GULF SHORES, AL – LSU Eunice recovered from an early morning heartbreak to respond with a pair of wins to close out the first day of the Sun Chief Classic.
 
The Bengals fell in Game One to Walters State, 2-1, before rebounding with victories over Southern Union State and Snead State.  LSU Eunice took down the Bison 4-3 while blowing out the Parsons 13-3.
 
LSUE will close out their five-game stay Saturday in Gulf Shores against Wallace State and Central Alabama in back-to-back games starting at 9:00AM.
 
Fans can find the latest Bengals information on social media via Twitter (@LSUEBengalsSB), Facebook (@LSUEuniceSoftballl) and Instagram (@LSUEBengals).
 
GAME ONE
LSU Eunice could not complete a seventh inning rally as the Bengals fell in their Sun Chief Classic opener to Walters State, 2-1. 
 
The Bengals seemed poised to come from behind in their final at-bat after starting the frame with back-to-back singles by Emily Henderson and McKenzie King.  Both baserunners advanced on a wild pitch with Henderson scoring on a one-out Kelci Bodin sacrifice grounder out to the pitcher.  Lakyn Wales pinch hit with a chance to tie the game but grounded out back to the pitcher to end the game.
 
Walters State scored its only runs on the game after capitalizing on a Bengals' error.  Casey Gilbert reached on a Bodin error at shortstop and advanced to third after a Paige Calloway double.  The error was one of four for LSU Eunice in the game. 
 
Haley Cannon scored both of the baserunners on a two-RBI single to centerfield to give the Senators an early 2-0 edge.  Walters State manage just two more hits the rest of the game.
 
LSUE had its own chances in the bottom half of the first after a Mima Doucet lead-off double and Haley Godeaux single to centerfield to advance Doucet to third base.  The next three Bengal batters all lined out to end the threat.
 
The next big threat for LSUE would come in the sixth inning.  Mima Doucet led the inning off with a single to left field and advanced to second on a passed ball.  Doucet got to third after two ground outs but could not score after Ally Howard struck out swinging.
 
The Bengals six hits in the game with Doucet's pair leading the way.
 
Heather Zumo (5-4) was credited with a hard luck loss after throwing her fifth complete game of the season.  The freshman allowed those two first inning runs, one earned, off hits hits while striking out four and not issuing a walk.
 
GAME TWO
 
A four-run frame was all LSUE needed to hold on for a 4-3 win over Southern Union State.  All four of LSUE's hits came in that decisive inning as the combination of Jeanne Trahan and Heather Zumo held off a Lady Bison rally.
 
The Bengals were quick to work in the fifth inning after four consecutive hits to start the inning, the only LSUE hits of the game. Emily Henderson singled to lead off the frame followed by a Lakyn Wales pop-up to first that fell for a hit.  Maleah Saucedo scored Henderson on a bunt single with Wales advancing to third.  Lexi-Jo DeBarge scored Wales on another successful bunt to make it a 2-0 Bengals edge.
Saucedo would score two batters later when Mima Doucet reached on an error at third base.  Haley Godeaux ended the scoring by driving in Doucet on a sacrifice fly.
 
Southern Union State responded in the bottom half of the inning by scoring a run off a first-and-third steal that allowed Ally Harris to steal home safely.
 
The Bison came within striking distance an inning later.  Morgan Hollaway reached on a two-out error at shortstop by Maleah Saucedo.  Taylor Dempsey reached third base on a wild pitch and scored by stealing home in another first-and-third situation.  Morgan Bradford drove in another run on a RBI-single to chase LSUE starter Jeanne Trahan.
 
Trahan record the win to improve to 2-0 on the season.  The freshman threw 5.2 innings while giving up three runs, one earned, on six hits and one walk.  The right-hander struck out four batters.
 
Heather Zumo recorded the final four outs of the game, giving up one hit.
 
GAME THREE
 
After two close calls to open the Sun Chief Classic, LSU Eunice left no doubt in a 13-3 runaway win over Snead State.  The Bengals piled up 16 hits in the Friday finale.
 
A three-run second inning started the LSUE scoring thanks to a Sierra Gasca RBI-single and two-RBI base hit by Mima Doucet. Emily Henderson made it a 4-0 Bengals advantage an inning later with her 6^th RBI of the season.
 
Kaeleigh Crutchfield ran into trouble in the bottom half of the inning by allowing three Snead State runs off two hits and three walks. Crutchfield (3-0) would be pulled after the inning but notched her third win of the season after yielding three runs, all earned, on five hits and five walks while striking out a pair.
 
The Bengals opened the game up with another three-run frame in the fourth after RBI singles by Mima Doucet and McKenzie King.  Madison Monson would score off a Snead State error.  Haley Godeaux made it a 9-3 Bengals game with a fifth inning two-RBI double.
 
LSUE crossed four more runs in the seventh after Mima Doucet and McKenzie King drove in runs on singles while Madison Monson and Darian Doucet worked bases loaded walks.