Five-run sixth gives Bengals Friday night victory over Meridian
Box Score The LSU Eunice baseball team sent nine men to the plate as part of a five-run sixth inning Friday night as they came back to grab a 9-5 series-opening victory over visiting Meridian Community College.
The Bengals (39-11) saw nine different players each record a single hit in the win, but they collected seven walks as a team, including tallying three hits, two walks and a Meridian (23-22) error in that five-run sixth inning.
"We had the big five spot in the sixth inning. I thought Kyle St. Pierre came up with a huge hit in that situation to drive two guys in and then Derek Herrington kind of put the nail in the coffin when he got the two-out hit to score two more runs….very proud of our guys to be able to put that inning together," head coach Jeff Willis said.
Down 5-2 heading into the sixth, LSU Eunice saw Madison Nickens send a ground ball to second base with the bases loaded that was misplayed, allowing the first run of the inning to score before St. Pierre delivered a two-run, pinch hit single up the middle to tie the game and Herrington follow moments later with a two-run, to-out single of his own to give the Bengals the lead.
The Bengals went on to plate a run in the bottom of the seventh when Stefan Trosclair opened the inning with a single before scoring on an error before the hosts added a final run in the eighth when Mason Nickens led off the inning with a double and later scored on an error as well.
Herrington (2 RBIs), Trosclair, Madison Nickens (RBI), St. Pierre (2 RBIs) and Mason Nickens (double), along with Brennan Bozeman (RBI), Jordan Romero, Sam Walley and David LaFleur all finished with one hit.
Reliever Ryan Domingue earned his fifth win of the season out of the bullpen after tossing 2 2/3 hitless innings, allowing one walk while striking out three Meridian batters.
Starter Chad Reeves did not factor in the decision, tossing 5 1/3 innings (6 hits, 5 runs, 3 walks, 3 strikeouts) but kept the Bengals in the game until the big sixth inning.
Meridian used a triple and an RBI groundout to open the scoring in the top of the first before LSU Eunice responded with a run of their own in the bottom of the frame when Herrington drew a leadoff walk and later scored on Bozeman's RBI groundout.
Madison Nickens collected a two-out single in the second inning, stole second base and stole third, as the Meridian throw to third went into left field to give the Bengals a short lead before the visitors took the advantage in the top of the fourth with a two-run homer.
Meridian added to the advantage in the fifth when they added another run on a fielder's choice groundout before plating a run in the top of the sixth on back-to-back doubles to set up the three-run lead and the Bengals' comeback.
LSU Eunice and Meridian continue their weekend series on Saturday with a 6 p.m. first pitch in a game that can be seen on Bengal All-Access.
