EUNICE, La. –LSU Eunice split its opening pair with Kellogg CC by rebounding from a tough Game One setback. The Bengals fell in the opener 13-8 but blasted the Bruins 16-1 to end the twin bill.
LSUE (13-2) hosts Kellogg for another doubleheader Saturday starting at 1:00PM. Both games can be seen on Bengals All-Access via
www.lsuebengals.net and heard on the Bayou Sports Network online with Randy Guillory on the call.
GAME ONE
LSU Eunice surrendered an eight-run inning and could not rally to fall to Kellogg CC, 13-8. It was the most runs in a single inning by an opponent since 2014.
The Bengals were first to strike in the game after Jacob Richard used to a lead-off single to score thanks to a throwing error on a pick-off attempt and passed ball. The Bruins rattled off 12 unanswered runs from there.
Kellogg plated two-out runs off four hits and two errors in the second inning. Brent Hebert (3-1) yielded a one-out single, third strike swinging error and hit by pitch to load the bases. After a Raphe Gross fielder's choice and Hayden Mixon throwing error to score Kellogg's first run of the contest, Logan Briggs unloaded the bases with a 3-RBI double to take a 4-1 advantage.
Hebert was pulled in the third inning after allowing back-to-back walks to start the third inning. The right hander was credited with his first loss of the year after allowing six runs, five earned off four hits, four strikeouts and two walks.
Hunter Joubert was lifted for Noah Beason after a wild pitch and walk to load the bases. Beason gave up two more walks to bring in two more runs off five consecutive walks. Spencer Nelson struck out for the first out before a bases clearing 3-RBI double by Gross gave KCC a commanding 9-1 lead. Brian Fairbanks entered the game and gave up three more runs off a single and double before inducing a fly out to end the damage.
The Bengals responded with a run off an error behind the plate in the third then collected consecutive three-run frames. The rally was highlighted by Tristan Welch's two-run run in the four inning to help the Bengals claw back to a 13-8 deficit.
LSUE couldn't get another runner on base as the final six batters were retired in order. Max Swan (1-0) received the win after 2.2 innings of work, allowing two runs off two hits. Connor Myers held off the Bengal bats with 2.2 innings of scoreless relief, striking out four and not issuing a walk.
GAME TWO
A motivated Bengals team responded in dominant fashion, taking down Kellogg 16-1 to earn the Friday night split.
While the offense rebounded in style, it was Zach Hester that paced LSUE's win.
The sophomore silenced the Bruin bats for three hits in six innings pitched. Hester (4-0) produced his third double-digit strikeout effort of his Bengal career, fanning ten Kellogg batters including striking out the side in his final inning.
Josh Taylor saw his first action of the season, pitching one scoreless inning of relief that included a strikeout.
After LSUE scored two runs in the first inning, the Bengals produced one of three big innings in the second. Mason Templet's RBI-single was followed by a two-run base hit by Brent Hebert. Nick Bellina brought Hebert in with a sacrifice ground out to give LSUE the early 6-0 lead.
The Bengals struck again two frames later with another four-spot highlighted by Hayden Mixon's RBI single. LSUE emptied the bench and scored five runs in the sixth thanks to Andrew Sheridan's 3-RBI double, Bren Faulk's RBI-double and the Erath product coming around to score on a wild pitch.
Kellogg starter Zach Karbowski was credited with the loss after Bruin pitching combined for 14 earned runs off 10 hits, nine walks and eight wild pitches.
