FULTON, Ms. – LSU Eunice split a pair of games against Top 10-ranked teams on Day 2 of the Region 23 Tournament to secure a berth in next week's NJCAA Division II World Series in Clinton, Ms. LSUE will make the trip to the World Series for the seventh time in the last eight years.
The Bengals fell in a 10 inning thriller, 6-5, to Jones County before rebounding with a 6-2 win over East Central. LSUE will face Jones County again on Saturday in the Region 23 Tournament Final, needing to beat the Bobcats twice to win the tournament title. First pitch from Itawamba CC is set for 1:00PM.
After LSU Eunice and Jones County both qualifying, the 16-team field for next week's NJCAA Division II World Series is set. First round action in the double elimination tournament will begin on Wednesday, May 16 from Traceway Park in Clinton, Ms.
GAME ONE
Kelsha Loftin lifted a one-out game winning RBI single to deliver LSU Eunice a heartbreaking 6-5 loss to Jones County in a 10 inning thriller. The teams combined for 23 hits in the extra inning affair.
The "Cardiac Cats" were in full effect with a dramatic come from behind effort in the seventh inning. LSUE plated three runs with two outs in the final frame to momentarily take a 5-4 lead. Mima Doucet started the surge with a flare to right field and was followed by an opposite field two-run home run by Madison Monson, her team's best 19th of the season. Emily Henderson delivered the go-ahead run a batter later with a towering solo home run to left field, putting LSUE ahead 5-4.
Jones County answered with its own two-out magic as Faith Denton reached on an infield error that allowed McKennah Sikes to score from second base, sending the game to extra innings. The Bobcats were able to push across the game winning run after three singles loaded the bases to set the stage for Loftin.
Heather Zumo (26-8) was tagged with the loss after throwing the final 3.1 innings, scattering two runs off five hits. Morghan LaTour, Jeanne Trahan and Kaeleigh Crutchfield all saw action for the Bengals.
The two teams went back and forth earlier in the game with Jones County striking first with a run scored on a fielder's choice in the second inning. LSUE responded with a pair of two-out RBIs from Mima Doucet's triple and a Madison Monson single, giving the Bengals a 2-1 edge.
JCJC would score three unanswered runs to go ahead 4-2 heading into the final inning.
LSUE was led by a three-hit day by Darian Doucet, scoring a run. Mima Doucet, Madison Monson and Lakyn Wales all posted multi-hit games with Monson powering LSUE for three RBIs.
GAME TWO
LSU Eunice used a four-run third inning and another complete game jewel by Heather Zumo to beat East Central 6-2 in a Region 23 Tournament elimination game. The win helped LSUE secure a berth in next week's NJCAA Division II World Series.
Mima Doucet led the third inning with a lead-off single to begin the big frame. Madison Monson would drive home Doucet in the next at-bat with a single to right field with Lakyn Wales driving in another run three batters later off a bunt single. After Ally Howard scored on a catching error, Haley Godeaux would double home another run to push the LSUE lead to 4-0.
East Central would respond in the sixth with two runs, but that was all that Heather Zumo would allow in the circle. The freshman picked up her 27th win of the season, the third most in a single-season in school history. Zumo scattered two unearned runs off five hits while striking out five batters.
After ECCC drew within two runs, LSUE pumped its lead back to four with two runs in the sixth inning. Sierra Gasca and Mima Doucet both laced run scoring singles to give the Bengals valuable insurance runs. Doucet and Godeaux paced the LSUE offense with two-hit games in the Bengals' nine-hit attack.
