The Lady Dawgs softball team hosted GMC Monday in a doubleheader to begin the 2025 state playoffs. ECI swept the visiting Bulldogs, defeating GMC 10-2 in the opening game and completed the sweep in the nightcap, 14-0.
Showing the strength of their region, all 4 teams in region 3 swept their opponents in the first round to advance to the second round.
The Lady Dawg bats were busy, pounding out 24 hits, outscoring GMC 24-2 in the 2 games. Tied 2-2 in the top of the fourth inning, the Lady Dawgs put the game away in the bottom of the fourth and fifth inning. ECI plated 4 runs each in the fourth and fifth to run rule GMC 10-2.
The Lady Dawgs had 3 players with multiple hits. Dot Russell, TT Smith and Caidence Gordon began the state playoffs with 2 hits each. Lola Walden, Charley Mitchell, MK Durden and Ajlah Nobles had one hit.
MK Durden went the distance in the circle for ECI giving up just 2 hits, zero walks with 6 strikeouts.
The Lady Dawgs continued where they left off in the first inning in the second game, scoring 4 runs in the top of the first to take an early lead.
After a quiet second and third inning, the Lady Dawgs exploded for 10 runs on 10 hits in the top of the fourth inning to put the game out of reach at 14-0.
Durden pitched the four innings against GMC giving up 2 hits, no walks, striking out 6 GMC batters.
Every starter had hits for the Lady Dawgs in the game. Ending the day with 2 hits each were Lola Walden, Dot Russell, Senaria Hillman, and TT Smith.
The Lady Dawgs will host the second-round next week on October 21. ECI will play the winner of the Clinch Co. vs Crawford Co. series. The two teams split the doubleheader on Monday and rubber game was played yesterday.
