GALVESTON, Texas – LSU Eunice shook off a cold start to deliver an impressive 12-4 victory over Blinn College to close out the first day of the Galveston Invitational on Friday.  LSUE dropped its first game of the day, 5-1, to San Jacinto College.
 
The Bengals would bounce back with authority, belting four home runs in the run-rule victory over the Buccaneers.
 
LSUE will close out its two-day tour on the Texas coast tomorrow with a doubleheader against Alvin CC and Connors State College.  The action will kick-off from the Lassie League Complex at 10:00AM.
 
Game 1 vs. San Jacinto College – L, 1-5
An early three-run inning was too much for LSUE to overcome as the Bengals fell 5-1 to San Jacinto to open up the Galveston Invitational. 
 
San Jacinto's pitcher Ronni Grofman helped her own cause with a bases clearing three RBI double with two outs in the first inning to give San Jacinto the early 3-0 advantage.  The Coyotes would add a sacrifice fly an inning later to push the lead to four runs.
 
The Bengals would claw back with a run in the third after Karli Fontenot's (Ville Platte, LA, Sacred Heart-Ville Platte HS) sacrifice fly scored Maddie Leal (Houston, TX, Spring HS).  LSUE would have plenty of scoring chances, leaving seven runners stranded in the game.
 
Sydnei Simon (Rayne, LA, Notre Dame HS) took the loss after going 3.1 innings, scattering five runs off eight hits and two walks.  Cendall Barton (Elmer, LA, Alexandria Senior HS) pitched 3.2 innings of one-hit relief.
 
Game 2 vs. Blinn College – W, 12-4
LSU Eunice smashed four home runs to produce its first run-rule victory of the year, defeating Blinn College 12-4 in six innings.  The win produced LSUE's third "split" of a doubleheader this season.
 
Syndei Simon showed a sign of things to come in the game with a lead-off home run to begin the game.  Blinn would answer with a run off one of three Bengal errors in the bottom half of the inning.
 
Morgan Harlow (Lake Charles, LA, Westlake HS) would push LSUE into the lead for good in the second inning with a RBI single to score Abby Touchet (Shreveport, LA, C.E. Byrd HS).  Olivia Hennen (Choudrant, LA, Choudrant HS) spearheaded a three-run third inning with a two-run home run to make it 5-1 LSUE.  The Bucs would answer right back with a three-run inning of their own to inch back within a run.
 
That's when the flood gates opened for LSUE.  Hennen would blast her second home run of the game, a solo shot in the fifth inning, jump starting a six-run sixth inning capped off by Gracie King's (Winnsboro, LA, Franklin Parish HS) two run homer.
 
Hennen led the 14-hit attack with a 3-for-4 game, driving in four runs and scoring three times.  King, Simon and Maddie Leal would post multi-hit games.
 
Kinsley Ashworth (Plainview, LA, Plainview HS) tossed a complete game in her first collegiate win, throwing six innings while scattering four runs off five hits and a walk to go along with a season high six strikeouts.