Lady Bengal trio heads to SLU

They earned a national championship together as Lady Bengal teammates.
Allison Daigle, Madison Edmonston and Jaci Lavigne will now play together at Southeastern Louisiana University in Hammond.
LSU Eunice head coach Andy Lee is proud of what his sophomores accomplished in leading the Lady Bengals to their fourth national title in program history.
“I saw them grow into leadership roles,” Lee said. “They set the tone for the season with their hard work in the weight room and on the field.
“They were motivated to prove what they could do after not making it to the World Series in 2015,” the coach said.
Edmonston was named to the 2016 National Fastpitch Coaches Association NJCAA Division II All-American team.
She was also named to the NJCAA Division II All Region 23 team.
“Madison has all the tools,” Lee said of Edmonston. “She is a great defensive player with a canon for an arm.
“She can also hit for power as well as bunt and steal bases.”
Edmonston (St. Amant) ranked sixth in the nation in stolen bases (44), seventh in runs scored (82), and ninth in hits (98).
She also led the Lady Bengals with a .535 on-base percentage.
On defense, Edmonston had a .979 fielding percentage with two errors and 84 putouts.
Daigle (Notre Dame) was another strong presence along with Lavigne (St. Amant).
“Jaci at shortstop, Alli at second and Madddie in center were vital for our success.
They were the center of our defense,” Lee said. “You have to be strong up the middle,
The Lady Bengal head coach said Lavigne was impressive with her defensive skills.
Lavigne hit . 317with 18 RBI, three home runs, a triple, three doubles and 31 runs scored.
On defense, Lavigne had a .939 fielding percentage with nine errors, 63 assists and 75 putouts.
“She wasn’t flashy but she made every routine play and made great throws arcoss the diamon.
“I was impressed with the way she played on defense.”
Daigle hit .384 this season with 50 RBI, nine home runs, 12 doubles, 53 hits, 26 walks and 36 runs scored.
On defense, Daigle had a .955 fielding percentage with seven errors, 97 putouts and 50 assists.
“Ali is a gamer,” the coach said of Daigle. “Every time we needed a crucial play - she did it.
“They all three came from great high school programs and know how to thrive in the moment.”
“The SLU coach (Rick Fremin) likes speed and these girls are quick,” the coach said. “They are part of his first signing class as he enters his second season with the Lady Lions.”
Since Lee arrived at LSUE in 2008, he has seen numerous players continue their careers at the next level.
“It is great to see a player move on and get to continue their dreams,” Lee said.
Former Lady Bengal Brooklynn Clark was named the 2016 NCAA Division II Player of the Year.
The North Alabama senior first baseman was a consensus All-American after also receiving first-team honors by the National Fast-Pitch Coaches Association.
She was also selected first-team and Player of the Year in the Gulf South Conference and the South Region.
Clark’s 107 hits on the year is not only a UNA record, but also the highest single-season total in GSC history.
Clark also drove in a school-record 84 runs this season.
Her 19 home runs and .498 batting average were also new single-season highs for the UNA program.
During her two-year career at UNA, Clark also set a career batting average record by hitting .435 including a .498 batting average this season.