EUNICE, La. – LSU Eunice Baseball has made everything look easy the first month of the season.  The Bengals, however, endured a slow start on Tuesday and were able to outlast Panola College 7-3 at Bengal Stadium.
 
Panola put LSU Eunice (14-0) on its heels from the jump plating two runs in the opening at bat.
 
Despite the early runs, LSUE starting pitcher Joe Bordelon (Alexandria, LA, Alexandria Senior HS) was able to keep the Bengals within striking distance.  The freshman showed signs of dominance as the lefty chalked up nine strikeouts over just four innings of work.  Bordelon was able to limit the damage despite giving up five walks, leaving five Panola base runners stranded.
 
LSUE was able to get back into the game in the most uncommon of fashions.  LSUE would not get its first hit of the game until the sixth inning but used four consecutive walks in the fourth to take a 3-2 lead.  Tyler Johnson (Kenner, LA, Brother Martin HS) brought in the first run for LSUE with a bases loaded walk, followed by a passed ball strike out and a wild pitch that would bring home two more runs.
 
Panola was able to knot it up in the fifth after taking advantage of a hit by pitch, wild pitch and sacrifice fly.
 
That's when the typical LSU Eunice offense reared its head, triggered by a mammoth lead off solo home run in the seventh inning by Dawson Willis (Ruston, LA, Ruston HS).  That moonshot to left field was followed by walks from Tyson LeBlanc (Maurice, LA, North Vermilion HS) and Weston Fulk (Ankeny, IA, Ankeny HS).  Johnson continued his hot streak, belting a standup double to the gap in left, scoring the pair of runs and helping LSUE take a commanding 6-3 lead.
 
LSUE added an insurance run in the eighth as Panola committed its lone error of the game on a Tyson LeBlanc bunt to score Willis.
 
Collier Barham (Baton Rouge, LA, University Lab HS) grabbed the win after tossing three innings on three days rest after a previous three inning relief stint.  Barham allowed one earned run off one hit while striking out a batter.  Parker Morgan (Lake Charles, LA, St. Louis Catholic HS), Alex Dupuy (Natchitoches, LA, Natchitoches Central HS) and Will Mabry (St. Joseph, LA, Tensas Academy) pieced together the final two frames to preserve the victory.
 
The Bengals continue their season opening homestand on Friday with the start of a three-game set against Southern Arkansas University Tech.  First pitch from Bengal Stadium is set for 6:00PM.