EUNICE, La. – Brandon Mooney delivered a two-out two RBI single to help LSU Eunice baseball claw back and win 8-7 over Wharton County JC on Monday at Bengal Stadium. The victory helped the Bengals (28-11) secure the season series over the Pioneers, having split in Texas earlier this season.
LSUE found itself in a 6-4 hole in the bottom half of the eighth inning after the Pioneers erased a three-run deficit of their own. Bryce LaRocca and Cade Hart produced back-to-back singles before a Michael Fontenot walk loaded the bases with no outs. Two batters later, Kole Myers manufactured a run on a sacrifice grounder to second base to cut the deficit to 6-5.
Mooney would send a dribbler up the middle that was bobbled by WCJC's Casey Sunseri on a backhand attempt from second base. Pinch runner Carter Quinn would score, and Michael Fontenot would beat out the throw at the plate, scoring from second and sending the LSUE dugout into a frenzy.
Mooney collected a season-high three RBIs, going 2-for-5 on the day.
Brock Barthelemy grabbed his sixth save of the year, striking out two of the three batters he faced in a perfect ninth inning.
LSUE had everything going its way early as the Bengals had a 3-0 edge after tow innings. Peyton LeJeune led off the game with a two-out RBI single in the first, while a wild pitch and Mooney's first RBI added to the Bengals' total in the second inning.
Wharton County would respond in the middle innings, using a two-run home run to jump start a five-run spurt to make it 5-3 heading into the home half of the fifth. LeJeune scratched one across with a sacrifice grounder in the fifth, but LSUE was still left wanting more as the Bengals would leave the bases loaded in the frame.
A solo home run in the eighth inning by the Pioneers would be their final run before the LSUE comeback.
Jackson Rodriguez grabbed the win, improved to 4-1 on the season. The sophomore pitched the eighth inning, giving up that one home run around two strikeouts.
Dalton Burrell received a no decision after four innings of work, scattering three earned runs on seven hits and a walk. Burrell tossed five of the team's 11 punchouts on the day.
Offensively, Mooney was joined by LeJeune and Fontenot with multi-hit games in LSUE's 10-hit output.
LSUE returns home Thursday for a home-and-home series with Baton Rouge CC. The Bengals and Bears meet at 6:00PM at Bengal Stadium with the game being broadcast on the LSUE Digital Network.
