EUNICE, La. – LSU Eunice used a pair of late comebacks, coming through once, to earn a split at home against Blinn College. The loss snapped the Bengals' ten game win-streak, the longest of the season.
LSUE (38-15) fell in a nine-run hole before having the game-tying run at the plate in a 9-7 Game One setback, then rattled off six unanswered runs in an 8-6 finale.
The Bengals hit the road for a weekend at Tyler Junior College. LSUE will face the Apaches for a pair of doubleheaders beginning Saturday at no one. The Sunday twinbill will also begin at 12:00PM.
GAME ONE
LSUE rattled off seven unanswered runs but could not itself out of a nine-run hole, falling to Blinn College in their doubleheader opener, 9-7.
Heather Zumo suffered her first loss since February 17 after the Buccaneers roughed up the LSUE ace for five runs, two earned, off of nine hits. Blinn College broke the game open in the sixth inning after Amy Alexander lifted a grand slam off Kaeleigh Crutchfield to make it a 9-0 game.
The Bengals began their frantic rally with five-runs in the sixth inning. Sierra Gasca and Haley Godeaux led the frame off with consecutive singles then advanced into scoring position off a wild pitch. Ally Howard helped Gasca come in after a rocket line drive to third base induced a wild throw to first. Mima Doucet would make it a 9-3 game with a two-run single to left field, and was followed up by Madison Monson brining in two more with a double to left.
Heidi Zumo worked in traffic in the seventh inning but got out of the frame unscathed with two runners on base.
The first two Bengals reached base in their final at-bat with Godeaux singling to centerfield and Laykn Wales walking. Godeaux would later score on a wild pitch while pinch runner Lexi-Jo DeBarge would come home after a sacrifice ground out by Maleah Saucedo.
Mima Doucet kept hope alive with a two-out single to send the game-tying run to the plate. The rally would fall short after Madison Monson grounded out to second base to end the game.
Doucet and Godeaux paced the Bengals' offense in the losing cause, each connecting for a three-hit game.
GAME TWO
A five-run sixth inning helped LSUE rally out of a four-run hole to secure a split with Blinn College, 8-6. The Bengals scored the final six runs of the game.
The Bengals big frame was highlighted by Madison Monson's solo home run to lead off the sixth, her team-leading 18th home run of the season. Lakyn Wales and Hannah Carpenter would also drive in runs, while Haley Godeaux and Sierra Gasca reached home on a passed ball and error.
The Buccaneers were first on the board after scoring on a wild pitch in the first, then singling home two runs in the second frame. The Bengals battled back to make it 3-2 in the second after Ally Howard scored on a first-and-third double steal, and Sierra Gasca sacrificed in Haley Godeaux.
Howard and Sierra Gasca were the only multi-hit Bengals in LSUE's six-hit game.
Blinn College would chase LSUE starter Morghan LaTour in the third after allowing four runs off of five hits and three walks. The Bucs would push their lead to 6-2 by plating a pair of runs off of Jeanne Trahan as the freshman worked 1.2 innings of relief.
LSUE began its comeback in the bottom of the fifth after Darian Doucet's sacrifice fly would score Sierra Gasca. It was Doucet's first at-bat in more than a month after the sophomore suffered a hand injury on March 13 versus Southeastern CC (Iowa).
Heather Zumo secured the win with three innings of one-hit relief. The freshman notched her 21st victory of the season while issuing only one walk in her appearance.
