KILGORE, Tx. – LSU Eunice softball saw its bats come alive on Wednesday during a doubleheader sweep at Kilgore College. The Bengals (14-8) capped off a six-game road trip to Texas with a 5-1 record including sweeps of Blinn College and Kilgore.
LSUE pounded 26 runs off 21 hits in the two run-rule victories. The Bengals took a 13-0 game in the five inning opener, followed by a 13-4 victory in six innings.
Ashlyn Roach (Calhoun, LA, West Ouachita HS) had a team-high four hits for the afternoon, while
Madison Diaville (Livingston, LA, Doyle HS) drove in six RBIs to pace the Bengals.
Stolen bases would be a major theme throughout the day, as LSUE grabbed 16 free bases on the afternoon. Their 69 stolen bases on the season leads NJCAA Division II.
The Bengals return home this weekend for a pair of doubleheaders. LSUE will host Galveston College on Saturday beginning at 3:00PM, followed by a Sunday date with San Jacinto at 2:00PM. All games can be seen live on the LSUE Digital Network presented by Opelousas General Health.
Game 1 vs. Kilgore College – W, 13-0 (Five Innings)
LSU Eunice caught fire late, using a seven-run fifth inning on its way to a 13-0 run-rule victory over Kilgore College.
The Bengals would use clutch hitting early, scoring five of its first six runs with two outs. Ashlyn Roach would start the scoring in the first with an RBI single. After two more runs by way of a passed ball, LSUE would push its lead to 6-0 in the fourth inning after three straight bases loaded walks.
LSUE would blow the game open in the fifth with
Brooke Taylor (New Orleans, LA, Thomas Jefferson HS) starting the fireworks with a RBI triple. She would later score on a
Mikayla Cashdollar (Glenmora, LA, University Academy) sacrifice fly. Madison Diaville would push the Bengals' lead to double digits with a two-run single. A double steal would score
Maci Baldwin (Moss Bluff, LA, Sam Houston HS) later in the inning, while
Madison Prejean's (Lafayette, LA, St. Thomas More HS) fielder's choice to plate
Taylor Palmer (Zachary, LA, Zachary HS) would cap the seven-run frame.
Roach was the lone player to have a multi-hit game, while
Maddie Leal (Houston, TX, Spring HS) and Diaville would bring in multiple RBIs.
Cendall Barton (Elmer, LA, Alexandria Senior HS) picked up the win after tossing four scoreless innings, giving up just two hits while issuing a walk.
Chloe Bennett (Rosepine, LA, Rosepine HS) pitched the fifth inning, striking out a pair.
Game 2 vs. Kilgore College – W, 13-4 (Six Innings)
After building a 4-0 lead and seeing it go away, LSU Eunice responded with authority in another run-rule victory over Kilgore College. The Bengals plated nine unanswered runs to score a 13-4 decision in six innings.
LSUE's offense continued its hot streak as Ashlyn Roach popped a two-run home run in the second inning to start the scoring. Madison Diaville and Cendall Barton would drive in runs in the third to push the LSUE lead to 4-0. Kilgore would finally get on the board in the bottom half of the inning, plating four runs of five hits.
That spurt would bring Chloe Bennett in the circle to shut down the Kilgore offense. The Bengal ace would improve to 8-3 by tossing 3.1 perfect relief innings, striking out three batters.
The Bengals would answer Kilgore's four-run inning with a big fifth frame. LSUE would cross five runs in the inning with the meat of the LSUE order – Maddie Leal, Diaville and Barton – driving in runs in consecutive at bats.
Maci Baldwin would add a two-run home run in the fifth inning before the Bengals secured the run-rule in the sixth inning as Roach and Brooke Taylor would bring in two more runs.
Five different Bengals would record multi-hit games with four LSUE players tallying multiple RBIs.
