POPLARVILLE, Miss. – Despite having to wait nearly half a day to play due to weather, LSU Eunice used a dominant effort in relief and timely hits to score an 8-5 victory over East Central in the Region 23 Tournament on Monday at Dub Herring Stadium.
The Bengals’ playoff opener was delayed six hours due to inclement weather on the opening day of the six-team tournament.
After East Central plated the first run of the game on sacrifice grounder, LSUE jumped ahead using three hits, a walk and a hit by pitch.
Jack Merrifield started the scoring with a RBI double, followed by a wild pitch scoring a run and a Hunter Tabb sacrifice fly. Thomas Steven closed the frame with a RBI single and the Bengals led 4-1.
The Warriors were able to creep back with three runs in the third and a run in the fourth to tie things up at 5-5.
The second half of the game belonged to the Bengals and Austin Andrishok.
The lefty reliever tossed three scoreless frames including four strikeouts and a walk. Andrishok (6-0) provided an exclamation point on the night with a bases loaded, two-out full count punchout.
LSUE would regain the lead after Scott Jones knocked a one-out single then stealing a pair of bases. After a pick-off attempt, Jones would score from third after the throw to home bounced off Jones’ helmet. Thomas Stevens would also swipe a pair of bases before putting LSUE up 7-5 on a passed ball.
Hunter Tabb added another sacrifice RBI in the seventh for the final run of the game. Tabb drove in two RBIs for the night, while Jones and Jack Merrifield enjoyed multi-hit games.
Jacob Hammond picked up his fifth save of the season, tossing a scoreless ninth with a strikeout and a walk.
LSUE now awaits the winner of the Pearl River CC-Hinds CC game that will be played on Tuesday.