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Box Score 2 EUNICE, La. – As the regular season winds down, it seems the LSU Eunice Softball team is just getting started. The Bengals (35-16) continued to build on a few impressive performances, this time sweeping Baton Rouge CC in a Wednesday doubleheader at Lady Bengal Field.
The pair of run-rule victories make it six straight games LSUE has triggered the mercy-rule for a win. LSUE shut down the Bears in an 8-0 opening win, followed by a surge of offense for a 16-8 decision in six innings.
The Bengals' offense was led by a four-hit afternoon from
Madison Prejean (Lafayette, LA, St. Thomas More HS), collected three doubles while driving in two runs.
Gabrielle Huetter (Magnolia, TX, Magnolia HS),
Gracie Bailey (Watson, LA, Live Oak HS) and
Abby Touchet (Shreveport, LA, C.E. Byrd HS) combined to drive in 13 of the team's 24 runs in the two games.
LSU Eunice will close out the home portion of the 2023 season with a doubleheader on Saturday. The Bengals welcome Blinn College and Pearl River Community College for a three-team day of action. LSUE and Blinn begin the day with a noon first pitch.
Game 1 vs. Baton Rouge CC – W, 8-0
LSU Eunice returned to some of its early form in the season, using some key hits and a dominant effort by
Chloe Bennett (Rosepine, LA, Rosepine HS) to take an 8-0 decision over Baton Rouge CC to begin the day.
Bennett tossed her sixth complete game shutout of the season, giving up her first hit in the fourth inning. The sophomore issued two early free passes while striking out five batters to pick up her 20th win of the season and become just the second LSUE pitching to throw for more than 200 strikeouts in both seasons at LSUE.
LSUE would get all the offense it needed in the opening frame, striking for four runs all with two outs. Abby Touchet kick started the offense with a deep double to score
Mari Baldwin (Moss Bluff, LA, Sam Houston HS). After
Maddie Chretien (Lake Charles, LA, Barbe HS) reached base with a single, Gabrielle Huetter tattooed a deep three-run home run to straight away center to make it a 4-0 Bengals advantage.
Touchet added another RBI in the third with a single to left field before LSUE would induce the mercy-rule in the fourth. The sophomore trio of
Maci Baldwin (Moss Bluff, LA, Sam Houston HS), Madison Prejean and Touchet would all bring home runs in the fourth to make it an 8-0 game.
Touchet led the LSUE offense with a three RBI game, while Maci Baldwin and Prejean joined her with multi-hit outings.
Game 2 vs. Baton Rouge CC – W, 16-8
The Bengals broke out for an eight-run inning, helping LSUE cruise past Baton Rouge 16-8 and take the day's doubleheader over the Bears.
LSUE could not shake off a pesky Bears team, taking a 7-5 lead into the bottom of the fourth. That's when the Bengals were able separate for good with the big inning. After back-to-back singles to start the inning, an error and sacrifice ground out gave LSUE a 9-5 lead. Following a second sacrifice, one of three Gracie Bailey RBIs padded the Bengals advantage to six runs.
The Bengals loaded the bases with two outs thanks to a walk and an
Emily Hoover (Hammond, LA, St. Thomas Aquinas HS) infield single after the Baton Rouge first baseman was pulled off the bag on the throw. That's when things would spiral in LSUE's favor as a bases loaded walk was followed by a rare infield in that would empty the bases. Mari Baldwin's tapper was misthrown and allowed three runs to come into score.
Despite the 10-run lead, LSUE would have to wait until the sixth inning to grab the mercy rule as BRCC would scratch across three runs in the fifth. Madison Prejean would help LSUE walk off in the sixth with her third double of the day, scoring Maci Baldwin.
Gracie Bailey would enjoy a breakout game, going a perfect 3-for-3 with four RBIs and two runs scored. Prejean would join her with a multi-hit game as eight different Bengals collected a hit in the 11-hit output.
Emma Shepherd (Athens, LA, Claiborne Academy) notched the win after tossing three innings, one of three LSUE pitchers to see action.
