Thibodeaux's game-winner pushes Bengals to Sunday walk-off
Box Score
The LSU Eunice baseball team used a walk-off single by Landon Thibodeaux on Sunday afternoon to take the final game of their series 3-2 over visiting Tyler Junior College.
Casey Rodrigue’s one-out double in the 10th inning, and his stolen base moments later, prompted Tyler to load the bases and create a force play opportunity as Thibodeaux stepped to the plate.
On a 3-2 pitch, Thibodeaux was jammed on the pitch but had just enough to get it over the first baseman’s head for the game winner.
It was Thibodeaux’s second hit and second RBI of the game.
“It feels good to win one late like that. Proud of our guys, the way they kept competing, and proud of our bullpen, throwing up zeros every time out,” head coach Jeff Willis said.
Tyler Chapman finished 3-4 at the plate for the Bengals (37-8), who also received a two hit afternoon from Rodrigue (2 doubles, 2 runs scored, stolen base) in addition to Thibodeaux’s two hits.
Stefan Trosclair (1-3, BB) drove home the other Bengal RBI. Evan Powell and Buddy McCoy each added a hit.
Ryan Domingue (3-0) was credited with the win after tossing the final two innings for LSU Eunice and allowing just one hit and one walk with two strikeouts.
Starter Zac Person went the opening 4 1/3 innings, allowing five hits, both runs and three walks with eight strikeouts before Trae Hester pitched the next 3 2/3 innings with three hits and three strikeouts.
After seeing Tyler (29-16) take the lead with a run in the top of the fourth, the Bengals responded with two runs in the bottom of the inning.
Rodrigue got things started with a one-out double before advancing on a wild pitch and scoring on Trosclair’s RBI single up the middle before Trosclair scored two batters later on Thibodeaux’s RBI single up the middle.
Tyler tied the game a half inning later in the top of the fifth, with both teams stranding runners in multiple innings throughout the remainder of the game before the Bengals won it in the 10th.
Hester came on in relief to strand two Tyler base runners in the fifth, while Domingue came out of the bullpen in the ninth to leave two runners on at the end of the top of the ninth inning.
The Bengals left two runners on in the bottom of the fifth and seventh innings, leaving one runner stranded in the eighth and ninth before winning it in the 10th.
LSU Eunice hits the road Tuesday for its’ final midweek game of the season, traveling to Bossier Parish for a doubleheader slated for a 1 p.m. start.
“It’s the last midweek opportunity for some of our guys to get some starts, and looking forward to seeing what those guys bring to the table,” Willis said.
Tuesday’s doubleheader can be seen on Bengal All-Access and heard on KVPI. Game one will be on KVPI 1050 AM, with game two following on KVPI 92.5 FM.
