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Rebels continue to roll; head to Elite Eight against River Ridge
Doubleheader starts Wednesday at 4:30 p.m.
Q Kiing reaches for an out
Effingham County center fielder Q King makes a diving catch of a line drive by Winder-Barrow's Dom Lordo to end a threat in the sixth inning of Game 1. The Rebels won 9-4 and completed the sweep with an 11-1 victory in the nightcap to advance to the Elite Eight of the Class 5A state baseball championships. (Mark Lastinger for the Effingham Herald.)

By Donald Heath

Special for the Effingham Herald



SPRINGFIELD – As the lights get brighter, Effingham County’s baseball team continues to stand out.

The Rebels unleashed their potent offensive arsenal for 20 runs in two games against Winder-Barrow and powered into the Class 5A Elite Eight state championships for a best-of-three showdown with visiting River Ridge.

The series starts with a doubleheader today (May 7) at 4:30 p.m. in Springfield with a deciding third game, if necessary, tomorrow, May 8.

The winner will play the survivor of Newnan-Habersham Central in the semifinals.

ECHS (29-5) is already flying in rarefied air after winning just 10 games and failing to make the postseason last season.

“Q keeps saying ‘We haven’t done anything yet.’ That’s his saying after every game,” said Rebel catcher Karson Thompson, relaying the cautious optimism of vocal teammate Q King. “I feel like we can go all the way. We have the mindset to do it.”

ECHS didn’t have a hit before the third inning in both games before sweeping Winder-Barrow 9-4 and 11-1 on April 29. But the Rebels pulled away in both games by producing seven runs in the third inning of the opener and another seven (two runs in the third and five in the fourth) in the nightcap.

“I think we played as well as we could tonight,” Coach Eric McCombie said.

Caleb Swindle hit a home run to begin the first-game onslaught. ECHS sent 12 batters to the plate to overcome a 3-0 deficit.

“It showed me something and when Swindle hit the home run. I turned to the umpire and said, ‘I think that’s going to get us going’,” McCombie said.

Like an opened fire hydrant, the initial blast started a flood. Thompson had two hits in the inning. His two-out, two-run double drove in the sixth and seventh runs.

All nine ECHS players in the lineup reached base in the first game. Swindle, Thompson, and Kaleb Pendley each had two hits.

In the second game, the Bulldogs gained some confidence after retiring the Rebels in order.

But McCombie said a taunt awoke his squad and fueled another scoring carousel.

In the third inning, Thompson, the No. 9 hitter in the lineup, doubled to position the Rebels’ first two runs in scoring position. The next batter, Adam Acel, singled them home.

Coach Eric McCombie
ECHS baseball coach Eric McCombie waves Ryan Wells (No. 5) to the plate after Karson Thompson's third-inning double. The Rebels plated seven runs in the inning and pulled away for a 9-4 win in Game 1. They won the nightcap 11-1 and moved on to the Elite Eight of the Class 5A state tournament. (Mark Lastinger for the Effingham Herald.)
“Hitting in the No. 9 spot, I’m just trying to do my job whenever I’m called,” Thompson said.

Winder became unwound when ECHS took advantage of an error, two walks, and hit batsman to manufacture five more runs in the fourth inning to make it 7-0.

Acel finished with two hits and four runs batted in. Ryan Wells had two hits and drove in two runs. Newton Kieffer had two hits and drove in a run.

King was on base three times and drove in a run.

“Our lineup is not dependent on one guy,” McCombie said. “In this lineup, that’s how it works. Everyone is pulling their weight.

You can’t say enough about our offense today, 20 runs against a very good team. That’s a statement win for us.”

ECHS’ pitchers made it a rout. In the opener, Kyle Thomas left 10 runners on base while grinding out five innings. Winder batters managed only two hits in 10 at bats with runners in scoring position against Thomas.

In the nightcap, Luke Edwards used heat to cool down any Bulldog hopes. Edwards struck out nine – seven in his last three innings – while allowing just one run and four hits over six innings.

The Rebels pitching also had a boost when Dylan Huntley struck out two in his scoreless seventh inning in relief. Huntley, an expected starter this season, was making his first appearance after returning from an injury. He displayed good velocity and a sharp breaking slider.

“(Huntley) threw live against the team on Friday (four days before the Winder-Barrow doubleheader). It was a good sign,” McCombie said. “At this point in the season, no one is getting a guy back as good as him. At this point, it’s game changing, maybe season changing.”

ECHS’ hitters and pitchers will be matched against River Ridge, a No. 2 seed from Region 6. The Knights (23-12) upset Dunwoody, ranked fourth in Class 5A by ScoreAtlanta, two games to one in the Sweet 16.

River Ridge pitchers held Dunwoody, which averaged nearly 10 runs a game during the season, to just five runs in the three-game series.

The Knights blanked Brunswick 2-0 in their season opener.