GRAND JUNCTION, Colo. – For six innings, LSU Eunice Baseball had everything going its way. The Bengals were being led by a strong outing on the mound from
Lane Fenske (New Iberia, LA, Catholic-New Iberia HS), getting critical defensive plays, and manufacturing enough offense to hold a lead.
That's when a Miami Dade surge was too much to overcome. The Sharks scored 11 unanswered during an 11-3 setback for LSU Eunice in the Bengals' opening round game of the JUCO World Series on Sunday. The Bengals (46-11) fall to elimination play where they will face the loser of Blinn and Wabash Valley on Tuesday at 10:00AM MST.
For two-thirds of the game, Miami Dade had no answer for Fenske and the LSUE defense. The freshman scattered five Shark hits in that span while getting spectacular defense behind him.
Jake Smith (Rosepine, LA, Rosepine HS) not only turned a double play but also made a highlight reel worthy putout to first from the deep hole,
Jordan Luna (Washington, LA, Opelousas Catholic HS) handled a few hot corner balls, and
Andrew Clapinski (Baton Rouge, LA, Catholic-Baton Rouge HS) threw out a base runner to end the fourth inning.
LSUE's offense would slowly churn to get on the board first.
Mason Bordelon (Marksville, LA, Avoyelles Charter HS) led off the fourth inning with a high fly ball that was misplayed in center and would score two batters later on a
Caleb Hastings (Lutcher, LA, Lutcher HS) RBI single. Luna and Clapinski each added two more runs in the sixth while the Bengals left the bases loaded – something would come back to hurt LSUE.
Fenske was finally chased in the seventh after loading the bases and Miami Dade made the most of it, striking for six runs on five hits. The Sharks added five more runs an inning later, highlighted by four two-strike hits that would induce the run-rule into effect.
LSUE left two runners stranded to try to bring the game to the ninth inning, leaving a total of 13 Bengals on the basepaths.
Fenske received the no decision after six full innings of work, giving up three earned runjs off six hits and three walks. Jake Smith was the lone Bengals to have a multi-hit game with LSUE being out hit 16-6.
