Bengals stay alive at World Series

ENID, Oklahoma - Survive and advance is the goal when a team falls into the loser’s bracket in the NJCAA Division II World Series.
It took 13 innings and nearly five hours before top-ranked LSU Eunice (47-10) scored twice to earn a 16-14 win over UCONN Avery Point Friday afternoon at David Allen Memorial Ball Park.
With the victory, LSU Eunice grabbed its 32nd World Series win to move ahead of Grand Rapids for the best in NJCAA Division II series play.
LSU Eunice will have a rematch with Western Oklahoma at 3 p.m. on Saturday as the Pioneers grabbed a win over Catawba Valley to stay undefeated in the series.
The Bengals must win the first match-up to force a 7 p.m. winner-take-all contest for the championship.
“It was the best game I have ever been a part of,” LSU Eunice head coach Jeff Willis said. “We were able to put some big runs up and they came right back.
“We threw punches and they punched right back,” the coach said. “It was impressive to see the fight in our guys as they never laid down and answered with runs every time they had to.”
Former St. Edmund star David LaFleur hit a solo shot in the top of the inning to give the Bengals a 16-15 advantage, while Jordan Romero doubled and scored on a RBI single from Janson Bourque as LSU Eunice added an insurance run.
“I was in the moment, seeing the ball really well,” LaFleur said of his hitting. “I was just one of those days where I took advantage of a couple of pitches that were right over the heart of the plate.
“We lived to face another game,” he said. “As long as there is an out left on the board, we always believe we have a chance to win.
“Our pitching staff did their job and the hitters performed to score enough runs.”
The Pointers (37-13) threatened in the bottom of the frame when Jordan Kowalski and Garrett Hinckley both singled before Bengal outfielder Trenon Trosclair dove to catch a foul ball against the fence to seal the win.
Madison Nickens, Steven Sensley and Nick Coomes all homered for LSU Eunice, while LaFleur also homered in the third inning to spark the Bengal offense who rapped 18 hits.
LSU Eunice held a comfortable lead until the Pointers then rallied to score five runs in the bottom of the seventh to close the gap to 11-9.
The Bengals added three more runs in the top of the eighth, begun as Trosclair singled and scored on a bunt by Jordan Romero.
LaFleur walked and scored on a wild pitch before Romero crossed home on a bunt by Janson Bourque.
UCONN Avery Point scored three runs in the bottom of the ninth, sparked by a bases-loaded walk followed two-run double by Avery Santos to force the extra innings.
Mitch Sewald (14-1), who earned the series opening win over Scottsdale, pitched the final 6.1 innings as he struck out nine, walked one and allowed one earned run on eight hits to seal the victory.
Starter Clay Moffitt went four innings as he struck out three, walked one and allowed four runs on five hits.
Evan Richardson, Erin Baldwin, Hayden Guidry and Zack Hamilton also pitched for the Bengals in the game before Sewald closed the win.
Coomes (3-for-7), Bourque (3-for-7), Romero (3-for-6, BB), LaFleur (2-for-5, 2 BB), Bozeman (2-for-6, BB), Nickens (2-for-6, BB) and Sensley (2-for-6, BB) all had multiple hits for the Bengals.
It was the second extra inning game in a row for the Bengals, who fell 5-2 to Western Oklahoma State College on Thursday night.
Western Oklahoma scored three runs in the top of the tenth inning to break a 2-2 tie and grab the winner’s bracket victory over the top-ranked Bengals.
Western jumped out to a 1-0 lead in the top of the first when Martinez reached on an error and crossed home on a hit by Ellison.
The Bengals tied the game in the bottom of the third when Trenon Trosclair reached on an error and scored on a passed ball.
LSU Eunice grabbed the advantage in the bottom of the fourth as David LaFleur walked and advanced to home on an error.
Western tied the game again in the top of the seventh when Foster Ford doubled to left field and scored on a deep sacrifice fly to center field by Anthony.
Hamilton (5-1) suffered his first loss of the season as he struck out one and allowed three earned runs on three hits.
Starter Sam Walley went seven innings, striking out 11 with two walks and two earned runs on seven hits.
The Bengals were limited to four hits as Sensley, Coomes, LaFleur and Trosclair reached base off starter Ricardo Parra and game winner Garbin Villar.
LSU Eunice won its second game in a row with an 8-1 win over Kellogg Community Colllege on Wednesday.
After two scoreless innings, the Bengals grabbed a 1-0 lead in the top of the third when Trenon Trosclair walked, stole second and scored when Nick Coomes drew a bases-loaded walk.
Kellogg tied the game in the bottom of the frame when Anthony DiPonio singled and scored when Travis Bolin doubled to second.
The Bengals retook the lead when Jordan Romero homered to left field before the Bengals added two more runs in the top of the fifth inning.
Bozeman and Nickens reached on a walk, while Sensley singled to plate Bozeman.
Nick Coomes reached base on an error that allowed Nickens to cross home plate to push the Bengals ahead, 4-1.
LSU Eunice added three insurance runs in the top of the eighth begun when Trosclair was hit by a pitch, stole second and scored on a bunt ny Nickens.
Sensley followed with his 20th home run of the season to push the Bengals ahead, 7-1.
LSU Eunice sealed the win in the top of the ninth when Caswell doubled and scored on a Kellogg error.
Ben Braymer improved his record to 8-1 on the season with the win as he struck out six walked two and allowed one run on seven hits. Guidry closed the ninth inning to seal the vicgtory.
Sensley went 2-for-4 with three RBI and a walk, while Romero went 2-for-4 with a RBI and a walk.
After the rains played havoc to the schedule, The Bengals opened the series with a 5-4 win over Scottsdale Community College.
Pitcher Sam Walley struck out the final two batters he faced in the bottom of the ninth inning as Sewald earned the win as he struck out six, walked four and allowed three earned runs on eight hits in 6.2 innings of work.
Zack Hamilton pitched 1.1 innings, striking out two and allowed one hit, while Walley fanned two and allowed one hit in the final frame.
Sensley slammed his 19th home run of the season over the right field wall to force a 2-2 tie in the top of the third inning.
The Bengals pushed ahead 3-2 in the top of the fourth when LaFleur doubled and scored on Trey Caswell’s ground-out.
LaFleur hit his fourth home run of the season to give LSU Eunice a 4-2 margin in the top of the sixth inning.
The Bengals added a crucial run in the top of the seventh as Brennan Bozeman walked and crossed home plate when Nickens doubled to right field.
Scottsdale battled back in the bottom of the frame when Justin Erlandson doubled and scored when Adam Wolfe singled to right to close the gap to 5-3.
The Fighting Artichokes rallied for a run in the bottom of the eighth when Kenny Finn reached on an error and scored on Frei’s hit to centerfield.
But Walley and the Bengal defense stiffened in the bottom of the ninth to preserve the LSU Eunice win.
LaFleur went 2-for-2 with two walks, a RBI and two runs scored, while Sensley went 2-fof-4 with a walk and a RBI.
LSU Eunice won its first title in 2006 with a 3-0 win over Grand Rapids in Millington, Tennessee.
The Bengals earned the 2008 championship with a 17-5 victory over Lenoir Community College.
LSU Eunice grabbed its third title in 2010 with a 10-2 win over UCONN-Avery Point before a 7-3 championship win in 2012 over Western Oklahoma.