By Donald Heath

Special for the Effingham Herald

SPRINGFIELD – Effingham County coach Eric McCombie could tell his players were a little tight heading into their Class 5A first-round state tournament baseball game against East Paulding.

“Our guys had never been in that situation before,” McCombie said. “Experience matters, especially at this level.”

There’s one way to get more experience – keep winning.

The Rebels, in their first state playoff games since 2022, got two games under their belt with 3-1 and 13-5 wins over the Raiders to head into a Sweet Sixteen best-of-three matchup with Winder-Barrow.

If ECHS survives, it will have a date with the winner of the Dunwoody-River Ridge series beginning May 7.

For five innings against East Paulding, the Rebels’ future games didn’t seem a certainty. ECHS trailed the No. 4 seed from Region 5 and its potent offense had gone down in order three straight innings.

But the Rebels turned the game around by manufacturing three runs with the help of two key misplayed grounders by the Raiders.

And Ryan Wells delivered the big hit by slicing a double down the right-field line to drive in two runs and break a 1-1 deadlock.

Righthander Kyle Thomas pitched a complete game, striking out five, walking two and limiting East Paulding to six hits and one run.

McCombie said Thomas was battling a rib injury, but had responded to treatment and looked to be in early-season form.

“Getting the first win took a little pressure off us and we loosened up a bit in the second game and became who we are,” McCombie said.

The Rebels’ real identity aligns with offense. ECHS has had 13 double-digit run games this season and rang up seven hits and seven runs in the first two innings of the nightcap to make it a long night for the Raiders.

Actually, it was a long night for everyone in attendance. The doubleheader started at 4:30 p.m. and endured a 90-minute lightning delay before a three hour and 35-minute second game that capped off the night at 12:30 a.m. on Thursday (the next day).

“It would be worse if you lost the two games,” McCombie said.

In the second game, every ECHS batter reached base and scored at least one run. Wells, who was on base four times (an error, a walk, hit by pitch and a single), drove in four runs.

Adam Acel added three hits, including two doubles and drove in two runs.

Kaleb Pendley reached base four times and drove in two runs.

Newton Kieffer had two hits and an RBI and Karson Thompson had two hits.

Rebels starter Luke Edwards, who pitched a seven-inning no-hitter against Statesboro in the region tournament, threw five no-hit innings this time before leaving with a 7-1 lead.

Edwards finished with five strikeouts, four walks and surrendered one earned run.

“Luke didn’t have his special stuff but he competed,” McCombie said. “It’s funny to say that when he didn’t give up a hit in five innings.”