Bengals roll in Region 23 opener
By Tom Dodge
POPLARVILLE, Miss. - The Louisiana State University at Eunice Bengals moved one step closer to their goal of the NJCAA World Series with a 9-0 win over Itawamba Tuesday in the Region 23 baseball tournament.
The Bengals (45-11) will face the Meridian/Mississippi Gulf Coast winner 7 p.m. today in the second round of the four-day tournament.
Ryan Boudreaux earned the shut-out win as he scattered four hits and struck out four with now walks.
Brady Bourque walked and Michael Billings singled to open the bottom of the second and Nate Peterson singled to center to score Bourque for a 1-0 lead.
The Bengals forged ahead 2-0 when Chase Blanchard reached on an error to plate Billings. Boomer Blanchard bunted his way on to load the bases but the threat was halted when Delta Cleary hit into a double play to end the inning.
LSUE increased its lead to 5-0 in the bottom of the fourth as the Bengals continued the hit parade.
Bourque and Billings recorded back-to-back singles and then Chase Blanchard was intentionally walked to load the bases.
Cleary then cleared the bases with a 2 RBI double to score Billings and Chase Blanchard while Boomer Blanchard scored on an errant throw that bounced past home plate.
The fifth inning was also productive for the Bengals as Kellen Bozeman, Perry Smith and Bourque all singled to open the stanza.
Billings had a fielder’s choice RBI to score Smith for a 6-0 Bengal advantage.
LSUE continued its offensive surge in the bottom of the third when Chase Blanchard singled and scored on a triple by Boomer Blanchard.
Boomer Blanchard then scored on Cleary’s double, the 14th Bengal hit of the game.
Cleary plated the ninth LSUE run on Kellen Bozeman’s sacrifice to complete the romp.
After Boudreaux allowed a single to open the top of the seventh, the sophomore right hander retired the side to preserve the shutout.
In the 2007 regional tournament, the Bengals were pushed out early after dropping back-to-back decisions.
LSUE was leading 7-0 in the seventh inning against Meridian, but the Bengals lost that game 10-7 to fall into the loser’s bracket.
The Bengals then lost to Itawamba 10-2 to finish the season with a 44-14 overall record.
LSUE could face those same two teams again in the first two rounds of this year’s tournament that concludes Saturday.