LSU Eunice baseball erupted with a six-run eighth inning to secure their eighth NJCAA Division II National Championship in a 9-3 win over Brunswick CC on Saturday at David Allen Memorial Ballpark. The Bengals (56-8) eight National Championships are the most in NJCAA Division II history, and the second most in NJCAA history.
Heading into the eighth inning, LSUE was trying to hold onto a 3-2 in Enid, Oklahoma. Everything changed in the eighth however as the Bengals scored six runs and changed this game from a nail biter to a blow out with four hits and three walks in the inning
Teddy Johnson led off the inning with a single as LSUE loaded the bases after two walks. Andrew Lee drove in a couple of runs with a two RBI ground ball just past the Dolphin shortstop to pad the LSUE lead to 5-2.
Collin Husser scored on a passed ball before the backbreaker came off the bat of Weston Fulk. Tyson LeBlanc walked to reload the bases before Fulk cleared the diamond off a sharp bouncer down the left field line, giving the Bengals a commanding 9-2 lead.
Brunswick would add a run at the bottom of the eighth before the Bengals closed the door in the ninth and set off the championship celebration. LSUE’s Parker Morgan came in relief in the ninth inning after a lead off walk, striking out a batter before inducing a game ending double play.
The game was a back-and-forth affair early on as LSUE and Brunswick traded off runs. The Dolphins put up the game’s first run with a solo home run in the third inning. The Bengals answered back in the fourth, plating two runs off a LeBlanc RBI single and Ashton Fuselier sacrifice fly. Brunswick would tie the game on a manufactured run off a fielder’s choice.
LSUE would finally take the lead for good in the seventh on a bases loaded walk.
Fulk and Dawson Willis paced the LSUE offense with three hit game, part of the Bengals’ 12-hit output. Johnson was the only other Bengal who finished with a multi-hit game.
Liam Watt capped off his Most Outstanding Pitcher performance with 3.2 innings of relief, credited with the win to improve his record to 7-2. Watt gave up one earned run off three hits and walk while striking out two batters in three and a third innings on the mound. For the tournament, Watt made three appearances, earning two wins going 7.2 innings allowing one run off five hits and recording four strikeouts.
Alec Beversdorf was the championship title starter, going three innings on four days rest, giving up one run off three hits and a walk while sitting down three batters. Parker Webb tossed 1.1 innings in relief, giving up a run and three hits and striking out two batters.
The Tournament’s Most Valuable Player was Willis as he went 7-for-16 (.437) from the plate with seven runs, an RBI and seven stolen bases. He was joined on the All-Tournament Team by Teddy Johnson, Tournament Defensive Player Alex Dupuy, Weston Fulk, Blake Lobell and Liam Watt.