CHALMETTE, La. – LSU Eunice completed a three-game weekend sweep of Nunez CC with a pair of Saturday wins at Noel Suarez Stadium. The Bengals (40-5) eclipsed the 40-win plateau for the 14th consecutive season under head coach Jeff Willis.
The Bengals used a three-run inning to get past the Pelicans, 4-2, in the opener followed by an 8-0 decision in the finale. The shutout was LSUE's 10th of the season.
LSUE continues its road swing with a mid-week swing in north Louisiana and east Texas. The Bengals will face Centenary College JV on Tuesday, April 23 at 6:00PM, followed by a Wednesday doubleheader at East Texas Baptist University JV.
Game 1 vs. Nunez CC – W, 4-2
Tristan Welch blasted a three-run home run to help the Bengals escape with a 4-2 victory over Nunez CC in the opener of Saturday's doubleheader. The fifth inning homer broke a 1-1 tie with the Pelicans.
The Bengals were held in check for the majority of the game with its only other run coming off a fourth inning swinging third strike that allowed Nick Bellina to come into score. Bellina managed two of the team's seven hits in the contest.
In LSUE's next at bat, Evan Keller's one-out single and a walk from Jarrett McDonald set the stage for Welch. It was the sophomore's fourth home run of the season.
Dane Dixon picked up the win after another quality start, his eighth of the season. For the first time in his LSUE career, Dixon (W, 11-0) struck out double digit batters with 10 punch outs. Dixon scattered two runs of two hits and one walk. The redshirt sophomore gave up a run on a wild pitch in the first inning, followed by a sixth inning solo home run.
Landon Clifton picked up his fourth save of the season with a perfect seventh inning, recording one strike out.
Game 2 vs. Nunez CC – W, 8-0
LSUE rode another solid start from Jacob Spell before the offense came alive late in an 8-0 victory over Nunez CC. Spell tallied his second win of the week after picking up the victory on Monday, April 15 at Baton Rouge CC.
Spell (W, 3-0) allowed just two hits and one walk over five innings of work. The sophomore has not allowed an earned run in his last four appearances, spanning 14 innings. Spell struck out nine batters in third start of the season.
Evan Keller gave LSUE the lead in the third with a RBI single as the Bengals would score a run in each of the next two innings to push their lead to 3-0. Nick Bellina broke the game open with the seventh inning with a two-run home run. Bellina was the lone Bengal to record a multi-hit game, scoring twice to go along with three RBIs.
Brooks Rushworth smashed a solo home run an inning later, part of a three-run frame for LSUE to clinch a run-rule decision.
In addition to Spell's performance, the Bengals received three no-hit innings of relief by Jake Hammond, Austin Andrishok and Jerry Couch.
