Lady Bengals rally from six-run deficit, repeat as national champions

No guts, no glory.
The LSU Eunice Lady Bengals won three games on Saturday, including a comeback 8-6 win over Jones County Community College to repeat as NJCAA Division II national champions at Traceway Park.
“It was big day for us,” head coach Andy Lee said. “It just showed the heart, the character and passion of these girls.
“It was a team win as we used every pitcher and the defense stood tall ,” the coach said. “We fought through it all to win three games. It hard to believe we did that.”
Jones held a 6-0 advantage until the Lady Bengals exploded for eight runs in the top of the sixth inning to grab the lead.
Taylor Boulet, Brroklyn Clark and Emily Nolan all singled to load the bases to open the inning.
Carey Alexis drew a walk to allow Boulet to score and Danielle Cruickshank then cleared the bases to close the gap to 6-4.
Morgan Tauzin and Codi Covington reached on back-to-back walks to keep the inning alive.
Covington scored on a passed ball as Cruickshank and Tauzin's courtesy runner Ginny Daggett both scored on a double to center by Boulet.
The Lady Bengals added their eight run of the inning when Clark singled in Boulet and the LSUE defense held over the final two innings to seal the championship.
LSUE used three pitchers in the game as starter Kayla Davidson went two innings before being replaced by Raven Cole.
Elizabeth Delafield entered the game in the with two outs in the bottom of the fifth and allowed two hits in the nine batters she faced as the Lady Bengal defense stiffened to give her the win.
Clark went 3-for-4 with two RBI, while Boulet went 2-for-3 with two RBI. Alexis also went 2-for-3 with a walk.

By Tom Dodge
Tom.dodge@eunicetoday.com

CLINTON, Miss. - No guts, no glory.
The LSU Eunice Lady Bengals won three games on Saturday including a 8-6 win over Jones County Community College to repeat as NJCAA Division II national champions at Traceway Park.
“It was big day for us,” head coach Andy Lee said. “It just shown, the heart, the character and passion of these girls.
“It was a team win as we used every pitcher and the defense stood tall ,” the coach said. “We fought through it all to win three games. It hard to believe we did that.”
Jones held a 6-0 advantage until the Lady Bengals exploded for eight runs in the top of the sixth inning to grab the lead.
Taylor Boulet, Brroklyn Clark and Emily Nolan all singled to load the bases to open the inning.
Carey Alexis drew a walk to allow Boulet to score and Danielle Cruickshank then cleared the bases to close the gap to 6-4.
Morgan Tauzin and Codi Covington reached on back-to-back walks to keep the inning alive.
Covington scored on a passed ball as Cruickshank and Tauzin both scored on a double to center by Boulet.
The Lady Bengals added their eight run of the inning when Clark singled in Boulet and the LSUE defense held over the final two innings to seal the championship.
LSUE used three pitchers in the game as starter Kayla Davidson went two innings before being replaced by Raven Cole.
Elizabeth Delafield entered the game in the with two outs in the bottom of the fifth and allowed two hits in the nine batters she faced as the Lady Bengal defense stiffened to give her the win.
Clark went 3-for-4 with two RBI, while Boulet went 2-for-3 with two RBI. Alexis also went 2-for-3 with a walk.

LSUE 5, Jones County 1
CLINTON, Miss. – In their second game of the day on Saturday, the Lady Bengals exploded for five runs in the bottom of the fifth inning to earn a 5-1 win over Jones County to force the if necessary game.
The Lady Bobcats took a 1-0 lead in the top of the fourth when McKenzie Hawkins doubled and scored on a bases loaded bunt by C.C. Lawn.
LSUE began their fifth-inning rally when Danielle Cruickshank walked, Ashley Subervielle doubled and Caitlyn Blanchard reached on an error to load the bases.
Cruickshank scored when Codi Covington walked and Subervielle touched home on a hit by Taylor Boulet.
Blanchard scored on a passed ball to push the Lady Bengals ahead 3-1.
Covington scored on a hit to left field by Brooklyn Clark as Boulet scored on a bases-loaded sacrifice by Emily Nolan for a 5-1 advantage for the Lady Bengals.
Covington, Boulet and Clark all went 2-for-3 in the win.
Destin Vicknair started the game in the circle but only lasted two innings before leaving with a back injury.
Raven Cole then went the rest of the way and struck out six, walked four and had two hitbatsmen in the win that advanced the Lady Bengals to the title game.

LSUE 1, Des Moines Area Community College 0
CLINTON, Miss. – With their back against the wall in an elimination game, LSUE’s only run in the top of the seventh inning proved to the be the difference in the Lady Bengals’ 1-0 win over Des Moines.
Destin Vicknair walked with two outs and Carey Alexis followed with a double to center to score the go ahead run.
Brooklyn Clark, Emily Nolan (double) and Alexis managed the three hits for the Lady Bengals.
Raven Cole pitched all seven innings for the win as she allowed seven hits in the shutout with six strikeouts and a walk.