TYLER, Texas –
Chloe Bennett (Rosepine, LA, Rosepine HS) continued her dominance in the circle this weekend with a perfect game, part of a doubleheader sweep for LSU Eunice softball at Tyler JC on Saturday. Bennett's gem was one of two dominant performances in the circle for LSUE in the pair of victories.
LSU Eunice took care of business 5-0 in Bennett's perfect game, while
Emma Shepherd (Athens, LA, Claiborne Academy) and
Cendall Barton (Elmer, LA, Alexandria Senior HS) subdued the Apaches in a 2-1 duel.
The Bengals' scheduled game with San Jacinto on Sunday has been canceled due to a scheduling conflict for the Coyotes. LSUE returns home Wednesday for its home finale against Angelina College at 2:00PM.
Game 1 vs. Tyler JC – W, 5-0
Chloe Bennett tossed her second perfect game of the year as the Bengals cruised past Tyler JC, 5-0. The freshman also has a no-hitter to add to her growing resume.
Bennett notched the complete game in just 85 pitches, 56 of them being called strikes. The Rosepine HS product would only get in two separate three ball counts early in the game, striking out the first batter she faced and inducing a fly out to the lead-off batter in the second inning.
For the game, Bennett struck out six batters while inducing a groundout and 14 flyouts. She improved to 19-5 on the season with the victory.
LSUE would get its offense going early, manufacturing a run with a
Ashlyn Roach (Calhoun, LA, West Ouachita HS) sacrifice fly to score
Maci Baldwin (Moss Bluff, LA, Sam Houston HS). The Bengals would cross two more in the third thanks to RBIs from
Madison Diaville (Livingston, LA, Doyle HS) and
Madison Prejean (Lafayette, LA, St. Thomas More HS).
The Bengals would add insurance in the seventh as
Jessi Cary (Rayne, LA, Rayne HS) and
Maddie Leal (Houston, TX, Spring HS) drove in runs.
Baldwin and Leal paced the Bengals offensively, combining for five hits, an RBI and three runs scored.
Game 2 vs. Tyler JC – W, 2-1
LSUE got another stellar outing in the circle as Emma Shepherd and Cendall Barton combined to win a 2-1 pitching duel to close out the Tyler JC doubleheader. The duo went against TJC's ace, Ryleigh Denton, handing her just her fifth loss of the season.
Shepherd held of the Apache bats for most of the game, getting out of a first inning jam. After giving up lead off single and walk, Shepherd left two TJC base runners stranded.
The lefty would get the offensive help she needed in the third inning as Maci Baldwin doubled home
Brooke Taylor (New Orleans, LA, Thomas Jefferson HS). It was one of just two hits for LSUE on the game.
The game was delayed for a few hours in the bottom of the fifth before resuming with Cendall Barton taking over the pitching duties. Barton's only hiccup was a seventh inning lead off home run by TJC as she picked up her third save of the season, giving up two hits with a pair of punchouts.
Maddie Leal would produce what would end up being the game winning run in the sixth inning. After Brooke Taylor led off the frame with a single, Leal would bring her home two batters later off a ground ball error, one of two TJC errors on the day.
