ALVIN, Tx. – LSU Eunice started an eight-game road trip in style with a Saturday sweep at Alvin CC. LSUE (17-8) used an early offensive burst in a 12-5 Game One victory, followed by a late success in an 8-3 Game Two win.
Rylie Candella (Centerville, LA, Centerville HS) led the way offensively, driving in six RBIs including a pair of home runs.
The Bengals will take the week off before returning to Texas next Saturday to face Kilgore College for a doubleheader.
Game 1 vs. Alvin CC – W, 12-5
LSU Eunice capitalized on Alvin mistakes and a big game at the plate from Rylie Candella as the Bengals opened the doubleheader with a 12-5 victory.
Candella started the game in emphatic fashion, bringing in three runs on an inside-the-park home run. The sophomore would combine with
Gracie King (Winnsboro, LA, Franklin Parish HS) an inning later to put up three more runs and push the Bengals' advantage to 6-0.
After
Morgan Harlow (Lake Charles, LA, Westlake HS) added another run in the third off a RBI triple, Alvin would scratch a pair of runs. Candella responded with authority, this time leaving the ballpark with a two-run home run. The Bengals would engineer three more runs in the sixth inning.
Candella drove in five runs for the game, joining Harlow with multi-hit games.
Olivia Hennen (Choudrant, LA, Choudrant HS) scored a game-high three runs while also tying a career mark with four stolen bases.
Chloe Brouillette (Mansfield, LA, Stanley HS) (5-0) picked up the win after tossing five frames, giving up five runs off four hits while striking out a batter.
Cendall Barton (Elmer, LA, Alexandria Senior HS) pitched two scoreless relief innings.
Game 2 vs. Alvin CC – W, 8-3
The Bengal bats work up late to produce an 8-3 win and a series sweep of Alvin CC.
LSUE was held scoreless the first four innings as Alvin clung to a 1-0 lead.
Paige Luquette (Denham Springs, LA, Denham Springs HS) would get the rally started with bunt base hit that would bring in
Katelyn Courville (Lake Charles, LA, St. Louis Catholic HS). Gracie King and Rylie Candella connected on back-to-back doubles and
Karli Fontenot's (Ville Platte, LA, Sacred Heart-Ville Platte HS) sacrifice fly gave LSUE a five-run inning and the lead for good.
King would cap off a three-run sixth with a RBI double to score Olivia Hennen. King was joined by Fontenot, Kennedy Smith and Katelyn Courville to have multi-hit games in LSUE's 12-hit attack.
Raegan Pilgreen (Ruston, LA, Quitman HS) tossed a complete game, giving up three runs off four hits while not issuing a walk. The freshman also struck out four batters.
