EUNICE, La. – If there's one thing you can expect this year from LSU Eunice softball, it's a close game. The Bengals continued to deliver that promise with a doubleheader split of one-run games against Blinn College on Sunday at Lady Bengal Field.
LSU Eunice held on late for a 5-4 win in Game One, followed by surrendering a late advantage in a 4-3 setback to close the twin bill.
The freshman trio of Maci Baldwin, Madison Diaville and Emily Hoover shared the offensive load for the games, each collecting three hits. Chloe Bennett picked up her 15th win of the season, the second most in NJCAA Division II.
Game 1 vs. Blinn College – W, 5-4
Some late clutch hits and another complete game performance from Chloe Bennett helped LSU Eunice secured a 5-4 win over Blinn.
Emily Hoover broke a 4-4 tie in the fifth inning with a ground ball up the middle to score Maci Baldwin. It was Hoover's second RBI of the day, one of the three Bengals to record multi-hit games.
It capped off a back-and-forth game that saw the score tied twice. Madison Diaville gave LSUE the lead 2-1 in the third inning with a two-run blast. Hoover would follow with a RBI single to make it 3-1 Bengals.
Blinn would answer an inning later with a two-run home run of its own to tie the game, 3-3.
The Bengals regained the lead in the bottom half of the inning as Maci Baldwin singled on a line drive to left field to score Janey Cheramie. A manufactured run by the Buccaneers would tie the game before Hoover's heroics.
Chloe Bennett would go the distance for LSUE, scattering four earned runs off nine hits and a walk. Bennett struck out six batters in the win.
Game 2 vs. Blinn College – L, 3-4
LSU Eunice let a three-run slip by the wayside as the Bengals fell to Blinn College, 4-3. A seventh inning solo home run would give Blinn College its lone lead of the game.
LSUE started out on fire, using doubles by Madison Prejean and Ashlyn Roach to score a pair of runs. Skylar Cheek make it 3-0 LSUE in the fourth inning with a sacrifice fly.
The Bucs would answer in a big way in the fifth inning, plating three runs off three hits and two errors to tie the game at 3-3.
The Bengals would have chances to grab the go-ahead run in their final three at bats, getting a hit in each frame. Their best chance game in the sixth as Emily Hoover would advance to third after a lead off double but would be left stranded.
