Over the years, LSU Eunice Baseball has had a flair for the dramatic in the most improbable of situations. You can add another chapter to the Bengals’ magic on the diamond.
No. 3 LSU Eunice scored three runs in the ninth inning, all with two outs, as the Bengals shocked No. 10 Murray State 7-6 on Sunday at Bengal Stadium. The Bengals (20-0) extended their win streak to start the year to 20 games, now the fourth longest in the program’s storied history.
The Bengal faithful were on the edge of their seats late, as LSUE would be down to their final strike twice in the ninth, trailing 6-4. Grant Mangrum would rally all the back from an 0-2 count to induce a walk, loading the bases. Bennett Clement was down 0-2, before sending a bouncing ground ball up the middle to score a pair of runs and tie the game 6-6.
That set the stage for sophomore Alexander Saunier. The sophomore punched a grounder through the right-side hole to score Mangrum and set off a wild celebration in right field. It was the Bengals’ first walk-off since an April 16 win over Baton Rouge CC one year ago.
Both Clement and Saunier would come in off the bench and deliver in a big way. The outfield duo would be instrumental in the Bengals’ late rally, combining for four hits, four RBIs and score twice.
The Bengals had nothing going their way for most of the afternoon, finding themselves trailing 5-0 heading into the bottom of the sixth inning. Clement would jump-start the Bengals’ attack, driving in the first run of the game for LSUE with a pinch-hit single to plate Dawson Willis and later score on a wild pitch. Saunier would single and later score on a Murray State error.
Murray State pushed back with a run of its own in the eighth before LSUE’s dramatic ninth inning.
Aiden Vosburg grabbed the win after directing a perfect ninth inning. Parker Webb tallied nine strikeouts in his no-decision start, going five innings while giving up three runs off seven hits and two walks.