Middle School Bulldogs limping into playoffs

The ECI Middle School baseball team will be making up a couple of rainout games this week to end the regular season for the Bulldogs. They will enter the playoffs on April 8 on the road against the number one seed which has not been determined as yet. The Bulldogs have lost the last few games after starting off the season winning several in a row. They have been without one of their leading pitchers and power hitters and will enter the playoffs down one important cog in the wheel.

ECI lost to Jenkins Co. 7-5 at home on March 25. The Bulldogs were down 5-2 but came back to tie the game. The Eagles put two on the board in the sixth to secure the 7-5 win. Jacob Hughes pitched six innings for ECI giving up 11 hits with four strikeouts. Hane Henry closed the game in the seventh allowing just two hits with a strikeout. Leading the offense were William Kennedy 2-3 with a triple and two RBI, JR Rehberg 2-3, TJ Weaver 2-4 and Dylan Alford 1-1. Jenkins completed the sweep of the Bulldogs on Wednesday, defeating ECI 9-5. Henry toed the rubber for five and 2/3 innings giving up just one earned run, scattering five hits, striking out three Eagle batters. Kennedy relieved, giving up no ER or hits striking out one batter. Leading hitters for the game were Kennedy 3-3, Maddox Sherrod 2-4, double and two RBI, Jacob Hughes 2-4 and Lawson Frye 2-3 with a double.

The Bulldogs traveled to Portal to play their third game in as many days in a non-region game. The Panthers gave the Bulldogs their third loss of the week 10-0. Three Bulldogs stood on the mound for ECI in the game. Kennedy pitched the first three innings, giving up four runs on seven hits while striking out three. Jack Lee pitched 2/3 of an inning giving up just one hit, walking four batters. Rehberg pitched the remaining 1/3 inning with zeros across the board. The Bulldogs were quiet at the plate with Jake Marsh picking up the only hit of the day.

Region middle school playoffs begin on April 8 and end with the championship game on April 13.

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