GULF SHORES, Ala. – LSU Eunice used a pair of pitching gems to secure two shutout wins in the Bengals' first day of action at the Sun Chief Classic at the Gulf Shores Sportsplex. The two goose eggs give LSUE (11-1) five shutouts already in the early season.
The Bengals started the day with an eight-inning thriller, taking down Division I nationally ranked Northwest Florida 1-0. LSUE continued its momentum with a 9-0 victory over Reid State in five innings.
LSUE wraps up its stay in Gulf Shores with a pair of mid-day games, starting with Bishop State CC at 11:15AM and followed by Coastal Alabama CC-South at 1:30PM.
Game 1 vs. Northwest Florida State – W, 1-0 (8 Innings)
This season, LSU Eunice Softball has developed one of the nation's most explosive offenses – ranking Top 10 in nine separate team categories. Against Northwest Florida, however, it would rely on the other side of the ball to score an impressive early win.
Reagan Rios (Longview, TX, Longview HS) outdueled the Raiders for eight innings while LSUE produced the opportunistic hit as the Bengals struck down Northwest Florida State 1-0 to open LSUE's stay at the Sun Chief Classic.
The sophomore tossed her second complete game shutout of the season, giving up three hits and three walks while striking out four batters. Rios showed determination early on as Northwest Florida loaded the bases in the first with just one out. The LSUE ace induced a groundball to shortstop
Gracie Higginbotham (Sulphur, LA, Sulphur HS) who got the force out at home, followed by a full count strikeout to end the threat.
Rios would not allow another Raider base runner to get into scoring position until the eighth inning, when a placed runner at second would advanced to third after a tag up on a fly ball. LSUE sent the game to the bottom of the inning after Rios forced another fly out.
Offensively, LSUE would have one real scoring chance but could not cash in until the final moments. After leaving a runner stranded at third in the third inning, LSUE went right to work in the eighth. A lead-off walk put two base runners on after
Alyssa Lewis (Brazoria, TX, West Columbia HS) was placed at second to start the at bat.
Gracie Smith (Youngsville, LA, St. Thomas More HS) dropped a bunt to move over the runners before
Jadyn Yesso (Houma, LA, Houma Christian HS) delivered a clutch pinch hit single up the middle to score Lewis.
LSUE was held to three hits in the game, all coming in the bottom third of the Bengal lineup.
Game 2 vs. Reid State Technical College – W, 9-0 (5 Innings)
The Bengal bats would wake up in a hurry, helping LSUE secure a 9-0 win over Reid State in five innings to close out the first day of the Sun Chief Classic. It was the Bengals' fourth mercy rule win of the season.
LSUE went right to work in the opening frame, scoring three runs.
Makinzey Elisar (Prairieville, LA, St. Amant HS) helped
Payton Prince (Sulphur, LA, Sulphur HS) score on a bunt single and would later score on a passed ball to quickly make it 2-0 Bengals.
Kamryn Howard (Iowa, LA, Iowa HS) produced a two-out single to score the final run of the inning.
The Bengals clawed six more runs in the third inning to put the mercy rule into effect as Howard started the scoring when her fly ball was misplayed, allowing
McKenna Howell (Pollock, LA, Grant HS) to score. After another run off a wild pitch,
Corin Waguespack (Gonzales, LA, East Ascension HS) doubled home Howard to push the LSUE edge to 6-0. Payton Prince administered a big hit, driving home two runs on a triple to center field. Elisar capped the scoring with a RBI single to bring in Payton.
The duo of Price and Elisar shined at the top of the lineup, going 5-for-6 combined with four RBIs and three runs scored.
The offensive outburst was matched by a combined no-hitter from
Alyssa Boutte (Erath, LA, Erath HS) and
Ava Defee (Benton, LA, Benton HS). The pair came close to a perfect game, as Defee's hit by pitch was followed by three consecutive strikeouts to end the fourth inning. The duo combined for seven strikeouts while just the one base runners.
