EUNICE, La. – Despite a season cut short, that has not stopped LSU Eunice baseball from earning accolades with Jeff Willis being named National Co-Coach of the Year by "The JBB", the online publication dedicated to junior college baseball announced on Friday. It is the eighth national coach of the year honor for the longtime LSUE head coach.
Willis shared the national coaching award encompassing all levels of junior college baseball with Kyle Surprenant of John A. Logan.
"This is truly a team award and a testament to the hard work and dedication put forth by the 43 young men that practiced every day and the four other coaches on the staff," head coach Jeff Willis said. "I could not be more proud of how the entire program carried themselves on and off the field during the season and even moreso now in these uncertain times."
LSUE was on pace for one of its more memorable season's in program history with a 21-0 record and No. 1 ranking in the NJCAA polls before the season came to a halt due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
The Bengals boasted one of the top offenses in all of junior college, ranking Top 5 in 12 separate offensive categories in NJCAA Division II including tops in runs (280), RBIs (231), hit by pitch (55), sacrifice flies (25) and stolen bases (124).
LSUE were also top five in several offensive categories including Jack Merrifield leading the nation with 32 RBIs.
Not to be outdone, the LSUE pitching staff ranked third nationally in shutouts (4) while holding opponents to a .205 batting average, ranking sixth. The Bengals enjoyed a historic pitching outing with back-to-back no-hitters thrown by Drew Lasseigne and Jerry Couch on February 29 against Kellogg CC.
On the season, LSUE averaged 13 runs per game while posting 12 mercy rule victories and four shutouts.
This is just the latest national coaching award for the Bengals' coaching staff. In 2018, not only did Willis take home NJCAA National Coach of the Year honors but also was given the Skip Bertman National Coach of the Year by the College Baseball Hall of Fame – encompassing all levels of college baseball. Alan Orgain was also given a national honor in 2018, being named Baseball America's Assistant Coach of the Year in NJCAA Division II.
