EUNICE, La. – As the wind howled out of the south on the Cajun Prairie, LSU Eunice Baseball's Friday doubleheader with Southeast Arkansas became an offensive exhibition. The Bengals (16-3) won both games against the Sharks in a day that featured a combined 23 extra base hits including 10 home runs.
LSU Eunice used a pair of eight-run innings to take the opener 20-6 in five innings, followed by a come-from-behind 12-9 victory over the Sharks to close out the day.
Jordan Luna (Washington, LA, Opelousas Catholic HS) had a big day at the plate, collecting only three hits but being responsible for five RBIs and five runs scored.
The Bengals and Sharks continue their weekend series with a single game on Saturday at 1:00PM.
Game 1 vs. Southeast Arkansas – W, 20-6
The Bengal bats showed up early and often in their doubleheader opener against Southeast Arkansas, leading the way to a 20-6 win in only five innings. LSUE used eight-run innings in its first two at bats to build the big lead.
The Sharks struck for three runs right out of the gate, using a RBI double and two-run double to send a small shock into the Bengal Stadium crowd. That would only wake up the LSUE attack for an impressive offensive display. After scoring two runs off balks,
Mason Bordelon (Marksville, LA, Avoyelles Charter HS) quickly tied the game up with an RBI single through the left side.
Milan Obradovich (Tuscaloosa, AL, Northridge HS) gave LSUE the lead for good one batter later with a mammoth two-run home run that cleared the batter's eye in center field.
Jake Smith (Rosepine, LA, Rosepine HS) and Jordan Luna capped the scoring in the first inning with run scoring doubles.
The Bengals pushed their lead to 16-4 after two innings with another eight-run frame that included three home runs.
Caleb Hastings (Lutcher, LA, Lutcher HS) got the derby started with a solo home run to right center, followed a few batters later by
Marshall Louque (Lutcher, LA, Lutcher HS) who exited stage left with a two-run homer. After an error plated a run,
Andrew Clapinski (Baton Rouge, LA, Catholic-Baton Rouge HS) provided the exclamation point, smashing a grand slam to the power alley in left.
LSUE finished up its offensive display with four more runs in the third, using a sacrifice fly, bases loaded walk, fielder's choice, and Caleb Hastings RBI double.
Clapinski had a five RBI afternoon while Hastings, Bordelon, Obradovich and Smith had multi-hit games.
Hudson Spangler (Zachary, LA, Zachary HS) picked up the win after going 4.2 innings with six strikeouts. He would give up six earned runs off nine hits and two walks.
Game 2 vs. Southeast Arkansas – W, 12-9
LSU Eunice came through in the clutch with a four-run eighth inning to seal a 12-9 win over Southeast Arkansas to complete the Friday doubleheader sweep. It was the first time this season the Bengals have overcome a deficit in the eighth inning or later.
Marshall Louque provided the go ahead runs in the eighth, singling home
Dylan Bell (Moss Bluff, LA, Sam Houston HS) and Milan Obradovich to erase the Sharks lead after SEARK took it with three runs in the top half of the frame.
Aidan Mouton (Rayne, LA, Notre Dame HS) helped add two insurance runs, doubling home
Jacob Froehlich (Broussard, LA, St. Thomas More HS) then later scoring on one of two Sharks' errors.
Mouton showed his versatility in Southeast Arkansas's next at bat, picking up his first save of the season. The redshirt sophomore went 2-for-3 for the game, picking up two RBIs and three runs scored. He brought home the first run of the game with lead off solo home run.
It was a back-and-forth game that featured four ties and five lead changes. Obradovich led LSUE with a three-hit game and was joined by Mouton, Bell, and Jordan Luna with multi-hit games.
Kade LaCoste (Slidell, LA, Pope John Paul II HS) picked up the win with a two-out relief outing.
Xavier Woods (Cleveland, TX, Cleveland HS) and
Hunter Gambel (Hammond, LA, St. Thomas Aquinas HS) also saw time on the mound.
