GULF SHORES, AL – For the second time in as many weeks, LSU Eunice will face a five-game weekend as the Bengals travel to the Sun Chief Classic.  LSUE will play in the 22-team field featuring some of the top teams throughout the Gulf States region.
 
The Bengals (8-7) come into the weekend on a season's best three game win streak.  LSUE took down Mississippi Gulf Coast, East Mississippi and host-Pearl River in last weekend's Wildcat Invitational.  LSU Eunice also lost a pair of games to No. 2 Jones County on Thursday.
 
Returning first-team All-American Emily Henderson seems to have found her groove again with a solid week of work.  Henderson collected six hits and 4 RBIs including a home run after going hitless in the first weekend of play.  Madison Monson led the offensive charge for the Bengals with seven hits and three home runs.  All of the long balls came in the Wildcat Invitational.
 
The pitching trio of Heather Zumo, Kaeleigh Crutchfield and Jeanne Trahan found consistency at Pearl River.  Zumo and Crutchfield both pitched complete games while Trahan notched her first collegiate win of her career.
 
LSU Eunice will open the weekend with three consecutive games on Friday starting with Walters State College (2-2) at 9:00AM.  The Bengals follow with Southern Union State CC (6-2) and Snead State CC (2-6).  Wallace State CC (3-3) and Central Alabama CC (6-4) will be next on the docket Saturday beginning at 9:00AM.
 
The Bengals return home for a pair of games against Southwest Mississippi CC on Wednesday.  The doubleheader from Lady Bengal Field is scheduled to begin at 1:00PM.  LSUE has road dates at Hinds CC and Holmes CC scheduled for next weekend.
 
Fans can find the latest Bengals information on social media via Twitter (@LSUEBengalsSB), Facebook (@LSUEuniceSoftballl) and Instagram (@LSUEBengals).
 
Games 16-20: No. 1 LSU Eunice (8-7) at Sun Chief Classic
 
Date/Time:               vs. Walters State College  (2-2)                       Friday, Feb. 16 – 9:00AM
                                vs. Southern Union State CC (6-2)                   Friday, Feb. 16 – 11:15AM
                                vs. Snead State CC (2-6)                                   Friday, Feb. 16 – 1:30PM
                                vs. Wallace State CC (3-3)                                Saturday, Feb. 17 – 9:00AM
                                vs. Central Alabama CC (6-4)                           Saturday, Feb. 17 – 11:15AM
 
 
Site: Gulf Shores, AL
Stadium: Gulf Shores Sportsplex

Radio: None
TV/Internet: None
 
Social Media: @LSUEBengalsSB (Twitter), @LSUEuniceSoftball (Facebook), @LSUEBengals (Instagram)

MEET THE COACHES
LSU EUNICE
Head Coach: Andy Lee (Delta State)
Career Record: 581-153 (14^th Season), Record At LSU Eunice: 489-88 (10^th Season)
 
WALTERS STATE COLLEGE
Head Coach: Larry Sauceman (Tusculum College)
Career Record: 709-275 (18^th Season), Record At Walters State: Same
 
SOUTHERN UNION STATE
Head Coach: Ally Silva (Point University)
Career Record: 50-71 (3^rd Season), Record At Southern Union State: Same
 
SNEAD STATE CC
Head Coach: Tracy Grindrod (Athens State)
 Career Record: 79-114-1 (4^th Season), Record At Snead State CC: Same
 
WALLACE STATE CC
Head Coach: AJ Daugherty (Alabama)
Career Record: 42-21 (2^nd Season), Record At Wallace State CC: Same
 
CENTRAL ALABAMA CC
Head Coach: Greg Shivers

STORYLINES

• The Bengals play five games at the Sun Chief Classic this weekend.  It's the second of three tournaments LSUE will play this season.  The Bengals went 3-0 at the Wildcat Invitational last week and will play in the Jimmie Stewart Classic on March 9-10 at Northwest Florida State College.
• Madison Monson was named the first NJCAA Div. II Player of the Week of the season.  The freshman from Walker, La. knocked a pair of home runs during the team's first six game and knocked four doubles.
• The Bengals have been dominant at home under Andy Lee, amassing a 209-22 record in ten seasons.  LSUE went 19-0 at Lady Bengal Field during the 2017 season.

MON-STER MASH: Madison Monson enjoyed a breakout first weekend with the Bengals, establishing herself as a key ingredient to the LSUE lineup.  The first baseman knocked a pair of home runs during the team's first six games and knocked four doubles.  Monson drove in five runs and scored six.  The Walker HS product hit safely in all six games this weekend as LSUE split all three doubleheaders.  She was named the NJCAA Player of the Week for her performance in Week One of the season.

NO SLOUCHES TO START: The Bengals difficult start to the 2018 season continues with Jones County.  The Wildcats are the first Division II NJCAA team the Bengals have faced this season.   LSUE faced perennial powers Galveston College, Blinn College and San Jacinto College-South during the first weekend of the season.  The Bengals followed that up with Crowder College, a 55-win team a season ago.  The Bengals just returned from a doubleheader against No. 2 Jones County.
 
HOME, SWEET, HOME: Lady Bengal Field has been very kind to LSUE under Andy Lee.  The Bengals an eye-popping 209-22 (.904) inside the friendly confines including three undefeated home seasons.  LSUE went a perfect 19-0 last year with a high water mark of 29-0 back in 2014.
 
D2 DOMINANCE: LSU Eunice recently won its fourth NJCAA Division II National Championship and fifth in the last seven years.  The Bengals only trail Phoenix College (8) in titles won in Division II.  In fact, the two schools have captured 13 of the 18 championships in NJCAA Division II history.
 
ELECTRIC EMILY: Emily Henderson enjoyed one of the most successful freshman seasons in LSUE history.  The outfielder blasted 19 home runs to lead the team and rank 3^rd all-time in Bengals single-season history.  Her six triples set the record for one year.  For her breakout campaign, Henderson was named to the NJCAA All-American First Team.  She joins Rebecca Skains (2016), Destin Vicknair (2014) and Tina Shulz (2011) as LSUE freshmen to earn First Team All-American honors.  All three went on to First Team All-American honors the next year.
 
MILESTONES IN SIGHT: LSU Eunice head coach Andy Lee will have a few win milestones he could surpass in 2018.  Lee is just 11 wins shy of capturing his 500^th win as the head coach of the Bengals.  He is also 19 victories away from his 600^th as a junior college head coach.  The 10-year head coach of LSUE is 489-88 all-time on campus while holding an all-time record of 581-153.