and winning the second game against Jefferson Co. 8-5. The Bears got on the board first against ECI taking a 1-0 lead in the first inning and added one more in the third for a 2-0 lead. The Burke pitcher kept the Bulldogs batters off stride with ECI not get ting their first hit of the game until the fourth in ning. Bryce Kearson led off the fourth with a walk and advanced to third after a steal and hit a by Jack Walden. Caleb Av ery doubled scoring Ke arson and Walden to tie the game 2-2. The game remained tied until the bottom of the seventh inning. With the bases load ed and no outs after a leadoff double and two walks, the Bears ended the game on a walk off fielders choice giving the Bulldogs their first loss of the season 3-2. Avery, Walden and Whitehead were the only Bulldog batters getting hits for the game. Joseph Stewart started the game for ECI for the first 6 innings allowing 6 hits with 3 strikeouts. Ke arson was on the mound in the seventh when the game ended. The Bulldogs played Jefferson Co. in the sec ond game defeating the Warriors 8-5 with both teams combining for 16 hits. Both teams scored runs in the first four innings with ECI scoring the last run of the game in the seventh inning. With the bases load ed after two errors and a walk, Caleb Avery dou bles in Henry and Kear son to put ECI up 2-0 in the top of the first inning. The Warriors got on the board in the bottom the inning on two singles and a walk. ECI added three more runs in the top of the third. With the bases loaded Trey Hughes sin gles in Jeremy Jones for the first run of the inning. With Kearson at bat, Rob ertson scores on a fielders choice for a 4-1 Bulldog lead. Whitehead reaches on an error a couple bat ters later, scoring Henry giving the Bulldogs a 5-1 lead. Jefferson added anoth er run in the bottom of the inning on three sin gles with ECI leading 5-2 after two innings. ECI added runs in the third, fourth and seventh innings while the War riors pushed two runs across in the third and one in the fourth to make the final score 8-5. Coach Collins gave three of his pitchers some work in the game with Robertson starting the first four innings allow ing 4 hits in his three in nings. Kearson relieved Robertson in the fourth BULLDOGS WILL BE WITHOUT MERCER AT THE PLATE AND ON THE MOUND FOR REST OF SEASON DUE TO KNEE INJURY 389 W. Meadowlake Pkwy 1918 Hwy 441 South Swainsboro, GA Dublin, GA 478-237-5848 478-275-0050 Stop by today to learn more! Outdoor Power Equipment We have lawn mower blades in any size! 1^^ Avai lat le a i t ■ Cl ft fTT ITTTT \ Both a 1 ^ C'" ti|U G< lipr 301 Tie 9 nl la ■ w POWI ER Pi El ^, Loc ati ion is! ! Geo rgic a Ec juipment is UC# 3169 • Distributors of Quality Farm Equipment & Implements! • www.gaequipment.com giving up 3 hits and Re hberg closed the game in the seventh giving up a hit. Trey Hughes and Na tavus Robertson led the Bulldogs at the plate with two hits each, with Kear son, Avery and Hughes leading in the RBI depart ment with 2 each. The Bulldogs have two games on tap this week. Wednesday they will finally play their first home game of the season against East Laurens and Friday will be in Pem broke facing Southeast Bulloch. ECI will begin region play Tuesday, March 9 when they host Jenkins Co. at Joe Harvey Field. 7 DAY FORECAST THU FRI SAT SUN MON TUE WED « V # V- 4 /bo, w SUNNY MOSTLY SUNNY CLOUDY MOSTLY SUNNY SUNNY MOSTLY SUNNY PARTLY CLOUDY m® ia® ,5no a (all ® (!A® an ® 74® 41° 0 m Et r 35 o1 ’35° 39°' 45° 5T° %£M£iiFBs HEATING & AIR OFSWAINSBORO SPECIALIST ; Carrier \ turn to the experts 323 SCOTT AVE • SWAINSBORO, GA 30401 • 470.237.0050 35 ods run wood 05 ="1 COUNTRY OLD FASHION COUNTRY STYLE BUTCHER SHOP!
