Box Score ELLISVILLE, Mississippi – LSU Eunice survived to play another day in the NJCAA Div. II Region 23 baseball tournament as the Bengals earned an 8-4 win over Northwest Mississippi Community College Thursday at Jones County Junior College.
LSUE will face the Hinds Community College – Pearl River Community College winner at 3 p.m. Friday at Community Bank Park with a chance to advance to the regional championship game set for 1 p.m. Saturday.
The No. 3 seed Bengals (46-10) grabbed an early 1-0 lead over Northwest when
Braden Comeaux (Barbe) was hit by a pitch with two outs and scored on a hit by
Hunter Feduccia (Barbe).
The No. 2 seed Rangers (32-18) tied the game with a run in the bottom of the first frame when Dakota Dailey reached on an error and scored on another Bengal miscue.
LSUE exploded for three runs in the top of the second, begun when
Micah McHugh (Zachary) singled and scored on a hit by
Anthony Forte (Conant).
Koi Westbrook singled and scored on a hit by
Gavin Bourgeois (Notre Dame) while Forte scored on a double play to help the Bengals move ahead, 4-1.
Northwest closed the gap to 4-2 in the bottom of the third when Aaron Campbell singled with two outs and scored on a Bengal error.
The Bengals added two insurance runs in the top of the fifth, sparked when Comeaux singled and scored on a sacrifice by Feduccia.
Michael Claverie (Live Oak) doubled and scored on a hit by
Bo Myers (Zachary) as LSUE moved ahead, 6-2.
The Bengals added a run in the top of the sixth frame as Westbrook singled and scored on a ground-out by Bourgeois.
Northwest rallied for two runs in the bottom of the seventh, begun when Hunter White reached on a fielder's choice and scored on Dailey's fielder's choice.
Pope singled and crossed home plate on a hit by Spencer Cayton to close the margin to 7-4.
LSUE sealed the win with a run in the top of the eighth when McHugh reached on an error and scored on Forte's triple.
Ridge Heisler (Mangham) improved to 8-0 on the season with the win as he pitched 6.1 innings with two strikeouts, one walk and two earned runs on seven hits.
Zach Hester (Vidor) (2BB),
Justin Barton (Caldwell Parish)1H) and
Brent Hebert (Cypress Ranch) (2 H) combined for three shut-out innings to preserve the win.
The Bengals combined for 12 hits and eight RBI, led by Feduccia (1-for-4, 2 RBI) Westbrook (2-for-4, 2 RBI), Comeaux (2-for-4, RBI), Claverie (2-for-4), Westbrook (2-for-4), Bourgeois (1-for-4, 2 RBI) and Myers (1-for-3, RBI).
