Lady Bengals go 5-1 in Florida tourney

NICEVILLE, Fla. – The Lady Bengals battled the entire Jimmy Stewart tournament against NJCAA Division I programs, winning five in a row before falling 2-1 against host Northwest Florida State in the finale.
LSU Eunice (31-3) began Saturday’s play with a 3-2 win over Chipola College as the Lady Bengals scored two runs in the bottom of the sixth inning to seal the victory.
LSU Eunice rallied in the frame, sparked when Maddie Edmonston (1-for-3) singled and Taylor Boulet (1-for-2) walked to open the inning.
Edmonston scored on a Chipola throwing error, while Jaci Lavigne singled in Boulet for the go-ahead run.
Raven Cole earned the win as she struck out six, walked one and allowed one earned run on four hits over seven innngs.
Lavigne went 2-for-3 with a RBI to spark the Lady Bengal offense
The Lady Bengals grabbed a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the second when Danielle Cruickshank walked and scored when Jessica Thomas reached on an error.
Chipola tied the game with a run in the top of the fourth when Savannah Ryken singled and scored when Jenna Reeves reached on a fielder’s choice.
The Lady Indians took a 2-1 advantage in the top of the fifth as Tori McDaniel singled and scored on a Lady Bengal error.

NWFS 2, LSUE 1
In a defensive struggle, all the runs were scored on the third inning between LSU Eunice and Northwest Florida State as the Lady Bengals saw their win streak stop at 21 games.
The 2014 team set the school record with 28-straight wins after breaking the 2013 record of 27 straight victories.
Edmonston reached on a one-out double to centerfield and scored on Destin Vicknair’s two-out single to left as the Lady Bengals led, 1-0.
The Lady Raiders opened the bottom of the frame with a double by Savannah Smathers, who scored on a Lady Bengal error to tie the game.
Northwest Florida then moved ahead when Jade Williams singled and crossed home on another LSU Eunice miscue.
The Lady Bengals threatened in the first on a Cruickshank hit and again in the fourth when Cole and Ginny Daggett both singled, but no one scored.
Cruickshank doubled again in the top of the fifth but she was the last Lady Bengal base runner of the game as Northwest Florida pitcher Morgan Crapo retired the last seven LSU Eunice batters.
Cruickshank finished 2-for-2 with a walk to lead the Lady Bengals, who were limited to six hits.
Vicknair had a strong performance in the loss as she fanned seven, walked two and allowed one earned run on four hits.
The Lady Bengals will entertain San Jacinto in a 2 p.m. doubleheader on Tuesday.

LSUE 13, Darton 8
The Lady Bengals battled back in both games Friday as second-ranked LSU Eunice (30-2) earned two more wins in the Northwest Florida tournament.
Against Darton (Ga.) College, the Lady Bengals scored in six of the seven innings to grab the 13-8 win.
LSUE opened the game with a run in the first inning as Maddie Edmonston singled and scored when Destin Vicknair reached on a fielder’ choice.
The Lady Bengals added another run in the top of the second when Jaci Lavigne doubled with two outs and scored on a single by Alli Daigle.
The Lady Cavaliers tied the game in the bottom of the second with solo home runs by Deja Lester and Harley Beck.
LSU Eunice battled back in the top of the third as Taylor Boulet singled, Vicknair walked and Danielle Cruickshank belted a home run over the centerfield fence to push the Lady Bengals ahead, 5-2.
Carmisha Payton keep the inning going as she singled, stole second and scored on Lavigne’s single to left.
Darton responded with five runs in the bottom of the frame to retake a 7-6 advantage, aided by consecutive RBI doubles from Beck, Tiffany Bishop and Brianna Billie.
The Lady Bengals answered with three runs in the top of the fourth begun as Edmonston doubled to centerfield and scored on a Vicknair’s hit.
After Vicknair reached first, Cruickshank walked and both scored on a double from Katie Flowers.
LSU Eunice added two more runs in the top of the sixth, aided by a double from Payton who scored on Alexa Thibodeaux’s single to center.
Pinch runner Ginny Daggett moved to third on a single by Lavigne and scored on Daigle’s single to push the Lady Bengals ahead, 11-7.
LSU Eunice added two insurance runs in the top of the seventh begun as Cruickshank doubled and scored off Payton’s double.
Payton then crossed home plate when Flowers doubled to center as the Lady Bengals led, 13-7.
The Lady Cavaliers closed the gap to 13-8 when Beck reached on a two-out error and scored on Kendall Holland’s double to centerfield.
Payton went 4-for-5 with a RBI and three runs scored, while Edmonston went 3-for-5 with two runs scored.
Lavigne went 3-for-4 with a RBI and a run scored as Cruickshank finished 2-for-4 with three RBI and three runs scored. Flowers went 2-for-5 with three RBI.
Raven Cole earned the win as she struck out five, walked two and allowed one hit in 4.1 innings of work.
Kayla Davidson went 2.2 innings with three strike outs, a walk and seven runs on nine hits.

LSUE 6, Wabash Valley 5
The Lady Bengals exploded for six runs in the bottom of the seventh inning to grab a 6-5 win over Wabash Valley College.
Cole walked to open the frame, Lavigne singled and Daggett walked to load the bases.
Courtesy runner Jordan Hartman then scored on a fly ball from Edmonston, while Taylor Boulet singled in Lavigne to close the gap to 5-2.
Vicknair singled in Daggett and Cruickshank’s double to left plated Boulet as the Lady Bengals kept the rally going.
Payton then singled to center to drive in Vicknair and Cruickshank to complete the comeback win.
After two scoreless innings, the Lady Warriors pushed across three runs in the top of the third, aided by two Lady Bengal errors and a two-RBI double by Kenedy House.
Wabash added a run in the top of the sixth on a double by Bailey Winters and another in the final inning when House scored on a single by Mackenzie McGregor.
Vicknair earned the win as she struck out six, walked one and allowed two earned runs on eight hits over seven innings.
Vicknair helped her own cause as she went 2-for-2 with a RBI and a run scored, while Lavigne went 2-for-3 with a run scored.