GULF SHORES, Ala. – LSU Eunice turned in a dominant performance by winning a tripleheader in the first day of action at the Sun Chief Classic at the Gulf Shores Sportsplex in Gulf Shores, Ala.  The Bengals (14-2) have won 12 consecutive games.
 
The Bengals rallied from a two-run hole to defeat Central Alabama 5-3 to begin the day, followed by wins over Shelton State (8-4) and Southern Union State (5-0).
 
LSUE will close out their stay on the beach with a pair of early morning games, facing Walters State at 9:00AM followed by Wallace State at 11:15AM.  Fans can listen to both games online on the Bayou Sports Network with Randy Guillory on the call.
 
Central Alabama CC – W, 5-3
LSU Eunice used a pair of two-run home runs in the seventh inning to complete a come from behind rally, 5-3, to take down Central Alabama.  Both home runs came with two outs in the inning.
 
Madison Monson (Walker, LA, Walker HS) tied up the game with her second home run of the season with an opposite field smash to left field.  Mallory Little (Opelousas, LA, Opelousas Catholic HS) would keep the inning alive with a double and would pave the way for Jensen Howell (Alexandria, LA, Holy Savior Menard HS) a batter later.  Howell would power her first home run of the season with a towering shot to left field.
 
Howell (5-1) would retire the Central Alabama bats in the bottom half of the inning to collect her fifth win of the season.  The sophomore would pitch her second consecutive complete game of the season, scattering six hits and two walks while giving up three unearned runs.  Howell also struck out eight batters in the outing.
 
The Bengals would find themselves in a 3-1 hole heading into that final frame after three errors led to Trojan runs.
 
Howell also shined at the plate, going a perfect 4-for-4 at the plate with the two-run homer.
 
LSUE's other run came in the second inning when Abbey Higginbotham (Church Point, LA, Notre Dame HS) sacrificed home Kailey LeFrere (DeRidder, LA, DeRidder HS) on a groundout to shortstop.
 
Shelton State CC – W, 8-4
Sara Tate (Bayou Chicot, LA, Pine Prairie HS) drove in 5 RBIs to help LSU Eunice race out to an early lead and hold on for an 8-4 victory over Shelton State CC. 
 
Tate opened up the LSUE offense with her third lead-off home run of the season.  The sophomore would follow up an inning later with a two-run double.  Tate cap off the Bengal scoring in the fifth, driving in two runs with a triple down the left field line.
 
The Pine Prairie HS product would go 3-for-4 on the day, finishing a double shy of the cycle.
 
Jennifer Perkins (Lake Charles, LA, Barbe HS) was the other Bengal to drive in a run, belting her first home run of the season in the third inning.  The three-run long ball helped LSUE push out to a 6-0 advantage.
 
Heather Zumo (Baton Rouge, LA, Central HS) (6-0) pitcher her first complete game of the season, giving up four earned runs on seven hits and one walk.  Zumo also struck out five batters in the game.
 
Southern Union State CC – W, 5-0
Lauren Parson (DeRidder, LA, DeRidder HS) and Jeanne Trahan (Lake Charles, LA, Barbe HS) combined to toss a four-hit shut-out as LSU Eunice capped off its first day of Sun Chief Classic play with a 5-0 win over Southern Union State CC.  It's the third time this season the Bengals have defeated the Bison.
Parson (2-1) went five innings and did not allow a baserunner until the fourth inning.  The freshman scattered just two hits while striking out five.  Trahan also allowed two hits in two innings of work.
 
Abbey Higginbotham put the Bengals on the scoreboard in the third inning, doubling home Sara Tate.  Higginbotham would score a batter later off a ground ball single by Jen Perkins to give LSUE a 2-0 lead.
 
LSUE would plate three runs in the fourth, off a fielder's choice, sacrifice fly and run scoring single from Lele Martinez (Puerto Rico, Acadiana HS).
 
Higginbotham, Perkins and Abby Trahan (Hackberry, LA, Hackberry HS) led LSUE with two-hit games in the nine-hit Bengal attack.