KILGORE, Texas -  LSU Eunice Softball enjoyed an offensive explosion in the Lone Star State as the Bengals swept a Wednesday doubleheader at Kilgore College.  The Bengals (5-1) connected on 28 hits and scored 28 runs in just 11 innings of action against the Rangers.
 
LSUE used an eight-run inning to spearhead a 13-3 opener against Kilgore, followed by a consistent offensive assault to produce a 15-6 victory to close out the day's action.  Makinzey Elisar (Prairieville, LA, St. Amant HS) produced five hits over the two games while Kamryn Howard (Iowa, LA, Iowa HS) broke out for a six RBI afternoon.
 
The Bengals head back to the Cajun Prairie for their 2025 home opener on Friday.  LSUE welcomes Bossier Parish CC to town for a doubleheader at Lady Bengal Field beginning at 2:00PM.  Both games will be streamed live on the LSUE Digital Network.
 
Game 1 vs. Kilgore College – W, 13-3
A late offensive surge helped LSU Eunice pull away from Kilgore and take a 13-3 mercy-rule win in six innings.  The Bengals pieced together an eight-run sixth inning, connecting on eight hits in the inning alone.
 
Payton Prince (Sulphur, LA, Sulphur HS) opened that critical sixth frame with an emphatic lead-off home run to left field to push the Bengals' lead to 6-2.  Following a Makinzey Elisar single, Hadley Lemons drove her in a few batters later on a single up the middle – the first of three straight base hits for the Bengals to load the bases.  Gracie Higginbotham (Sulphur, LA, Sulphur HS) worked a walk to bring home another run before Kamryn Howard and Jade Fischtzuir (Covington, LA, Covington HS) laced back-to-back singles to push the lead to 10-2.
 
After Prince brought home her second RBI of the inning with a fielder's choice, Elisar provided the big hit, stroking a two-run triple to finally stop the onslaught.  Elisar had a breakout game, going 4-for-5 with three RBIs and two runs scored.  She was one of four Bengals to have multi-hit games in LSUE's 16-hit output.
 
Reagan Rios (Longview, TX, Longview HS) picked up her first win of the season, tossing five innings of action.  Rios gave up two runs, one earned, off three hits while not allowing a free pass.  She would strike out two batters.  Cate Nettles (Slidell, LA, Slidell HS) pitched the final inning.
 
Kate Rills (Gonzales, LA, East Ascension HS) started the scoring in the first inning with a RBI single.  LSUE would push across two runs in each the second and third innings, headlined by RBI doubles from Howard and Fischtzuir.
 
Game 2 vs. Kilgore College – W, 15-6
LSUE scored nine unanswered to break a third inning tie and secure a five-inning mercy-rule win, 15-6, to complete the doubleheader sweep of Kilgore College.
 
The Bengals would take the lead for good in the fourth inning, seeing the first five batters reach base.  Jadyn Yesso (Houma, LA, Houma Christian HS) pushed LSUE ahead for good with a bases loaded walk, followed by a sacrifice fly RBI by Gracie Higginbotham (Sulphur, LA, Sulphur HS).  The Bengals would score two more runs on bases loaded walks in the inning to give LSUE a 10-6 lead.
 
Kamryn Howard and Corin Waguespack broke out the big bats in the fifth as Howard uncorked a grand slam before Waguespack sent one into orbit for back-to-back homers. 
 
Ava Kordish (Bayou Chicot, LA, Pine Prairie HS) put down the Rangers in order in the bottom of the fifth to secure the run-rule victory.  Kordish improved to 3-0 after tossing 2.1 inning in relief, giving up one unearned run while scattering four hits and a walk with one strikeout.  Alyssa Boutte (Erath, LA, Erath HS) started the game for LSUE, going 2.2 innings.
 
Howard was joined by Gracie Smith (Youngsville, LA, St. Thomas More HS) with multi-hit games, while Jadyn Yesso and Gracie Higginbotham each had multi-RBI outings.