No. 1 LSU Eunice fights way into region title game after day three split

EUNICE, La. – For the fifth straight season and 13th time under the direction of head coach Jeff Willis, LSU Eunice Baseball will play for a Region 23 Championship. The Bengals (52-4) split their Day 3 action at the Region 23 Tournament to set up a title tilt against East Central CC on Thursday at 3:00PM.

LSUE will have to defeat the Warriors on Thursday to force a winner take all contest on Friday.

The Bengals fell to East Central to open LSUE’s action on Wednesday 8-5, only to rally and upend Pearl River CC 14-6.

This will be the second time in three years that the Bengals and Warriors collide in the Region 23 Championship. LSUE had to overcome a first game loss to ECCC before taking down the Warriors in the if necessary game, en route to the program’s seventh NJCAA National Championship.

Fans can watch all of the action from Bengal Stadium on the LSUE Digital Network, courtesy of Opelousas General Health. Download the LSUE Digital Network app on any iOS or android device, table or streaming application.

Game 1 vs. East Central CC – L, 5-8
It was a tough luck loss for LSU Eunice, seeing an early lead disappear as East Central upended the Bengals 8-5 to advance to the Region 23 Tournament Championship Game.

LSUE jumped up on the Warriors with a four-run fourth inning as Collin Husser connected on a two-run double, followed by up a two-run home run by Tanner Vadnais. The lead was short lived as ECCC answered right back with three runs of its own in the fifth, tying the game 4-4.

A bases loaded walk temporarily gave LSUE the lead again, only to see the Warriors tie it up in the sixth with a sacrifice fly.

Things fell apart in the eighth inning as a walk followed by a third strike wild pitch throwing error allowed East Central to score the go ahead run, part of a three-run inning for ECCC. LSUE could not energize its offense, leaving a runner stranded in both the eighth and ninth.

Alexander Saunier and Zachary Thomas each had multi-hit games for the Bengals, part of LSUE’s nine-hit output. Parker Webb (8-2) was saddled with a tough luck loss, going 7.1 innings while giving up eight runs off six hits and four walks. Webb also struck out eight batters on the afternoon.

Game 2 vs. Pearl River CC – W, 14-9
LSUE used a similar recipe to an earlier win over Pearl River CC in the Region 23 Tournament, this time defeating the Wildcats 14-9 to advance to the Region 23 Championship Game. It was a classic back-and-forth that saw scoring in every inning but the ninth.

As was the case on Tuesday, the Bengals pounced on Pearl River early, striking for five runs in the opening frame. LSUE used a Dawson Willis bunt single, Alexander Saunier walk and Zachary Thomas single to quickly load the bases. A balk scored the first run of the game followed by one of three Pearl River errors. Tanner Vadnais provided the big hit with a two-out, two run single followed by a blistering RBI double off the bat of Barham White to make it 5-0 Bengals. The inning would chase the Wildcat starter after just two-thirds of an inning pitched.

That would awaken an entertaining stretch that saw Pearl River respond with three runs, only to be answered by four runs from LSUE. Saunier lifted a two RBI single in the third before Thomas drove in another run to push the LSUE lead to 9-3 after three innings. The game would then swing in the Wildcats’ favor as PRCC plated five straight of its own, making it a 9-8 game going into the back half of the night.

LSUE would show its resiliency late, outscoring Pearl River 5-1 in the final four innings. The Bengals would get critical RBIs from two freshmen as White’s sacrifice fly was followed by a two-out two-run single by Willis. Bennett Clement sent his team into celebration in the seventh as he uncorked a solo home run off the bench. LSUE added its final run in the eighth off the bat of Saunier as Willis was able to home safely off a Wildcat error.

That late offense set the stage for dramatic defensive stands from the Bengals. Liam Watt and Hunter Ponson each navigated an inning of relief as Ponson was able to minimize a bases loaded situation and one out in the seventh to a single run. After Ponson walked the opening batter he faced in the eighth, Jacob Moore came in to deliver another classic clutch pitching performance.

Moore would see the bases fill only to score a strikeout, ending the inning and turn the tide in favor of LSUE for good. The Lakeshore HS product issued a single walk before notching his seventh save of the season and second of the Region 23 Tournament.

Aiden Vosburg improved to 9-0 after being able to battle through the early offensive fireworks. Vosburg tossed 4.2 innings, giving up seven runs off five hits and two walks. The sophomore struck out four batters.

The top third of the Bengals’ lineup shined offensive as Dawson Willis produced a 4-hit game, driving in 2 RBIs and scoring three times. Combined with Zachary Thomas and Alexander Saunier, the trio scored six runs in the game with 5 RBIs. Barham White was the other LSUE player with a multi-hit game.