GALVESTON, Tx. – LSU Eunice Softball continued its hot play of late, collecting a Saturday sweep of Division I No. 11 Galveston College at the Lassie League Complex. The Bengals (32-8) produced their first road doubleheader sweep of a nationally ranked opponent since a 2018 sweep at Tyler JC.
It was patented late-game Bengal magic at work as LSU Eunice would rally in the sixth and seventh innings for the pair of victories. LSUE used
Katie Salling's (Baton Rouge, LA, Parkview Baptist HS) three-run home run in a 4-3 Game One victory, followed by four runs in the seventh to take a 10-8 finale. The Bengals held down the top home run hitting team in the nation to just three home runs as the Whitecaps have 90 long balls on the season.
LSU Eunice closes out the home portion of the regular season on Monday as the Bengals welcome another nationally ranked program to town, San Jacinto College. The Bengals and Ravens kick off the action at 4:00PM. LSUE will then head to San Jacinto for a return trip on Friday, the start of a regular season ending 13-game road swing.
Game 1 vs. Galveston College – W, 4-3
LSU Eunice used a stellar outing in the circle and clutch home run to take a 4-3 opener on the road at Galveston College.
Katie Salling connected on her fifth home run of the season to give LSUE the 4-3 lead in the sixth inning.
Gracee Hess (Belle Chasse, LA, Belle Chasse HS) and
McKenna Howell (Pollock, LA, Grant HS) reached base safely in the inning with a leadoff single and walk.
Reagan Rios (Longview, TX, Longview HS) preserved the win by limiting the high-powered Galveston offense to just one base runner the final two innings. Rios worked around a fourth inning three-run home run from the Whitecaps to improve to 12-5 on the season. She held Galveston College to just three runs off three hits and three walks while producing four strikeouts.
It was Rios' eighth complete game of the season.
Sina Ballew (Pineville, LA, Buckeye HS) gave LSUE the early lead on a RBI single during the second inning to score
Hadley Lemons (Kinder, LA, Kinder HS).
Game 2 vs. Galveston College – W, 10-8
The Bengals overcame a four-run deficit to escape with a Saturday doubleheader sweep after a 10-8 win over Galveston College to close the twin bill.
LSUE found itself in a 7-3 hole in the third inning after Galveston erased an early three-run lead for the Bengals. The Whitecaps scored a run in the second inning and six an inning later to jump out in front.
That set the stage for a methodical LSUE comeback as
Sara Roussel (Luling, LA, Hahnville HS), Gracee Hess and Hadley Lemons manufactured RBIs on groundballs in the infield, cutting the Bengals deficit to 7-6.
The Bengals trailed 8-6 heading into their final at bat, starting their rally with a Katie Salling single and
Reagan Duty (Mont Belvieu, TX, Barbers Hill HS) double.
Kate Rills (Gonzales, LA, East Ascension HS) sacrificed in Salling and following a Hadley Lemons walk, Sina Ballew doubled home the game tying run.
Gabrielle Huetter (Magnolia, TX, Magnolia HS) sent the LSUE dugout into a frenzy one batter later as the sophomore connected on a pinch hit double, scoring two runs to give LSUE the lead.
Reagan Rios entered the game and put the Whitecaps down in order to record her second save of the season.
Cate Nettles (Slidell, LA, Slidell HS) was credited with the win, tossing four big relief innings while allowing just one unearned run. She would scatter five hits and one walk.
McKenna Howell and Katie Salling helped LSUE take the early lead with Howell's RBI single and a two-run homer by Salling.
Hess enjoyed a three-hit game to pace the LSUE attack, joined by Salling, Duty and Ballew with multi-hit games.
