CLINTON, Mississippi - It wasn't the easiest way to win a title, but LSU Eunice still celebrated when the day was over. With their backs against the wall, the Lady Bengals came out swinging.
After fallling 9-0 in the first game Saturday, LSU Eunice responded with a 12-4 victory over Jones County Junior College to capture the 2016 NJCAA Divsion II softball championship.
"This team perservered all year," Lady Bengal head coach Andy Lee said. "They improved all year and battled to get their way all the way to the championship.
"They wanted this title so bad after not making it last year," he said. "I am so proud of them."
Jones jumped out to 1-0 lead in the first inning before the Lady Bengals answered with two runs in the top of the second, sparked by a double by Annemarie Angelle who scored on a hit by Jordan Hartman.
Hartman scored on a double by Jaci Lavigne to give LSUE a 2-1 advantage. Rebecca Skains opened the second inning with a solo home run, while Bobbi Smith walked and Angelle followed with a single.
Molly Wilson belted a three-run home run to push the Lady Bengals ahead, 6-1,
Jones closed the gap to 6-4 in the bottom of the inning, sparked by a three-run home run by Kelly Byrd.
LSUE added a run in the top of the fourth when Lavigne singled and scored as Maddie Edmonston reached on an error.
The Lady Bengals sealed the championship with five runs in the top of the sixth inning, begun when Lavigne singled, Maddie Edmonston doubled and Skains followed with her second home run of the game.
Alli Daigle kept the rally going with a single and Angelle blasted another home run to extend the Lady Bengals' lead to 12-4.
After allowing four runs in three innings, the LSUE defense stiffened and only gave up two hits over the final four innings to seal the win.
Jones forced the if-neccessary game when the Lady Bulldogs exploded for nine runs over the first four innings and kept LSUE off the board and limited the Lady Bengals to six hits.
