WHARTON, Tx. – A defensive battle turned into an offensive slugfest as LSU Eunice left Wharton County with a 9-7 victory on Monday.  The Bengals (16-2) and Pioneers scored 14 runs in the final four innings after plating just a pair the first five frames.
 
LSU Eunice was first to strike with a fielder's choice from Peyton LeJeune (Church Point, LA, Teurlings Catholic HS) helping Brady Hebert (Baton Rouge, LA, Catholic-Baton Rouge HS) score off one of three errors from Wharton County.  The Pioneers would answer with a RBI single in the fifth, eventually chasing Bengal starting pitcher Jackson Rodriguez (Kingwood, TX).
 
Rodriguez (2-0) turned in an impressive performance in his first collegiate start.  The left-hander tossed five complete, giving up four earned runs off five hits and two walks while sitting down three batters.
 
The Bengal bats came alive in the sixth inning, scoring five runs off four hits, two walks and an error.  Ayden Makarus (Okotoks, Alberta, Canada, Foothills Composite HS), Thomas Stevens (Crowley, LA, Notre Dame HS) and Brady Hebert connected on consecutive run scoring base hits.  LeJeune would score on a wild pitch an inning later to push LSUE's lead to 8-1.
 
The Pioneers would smash a pair of home runs to claw back with two runs, 8-6, in the seventh inning.  Makarus would answer the bell with his team's best fifth home run of the season to give LSUE a valuable insurance run.
 
Austin Andrishok (Baton Rouge, LA, Catholic-Baton Rouge HS) and Jacob Hammond (Monroe, LA, Ouachita HS) would take care of the ninth inning with Hammond pick up his second save of the season.
 
LSU Eunice will return home on Tuesday to face Centenary College at 4:00PM.