By Donald Heath

Special for the Effingham Herald

SPRINGFIELD – Effingham County used big innings in both the first and second games to sweep Winder-Barrow 9-4 and 11-1 April 29 in the second round of the Class 5A state baseball championships.

The Rebels (29-5) won the best-of-three series 2-0 and advanced to host the winner of Dunwoody and River Ridge next Wednesday (May 7).

ECHS, held hitless in the first two innings of both games Wednesday, eventually dominated a foe that finished with 18 wins and placed second in Region 8.

The Rebels erupted for a seven-run third inning in the opener and had a five-run fourth inning in the nightcap.

Caleb Swindle hit a home run to begin the onslaught in the first game in a third inning when the hosts sent 12 batters to the plate to overcome a 3-0 deficit. Karson 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 game. Swindle, Thompson and Kaleb Pendley each had two hits. 

Righthander Kyle Thomas grinded through five innings while minimizing Winder-Barrow’s scoring opportunities. The Bulldogs were just 2 for 10 with runners in scoring position in the first four innings.

Sean Etzle and AR Roeser pitched scoreless innings to close out the win.

In the second game, ECHS pulled away by scoring the game’s first seven runs. Adam Acel had two-run singles in both the third and fourth innings.

Ryan Wells had two hits and drove in three runs. Newton Kieffer added two hits and an RBI.

Rebel righthander Luke Edwards used an overpowering fastball to strike out nine in six innings. He fanned seven during his final three innings.

Dylan Huntley, an expected starter who missed the entire regular season with an injury, closed the game with a scoreless seventh inning in his first appearance this season.