EUNICE, La. – A series pitting two preseason NJCAA ranked teams lived up to the billing on Saturday with LSU Eunice winning a pair of tight games against Kirkwood at Lady Bengal Field.  The Bengals (8-1) captured their third straight doubleheader sweep of the week.
 
LSU Eunice used a similar formula to early season success – fast starts and dominant pitching.  The Bengals plated five runs in the first inning and held on in the circle during a 5-3 opening victory over Kirkwood, then clawed back for a dramatic 8-7 comeback win in the nightcap. 
 
The Bengals and Eagles close out their four-game series with a Sunday doubleheader set for noon.
 
Game 1 vs. Kirkwood CC – W, 5-3
Early offense and a complete game gem by Emily Rachal (Bossier City, LA, Airline HS) headlined LSU Eunice in a series opening 5-3 win over Kirkwood.  The Bengals scored their only runs of the game in the first inning before turning it over to the freshman pitcher to navigate the Eagles' lineup.
 
The first three batters would reach safely for LSU Eunice to jump out in front.  Payton Prince (Sulphur, LA, Sulphur HS) singled home Mylie Elsensohn (Pearl River, LA, Pearl River HS) and Makinzey Elisar (Prairieville, LA, St. Amant HS) would steal home on a executed first-and-third situation to put LSUE on top 2-0.  The Bengals plated another run off one of four Kirkwood errors in the game before Jordan Stanley (Houston, TX, Clear Lake HS) lifted a two-run home run to give the Bengals a commanding early lead.
 
That was enough for Rachal to improve to 3-1 on the season in her first seven inning complete game as a Bengal.  The freshman gave up three runs, just one of them earned, off eight hits and a walk.  She would strike out seven batters in the contest.
 
After putting the first two runners on in the second inning, Rachal would strikeout three straight Kirkwood batters to get out of that jam.  The freshman would minimize damage by the Eagles throughout, giving up a single run in the third, then work around two hits and an error in the fifth. Rachal would leave two runners stranded in the sixth and sit down the side in the seventh to preserve the win.
 
Elisar and Prince combined for four of the Bengals' five hits in the game.
 
Game 2 vs. Kirkwood CC – W, 8-7
LSUE overcame fielding miscues and came through with a resilient 8-7 win over Kirkwood to complete the Saturday sweep.  The Bengals committed five errors leading to three unearned runs before charging back with two shutout innings to spur the rally.
 
Kirkwood struck first with a run in the first inning thanks to an error.  LSU Eunice answered right back as Zoey Smith (Choudrant, LA, Choudrant HS) smashed a three-run home run to give LSUE the temporary lead.  The back-and-forth continued in the second inning as the Eagles tied the game back up with a pair of runs, only to have the Bengals regain the lead on an ground ball error that helped Smith score.
 
The Eagles seized control of the game in the third inning, plating three more runs in the third inning, using three hits and an error.
 
The game would then tighten as the two sides kept trading punches.  The Bengals scored in the fourth off a passed ball, then each team grabbed a run in the fifth to make it a 7-6 Kirkwood advantage going into the sixth.
 
That's when Erika Savage (Kingwood, TX, Kingwood Park HS) closed the door on the Kirkwood offense, giving the Bengals the opportunity for the late game drama.  Savage worked around a sixth inning error and got help from her battery mate as Maggie Johnson (Welsh, LA, Welsh HS) caught a baserunner stealing.
 
That set the stage in the sixth after LSUE put its first two batters on base.  Makinley Harris (Denham Springs, LA, Denham Springs HS) worked a walk to load the bases, and Smith continued her stellar game with a sacrifice fly to tie the game up.  Mylie Elsensohn gave the Bengals the lead for good by scoring on a passed ball.
 
Savage send the Bengals dugout into a celebration in the seventh, inducing a fly out and then a game ending double play on a liner to Jadyn Yesso (Houma, LA, Houma Christian HS) at first base.  The sophomore pitcher improved to 4-0 on the season after 2.1 innings of shutout relief.   She worked around two walks while striking out a batter.
 
Anna-Cate Miller (West Monroe, LA, Claiborne Christian HS) battled in the circle in her start, going 4.2 innings.  She yielded eight hits and five walks, striking out four Kirkwood batters.
 
Mia Smith (Scott, LA, Teurlings Catholic HS) was the lone Bengal with a multi-hit game while Smith accounted for four RBIs.