CLINTON, Mississippi –  The LSU Eunice Lady Bengals won their fifth national championship with a dramatic 8-7 win over top-ranked Jones County Junior College Saturday at Traceway Park.
 
Emily Henderson (North Desoto HS) scored the game winning run when she advanced on a squeeze bunt by Haley Godeaux (Cecilia HS) and the Lady Bengals' celebration began.
 
Jordan Bishop (Newton County HS) singled to open the inning and pinch runner Abby Trahan (Hackberry HS) tied the game when she scored on a wild pitch.
 
LSUE trailed 7-6 heading into the bottom of the seventh inning after Lady Bengal defense held the Lady Bobcats forcing a double play and a ground-out to snuff an offensive threat.
 
Bobbi Smith (West Ouachita HS) reached on an error in the bottom of the sixth and scored on a single to center by Molly Wilson (Castor HS) to close the gap to a single run.
 
LSUE appeared to have tied the game when Sierra Gasca (West Ouachita HS) singled and advanced on a wild pitch but was later tagged out on a close play at the plate to end the inning.
 
Jones County moved ahead 7-5 with a run in the top of the sixth inning when Kelly Byrd reached on an error and scored on a single by Emily Robinson.
 
The Lady Bengals' Rebecca Skains (West Ouachita HS) blasted a solo home run in the bottom of the fifth to help LSUE close the gap to 6-5.
 
Jones County rallied for three runs in the top of the fifth to grab a 6-4 advantage, sparked by a home run by Brittany Baty.
 
LSUE scored two runs in the bottom of the fourth frame to retake a 4-3 lead, begun when Jeannemarie Angelle (Cecilia HS) doubled and scored on a hit by Mima Doucet (Notre Dame HS).
 
Doucet scored on a double by Gasca to help the Lady Bengals regain the momentum and a slim one-run lead.
 
LSUE closed the gap to 3-2 in the bottom of the third when Gasca walked and Skains followed with a towering home run.  
 
Jones increased its lead to 3-0 in the top of the second, begun when Cori McCrary and Keisha Loftin both scored on a hit by Emily Robinson.
 
The Lady Bobcats grabbed a 1-0 advantage in the top of the first when Lofton doubled and scored on a hit by Autumn Frost.
 
Hannah Vidallier (North Vermillion HS) earned the win for LSUE as she went three innings, giving up one run, two hits, and walking one.
 
Lady Bengal starter Abigail Leonards (Iota HS) threw four innings, surrendering six earned runs, 10 hits with one strikeout and two walks.
 
LSUE finished with 12 hits, led by tournament MVP Skains who went 3-for-4 including two home runs.
 
Wilson went 2-for-4, while Angelle finished 2-for-3 and Gasca went 2-for-2 in the win.
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