FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE – MARCH 29, 2022
EUNICE, La. – The LSU Eunice softball team took a pair of games from National Park College on Tuesday at Lady Bengal Field. The Bengals (22-12) concluded a season-long 12-game homestand with the victories.
LSUE rallied from an early hole to win game one 6-5, followed by some early offense of its own in a 6-1 finale. The Bengals got pair of stellar performances in the circle as Chloe Bennett racked up 14 strikeouts in relief in game one before Emma Shepherd tossed her first career complete game.
The Bengals head out on the road on Friday as LSUE is back in Texas for a doubleheader against Angelina College.
Game 1 vs. National Park College – W, 6-5
LSU Eunice used a three-run frame and Chloe Bennett’s dominant relief performance to rally and defeat National Park College, 6-5. It was the Bengals’ fourth one-run victory of the season.
After both teams scratched a pair of runs in the opening inning, the Nighthawks pushed ahead with a three-run home run. That set the stage for Chloe Bennett to add another highlight to her freshman campaign.
Bennett would strikeout eight of the first nine batters she faced, tallying 14 punchouts in 5.2 innings of work. The Rosepine product did not issue a walk and gave up two hits as improved to 13-4 on the season.
While Bennett silenced the National Park offense, the Bengals would get back in the contest in the middle innings. Madison Prejean doubled home a run in the third before Madison Diaville got LSUE within a run in the fifth thanks to an RBI double.
Ashlyn Roach would give LSUE the lead for good two batters later, blasting off on a two-run home run to left center. It was the sophomore’s third home run of the season, tied for the club lead.
The heart of the LSUE lineup did most of the damage on the afternoon as the 2-5 hitters accounted for eight of the team’s nine hits. Maddie Leal scored three times while Prejean and Roach each had multi RBI games.
Game 2 vs. National Park College – W, 6-1
An early offensive surge and complete game effort from Emma Shepherd paved the way for LSUE to take a 6-1 decision over National Park College.
The Bengals raced out to a 5-0 lead after three innings thanks to a well-rounded offensive attack. Ashlyn Roach and Maddie Leal would bring home the first two runs of the game with RBI singles, followed by a bases loaded walk. Abby Touchet and Taylor Palmer would both sacrifice home runs in the third.
The lead swelled to 6-0 in the fifth as Jessi Cary lined a ball to right field to plate Madison Prejean.
Maci Baldwin, Madison Prejean and Cendall Barton all had multi-hit games in the LSUE’s 10-hit output.
Emma Shepherd would turn in one of her best outings with LSUE, going the distance for the first time in her collegiate career. Shepherd gave up one earned run late, scattering five hits with no free passes. The left-hander struck out three batters as she sat down the Nighthawks in order twice.
