CLINTON, MISS -- Molly Wilson had not had a hit in her first four at bats against Phoenix College in the NJCAA Division II National Championship semifinals. She picked the perfect time to get one during her last at bat of the game.
With the game tied 9-9,
Wilson (Castor HS) hit a walk-off home run in the bottom of the seventh inning to win the game 10-9 and send the LSU Eunice to the finals with a chance to repeat as NJCAA National Champions.
The Championship game will be Saturday at 11:30 a.m. and can be heard live on the
Bayou Sports Network or be view on
NJCAA TV.
LSU Eunice (52-11) jumped out to a five-run lead early in the second innings and extended that to 6-0 in the third.
Phoenix (54-7) batters came alive in the fourth inning. Two runs scored off an error and two more scored on Cheyann Tucker single, closing LSUE lead to 6-4.
Rebecca Skains (West Ouachita HS) hit a home run -- her third of the day -- in the fourth to move LSUE out in front 7-4. Phoenix responded with a score off an Alyssa Fernandez single.
Up 7-5 now, LSUE made it 9-5 when
Emily Henderson (North Desoto HS) and
Jordan Bishop (Newton County HS) hit back-to-back solo home runs.
Just when LSUE thought they might have had it wrapped up, Phoenix rallied. They scored four runs in the top of the seventh inning to tie the game 9-9.
With the last chance to win the game in regulation,
Sierra Gasca (West Ouachita HS) grounded out and setup Wilson with no runners on base and one out. Wilson's home run ended the game and put LSUE in the finals.
Abigail Leonards (Iota HS) earned the win for LSU Eunice. She threw three and two-thirds innings, allowing five runs, six hits, and striking out one.
Elizabeth Fontenot (Port Barre HS) started the game for LSU Eunice. She tossed three and a third innings, allowing four runs and seven hits.
LSU Eunice had 11 hits in the game, with
Mima Doucet (Notre Dame HS) and Bishop each going 2-for-3. Doucet has one RBI and two runs scored, and Bishop finished with three RBIs and one run.
Quarterfinals
LSUE 12, Johnson County 2
In the first game of the day, LSUE knocked off Johnson County 12-2 here after Skains' home runs helped the Lady Bengals off to a fast start and advance them to the semifinals game with Phoenix.
LSU Eunice took the lead for good with four runs in the first inning. In the first
Jeannemarie Angelle (Cecilia HS) doubled off of Meghan Deiter, driving in three runs and
Haley Godeaux (Cecilia HS) singled off of Deiter, driving in one run.
LSU Eunice scored five runs in the second inning. The Lady Bengals scored on Skains' first home run of the night, a single by Godeaux, and a single by Molly Wilson.
In the bottom of the fourth, Skains hit her second home run of the game, sending in
Bobbi Smith (West Ouachita HS) and
Maleah Saucedo (Orangefield HS) and giving LSUE a 12-1 lead.
Leonards earned the win on the mound for LSU Eunice. She threw five innings, surrendering two runs, four hits, striking out one, and walking one.
Godeaux and Skains lead the team in batting. Both were 2-for-3 in the game. Skains three runs and four RBIs. Godeaux had two RBIs.
Johnson County (35-7) fell into the losers bracket and was eliminated later in the day by Illinois Central.
