Lady Bengals split with Tyler in Sunday doubleheader
The second-ranked Lady Bengals split a pair of games with Tyler Junior College on Sunday at LSU Eunice.
The Lady Bengals fell 4-0 in the opener before rebounding with an 8-0 romp in the finale.
Tyler pitcher Hallie Vance limited LSU Eunice to seven hits with one strike out and two walks in the shutout.
After three scoreless innings, Tyler took a 1-0 lead in the top of the fourth when Halle Sabo singled and scored on a hit by Amber Landry.
The visitors from Texas added three insurance runs in the top of the seventh begun when Haley Mills singled and scored on hit to center by Landry.
Duran reached on a fielder's choice and Sabo was intentionally walked with two outs, but Lacie Stevens singled to left to allow courtesy runner Jaclyn Molenaar and Sabo to score for the 4-0 lead.
The Lady Bengals threatened with base runners in each of the first four innings but failed to score.
LSU Eunice's Katie Flowers (2-for-2) and Danielle Cruickshank (2-for-3) both singled with two outs in the bottom of the sixth but could not cross home plate.
Destin Vicknair suffered the loss as she fanned four, walked one and allowed four earned runs on seven hits.
LSU Eunice 8, Tyler 0
Lady Bengal sophomore pitcher Kayla Davidson limited to Tyler to three hits in the shut-out win as she struck out three and walked one in five innings.
LSU Eunice scored in every inning to earn the mercy-rule win, including two runs in each of the last three frames.
Maddie Edmonston walked in the bottom of the first and scored when Vicknair rapped a hit to left field.
The Lady Bengals added a run in the bottom of the second when Cruickshank singled to left, stole second and crossed home plate when Abigail Ohlin reached on a two-out error.
LSU Eunice increased its lead to 4-0 in the bottom of the third, begun when Vicknair (2-for-3, RBI, run scored) singled and Raven Cole singled to left with two outs.
Vicknair and courtesy runner Jaci Lavigne both scored off a double by Cruickshank.
The Lady Bengals pushed ahead 6-0 with two more runs in the bottom of the fourth as Ohlin reached on a fielder's choice and Kayla Braud hit a line-drive home run over the right-field wall.
The mercy-rule win was complete as LSU Eunice added two more runs in the bottom of the fifth, sparked by a double by Cruickshank (3-for-3, 2 RBI and 2 runs scored) who scored on a single by Carmisha Payton.
Payton scored the final run when Jessica Thomas hit a line drive double to right field.
LSU Eunice (11-1) will travel to Popularville, Mississippi this weekend for the Pearl River tournament.
The Lady Bengals will take on East Mississippi Community College at 3 p.m. Friday before facing host Pearl River at 5 p.m.
LSU Eunice will battle Itawamba Community College at 9 a.m. on Saturday before concluding the tournament against Faulkner State Community College at 1 p.m.
