EUNICE, La. – Mima Doucet knocked a pair of home runs to help No. 1 LSU Eunice during a season opening doubleheader split with Galveston College. The Bengals fell in game one, 5-4 in eight innings, before rallying with a 4-2 decision in game two.
The Bengals will hit the road this weekend for a pair of doubleheaders in the Lone Star State. LSUE will make the trek to Blinn College on Saturday, then voyage to 2017 Division I World Series participant San Jacinto College-South on Sunday.
GAME ONE
The Bengals' bats woke up too late as LSUE rallied late but fell short to Galveston College in eight innings, 5-4.
The Whitecaps struck first with a pair of two-out RBI base hits from Rien Milliken and Kameri Mott to go up in front, 2- 0. Galveston College extended its lead an inning later thanks to a Alyssa Martinez solo home run and a fifth inning sacrifice liner from Kirsten Shaw.
The Bengals rallied starting in the fifth inning when Haley Godeaux singled to bring home Darian Doucet. Madison Monson and Ally Howard followed up an inning later with a pair of solo home runs to cut the deficit to 4-3 heading into the final frame.
Two ground outs left the game down to one out for Mima Doucet. The third baseman sent a towering solo home run to left field and give the Bengals new life, tying it at 4-4.
Galveston College responded with a pair of singles before a two-out RBI single from Kristen Shaw to give the Whitecaps the lead again. LSUE had a two-out double from Darian Doucet but could not convert another tying run.
Bailey Turner threw a solid eight innings for Galveston College, striking out 12 Bengal batters while issuing 10 hits and two walks. Heather Zumo received the loss after five innings of work, giving up four earned runs on five hits with three strikeouts and no walks.
GAME TWO
Mima Doucet's sixth inning solo home run helped the Bengals push through with a late game rally to down Galveston College, 4-2.
LSU Eunice capitalized off of Whitecaps errors, scoring on passed balls in the first, fourth and sixth innings. Haley Godeaux got the scoring started in the first after leading off the inning with a line drive base hit.
Galveston College responded with Kayla Kerr's solo home run in the second inning to tie, 1-1. The Whitecaps took a 2-1 quick lead thanks to Kirsten Shaw plating a run off a miscommunication on a fly ball in shallow right center.
The Bengals managed to tie the game in the fourth inning when McKenzie King stroked a one-out double and advanced on back-to-back wild pitches. That set the stage for Doucet's go-ahead blast in the sixth.
Ally Howard capped off the scoring by crossing home on a passed ball.
Heather Zumo (1-1) notched her first collegiate victory after two innings of hitless relief. Jeanne Trahan got the start and allowed one earned run off seven hits while striking out a batter without issuing a walk.
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