GALVESTON, Tx. – LSU Eunice started the season in style with a Friday sweep at the Island Invitational including a win over defending Division I National Champion Temple College.  The Bengals also defeated Alvin CC in run-rule fashion.
 
LSUE (2-0) began with an early morning 2-1 victory over Division I No. 1 Temple College followed by a 28-4 run-rule victory over Alvin.
 
The Bengals will wrap up Galveston College's Island Invitational with a Saturday tripleheader.  LSUE begins with a 9:00AM start against San Jacinto, followed by back-to-back games against Blinn College and Navarro College starting at 3:00PM.
 
Temple College – W, 2-1
 
LSU Eunice used timely hits and a stellar effort in circle by Jensen Howell to take down Division I top-ranked Temple College, 2-1.  Jensen Howell (Alexandria, LA, Holy Savior Menard HS) pitched a complete game, limiting Temple College to just two hits in her Bengal debut.
 
Howell (1-0) allowed a third inning run after giving up two walks before the Leopards plated the run on a fielder's choice.  The sophomore tossed the full seven innings, giving up that one earned run on two hits to go with eight strikeouts and four walks.
 
The Bengals would answer in the fourth after getting the first two batters on base with walks.  After a Mallory Little (Opelousas, LA, Opelousas Catholic HS) single to load the bases, Howell would tie the game on a wild pitch.  Jennifer Perkins (Lake Charles, LA, Barbe HS) would give LSUE the lead for good with a single up the middle to score Hannah Smith (Lafayette, LA, Catholic-New Iberia HS).
 
Sara Tate (Bayou Chicot, LA, Pine Prairie HS) and Abbey Higginbotham (Church Point, LA, Notre Dame HS) would also record hits in the Bengals' four-hit outing.  Pudge Barrera was tagged with the loss for Temple College.
 
Alvin CC – W, 28-4
 
A 15-run barrage in the second inning helped paved the way for LSU Eunice in a 28-4 beatdown of Alvin CC.  LSUE tallied 19 hits and used 11 Dolphins errors to secure the victory. 
 
LSU Eunice used six Alvin errors and two extra base hit in the 15-run frame in the second inning.  Sara Tate's double would help push the Bengals' advantage to 11-0.   The sophomore transfer was one of five players to record at least two RBIs.
 
Hannah Carpenter (Friendswood, TX, Friendswood HS) would hit the other double in the inning, part of her three-hit, four-RBI game.  Madison Monson (Walker, LA, Walker HS), Jensen Howell and Abby Trahan (Hackberry, LA, Hackberry HS) also had multiple-RBI games.
 
After Alvin responded with two runs in the third, the Bengals came right back with eight runs in the fourth and five runs an inning later.
 
Heather Zumo (Baton Rouge, LA, Central HS), Jeanne Trahan (Lake Charles, LA, Barbe HS) and Karli Ortego (Pine Prairie, LA, Pine Prairie HS) all threw in the circle with Zumo picking up her first win of the season.  The preseason All-American tossed one perfect inning with one strikeout.