After opening the season against several non-region opponents, the ECI Lady Dawgs will begin region play this week when they host Montgomery County Thursday at home.
ECI has been busy getting ready for the region schedule, playing several games last week. The Lady Dawgs hosted Appling County on Monday before welcoming Jenkins County to town Tuesday. They then traveled to Cordele to compete in the Crisp County Invitational.
The Lady Dawgs picked up an 11-2 victory over Jenkins County in Tuesday's matchup. Line scores and statistics from the Appling County game and the two games in Crisp County Invitational were not available at press time.
The victory over Jenkins County was highlighted by a strong offensive performance, as the Lady Dawgs pounded out 15 hits.
ECI jumped on top early. Charley Mitchell led off the bottom of the first inning and came around to score when Hadleigh Henry delivered a double, giving the Lady Dawgs a 1-0 lead.
Jenkins County answered in the top of the second, tying the game at 1-1.
The Lady Dawgs broke the game open in the bottom of the fifth inning, scoring five runs to take control. The big inning included a triple by Ansley Frye, doubles from Mary Katherine Durden and Senaria Hillman, and singles by Henry, Bristol Dorsey and BC Johnson.
Jenkins added its second and final run in the top of the fifth, but ECI carried a 6-2 advantage into the sixth inning.
The Lady Dawgs put the game away in the bottom of the sixth, adding five more runs to finish off the 11-2 victory.
ECI's 15-hit attack included four doubles by Mary Katherine Durden, Hadleigh Henry, Senaria Hillman and Bristol Dorsey, along with two triples from Durden and Ansley Frye.
Mitchell started in the circle for ECI and worked four innings, allowing just two hits. Durden came on in relief and pitched the final two innings, giving up only one Eagle hit.
The Lady Dawgs continued their busy schedule Monday with a trip to Millen for a rematch against the Eagles. They entertained East Lauren Tuesday and will start region play against Montgomery County on Thursday.
With the non-region portion of the schedule underway, the focus now shifts to the games that will determine the Lady Dawgs' standing in the region. Thursday's matchup with Montgomery County will mark the beginning of that all-important stretch of the season mingled in with several non-region contests.
