Ready for opening weekend

By Tom Dodge
tom.dodge@eunicetoday.com

The LSU Eunice Lady Bengals have been to four straight national championship games and enter the 2015 season as the two-time NJCAA Division II national champions.
For head softball coach Andy Lee, the three national titles doesn’t bring pressure to his team, only respect from opponents.
“It was hard to repeat last year,” Lee said. “I want to see what kind of drive this team has,” Lee said. “We will see if they have a goal to three-peat.
“I know they love to compete and win so I don’t think they feel any pressure at all.”
The Lady Bengals open the season this weekend in the Galveston College tournament with games against Navarro College, McLennan Community College, Houston-Victoria, Rose State College and Kilgore College.
“This is a great way to start the season,” Lee said. “This is by far the toughest schedule we have had here.
“I am excited to get this season started.”
LSU Eunice is led this season by two returning All-American pitchers Raven Cole and Destin Vicknair.
“We have two All-American pitchers coming back and that is impressive,” Lee said. “They both give you a great chance to win no matter who you are playing because they are going to shut down the opponent 95 percent of the time.”
Cole was named the NJCAA Division II National Pitcher of the Year after helping the Lady Bengals to a 64-3 season.
Cole collected 27 wins inside the circle in her freshman campaign, striking out 217 batters to set a LSU Eunice program records in that category.
She pitched 166.2 innings in 2014 while finishing with a 1.09 ERA.
At the plate, she collected five doubles and 10 home runs while driving in 73 RBI to finish with a .319 batting average, a .438 on-base percentage and a .613 slugging percentage.
Vicknair finished 28 wins inside the circle in her first season, striking out 150 batters while pitching 180.0 innings in 2014 and finishing with a 0.93 ERA.
At the plate, she collected 16 doubles and 15 home runs while driving in 60 RBIs to finish with a .410 batting average, a .487 on-base percentage and a .789 slugging percentage.
Along with Cole (Orange, Texas) and Vicknair (Riverside Academy), sophomore pitcher Kayla Davidson (Silliman Institute) returns this season.
“I am excited about Kayla,” the coach said. “She has improved tremendously and is one of the hardest workers on the team.”
Lee said the defense is strong and the pitching should be even better but they will need to replace the offensive firepower lost when Codi Covington, Brooklyn Clark and Emily Nolan graduated.
“We lost a lot of weapons and the whole team is going to have to pick that up,” Lee said.
Sophomore Taylor Boulet (Notre Dame) played all over the infield including second, shortstop and third base.
Sophomore Abigail Ohlin (Berwick) will see action at shortstop, while
Sophomores Camille Quebodeaux (Teurlings Catholic), Ginny Daggett (Cathedral High) and Danielle Cruickshank (Parkway) will cover the outfield.
Sophomores Katlin Flowers (Central) and Alexa Thibodeaux (Notre Dame High) will catch this season.
Freshman Jessica Thomas (Henderson, Texas) will also see action behind the plate.
Freshman Carmisha Payton (East Ascension) is expected to be a strong defensive third baseman, according to the coach.
“She can make some great plays on defense but she can also hit,” he said.
Freshman Madison Edmonston (St. Amant) should battle for playing time in the outfield.
Other freshmen infielders include Allison Daigle (Notre Dame), Jaci Lavigne (St. Amant) and Jordan Hartman (St. Amant).
Another St. Amant product, Kayla Braud could contribute in the outfield.
Freshman pitcher/utility player Kaitlyn Bertot is a left-hander from League City, Texas.
“I don’t see us getting the same record we have had in the past,” Lee said. “But this team will be well-seasoned and ready when we make the playoffs.
“It is hard to believer we made to the championship game four straight year,” he said. “Not many programs can say they did that.”