EUNICE, La. – In an afternoon of momentum swings, LSU Eunice threw the last punch to get past Wharton County JC 18-11 on Monday at Bengal Stadium. The 29 combined runs were the most in a game for the Bengals (19-3) this season.
LSU Eunice got the upper hand early, using a
Hunter Tabb (Scott, LA, Acadiana HS) RBI double in the first, followed by three manufactured runs in the second inning to take a 4-1 edge. The Pioneers would respond with four innings in the third to take their only lead of the game, 5-4.
The Bengals would seemingly seize control with five runs in the bottom half of the inning, highlighted by
Beau Kirsch (Lafayette, LA, Acadiana HS) getting it started with a two-out, two-run single. LSUE would bump its lead to 11-5 after a pair of RBIs from
Scott Jones (Sulphur, LA, Sulphur HS) and
Brady Hebert (Baton Rouge, LA, Catholic-Baton Rouge HS).
Hebert went a perfect 4-for-4 on the game, with four RBIs and two runs scored. The four hits were a career best for the shortstop.
Wharton would rally over the next three innings to tie in the seventh inning, 11-11.
Hunter Tabb provided the heroics with a RBI triple in the seventh to give LSUE the lead back for good while
Austin Andrishok (Baton Rouge, LA, Catholic-Baton Rouge HS) finally subdued the Pioneer bats. The left-hander picked up his first win going two innings of one-hit relief bridging to
Jacob Hammond (Monroe, LA, Ouachita HS) in the ninth would struck out three batters around one hit.
LSUE put the game out of reach in the eighth inning, plating six runs off five hits, two walks and two hit by pitch.
Jack Merrifield (Prairieville, LA, Dutchtown HS), Tabb,
Thomas Stevens (Crowley, LA, Notre Dame HS) and Jones joined Hebert with multi-hit games in the Bengals' 16-hit onslaught. LSUE also stole eight bases with
Jarrett McDonald (Sterlington, LA, Sterlington HS) and Kirsch swiping a pair.
The Bengals will head out on the road for the remainder of the week with a game Wednesday at LSU Alexandria followed by a road series against National Park College.
