Bengals split with Pioneers
By Jamie Anfenson-Comeau
WHARTON, Texas – The top-ranked LSU at Eunice Bengals split a doubleheader here Tuesday, decimating the Wharton Pioneers 10-1 in the opener before narrowly falling 5-4 in the nightcap.
In the opener, the Bengals (27-7) opened scoring in the top of the first inning, when Boomer Blanchard doubled and later scored on Matt Creel’s base hit.
LSUE added three more runs in the top of the fourth, with triples from Chase Blanchard and Creel.
Wharton managed to get on the board with one run in the bottom of the fifth, before LSUE blew the lid off the game with five runs in the sixth inning.
Delta Cleary singled to drive home two runs before Kellen Bozeman nailed a three-run homer over the left-field fence.
Cleary singled for one more run in the top of the seventh to cap off Bengal scoring.
Creel pitched the win, giving up one earned run on six hits and two walks while striking out eight batters.
In the nightcap, Wharton surged to the lead in the bottom of the second inning, stymieing the Bengal defense as they pressed home five runs, including two on catcher Jake Koehl’s base hit.
The Bengals got on the board with one run in the third and a solo home run by Jason Terrell in the fourth.
The Bengals drove in two runs in the top of the seventh inning, narrowing the Pios’ lead to 5-4 with two outs before Tyler Slocum was forced out at second base to end the game.
Lee Slaney took the loss for LSUE, giving up five runs, four earned, off of three hits and five walks in the first one and one-thirds’ innings of the game.
The Bengals were ranked at the top of the first Division II NJCAA polls of the season, receiving all 96 possible poll votes and all eight first-place votes.
Tonight, the Bengals travel to Lamar University where they’ll face San Jacinto Junior College at 6 p.m.
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