STATESBORO, Ga. (WALB) — Lanier County completed a historic three-peat, defeating ECI in a doubleheader to claim its third consecutive Division II state baseball championship.

The Bulldogs won game one 5-2 and walked off game two with a 4-3 victory.

Game one: Gano, seniors lead the way

Stone Carey delivered the first RBI of game one after Cason Griffin reached base. Grant Gano started on the mound for his final game as a Bulldog. The Georgia Southern commit pitched six innings, allowing one earned run and recording 12 strikeouts.

In the seventh inning, Talen Tarbox put the ball in play with two runners on. ECI’s second error of the game allowed both runners to score, extending the lead to four.

After Gano reached his pitch limit, Alex Contreras entered with the bases loaded and one out in the bottom of the seventh. The junior recorded back-to-back strikeouts to close the game. ECI finished with three hits.

Game two: Walk-off walk seals title

Contreras started game two and pitched six-plus innings with six strikeouts. Defensive miscues cost ECI early. A passed ball gave Lanier County its first run. On a steal attempt, the catcher’s throw sailed into right center, and Lanier County scored two runs in the first inning.

ECI scored three in the fourth to take the lead.

Gano tied the game at three with a two-out RBI double that nearly cleared the wall.

The next two innings remained scoreless. In the bottom of the seventh with the bases loaded, Zach Lee walked to end the game.

Senior Kendrick Noble said the accomplishment means a lot.

“I’ve been with these guys since middle school,” Noble said. “We’ve been working, grinding. It’s paid off. We went out with a bang.”

Noble said the team refuses to lose.

“We just all trust each other,” he said. “We’re going to scrap until we come back and win.”

Gano said the team keeps things interesting.

“We knew we were going to be in the race again at the beginning of the year, but golly, we didn’t know it was going to be this hard,” Gano said.

Gano had a two-out RBI double in game two that tied the score.

“I thought it was going to go out for a minute,” he said.

Gano said his father taught him about leadership.

“My dad’s always piling on me. You’re going to get remembered for the good and the bad, but also your leadership’s going to carry you all the way until you die,” Gano said.

Contreras credited his defense.

“If I didn’t have a defense, I wouldn’t win the game,” he said. “It’s not all up to the one person on the mound. It’s all nine players on the field.”

Contreras said the team has a strong bond.

“If we’re not playing baseball, we’re either outside having plans or hanging out,” he said. “I love this group and I’m very sad they’re leaving.”

Head coach Matt White said the team’s resiliency showed.

“We knew we were going to get everybody’s best shot all year, but it didn’t matter to them,” White said. “Even when we didn’t have our best game, they continued just to fight all year long.”

White said he told the team before the seventh inning they would win on a walk-off.

“I’m like, we got this,” White said. “What better way to win a third one in a row than by a walk off.”

White said the seniors are a special group.

“Not only did they get to make history one time, they were able to do it three times,” he said.

The Bulldogs are losing six seniors from the championship team.

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