Jun. 5—Top-seeded LSU-Eunice turned the tables on No. 3 seed Western, 12-3 in the second game of the Division II Junior College World Series Friday at David Allen Memorial Ballpark to force a winner take all game at 7 p.m. Saturday.
The Bengals (50-7) made the most of their nine hits, thanks to eight walks and five hit batsmen by the Pioneer pitching staff. Brady Hebert’s three-RBI bases-loaded double in a five-run third were the only runs produced by a base hit. LSU-Eunice scored in every inning but the ninth.
Every LSU-Eunice starter got on base at least once — which is what the Pioneers did in a 9-4 win on Thursday. Hebert and Peyton LeJeune both had three RBI. Beau Kirsch scored three runs. Hunter Tabb was two-for-four with two runs scored.
Bengals starter Jerry Couch allowed only five hits over seven innings while giving up three runs — two earned.
“Some nights it’s your night and some nights it’s not your night,” said LSU-Eunice coach Jeff Willis. “We just took advantage of the opportunities that we were given. I’m proud of how our pitching staff competed and how our offense competed as well.”
Western dropped to 44-13 with the loss. It broke an eight-game winning streak.
“When you give up 13 free bases, it’s hard to win,” said Western assistant Thomas McApline. “Eunice has a good club and it’s totally fitting to bring it to the last day.”
Hebert’s bases-loaded double made it 6-2 in the third. He scored on LeJeune’s sac fly to make it 7-2. The Bengals added one more run in the next five innings.
“I just wanted to put the bat on the ball and find a hole,” Hebert said. “I was happy to get everybody excited. Yesterday we put the bat on the ball and it went right to them. Today we found some holes. We’re going to do that tomorrow as well.”
LeJeune had RBI on a ground out in the fifth and another sac fly in the eighth.
“I don’t think we did anything different from yesterday,” LeJeune said. “It’s just baseball. Baseball happens. We were just focused and we’re happy to be playing in a big game.”
Western ace Jose Pimental left after three innings, giving five hits, four walks and three hit batsmen.
Couch shook off giving up a run in the first and second. WOC scored its other run in the sixth.
“He came out and set the tone,” Willis said. “He’s done that all year. He got ahead in the count and put them on the defense. Jerry is a guy that deserves to win. He reaps what he sows.”
Western will go with Caleb Isaacs, the winning pitcher in a 7-5 win over Patrick Henry, Saturday. Willis said he was undecided on his starter but that his entire staff will be available if needed.
“All year long, we have been in this situation and they have been in this situation,” Willis said. “It will be a great game tomorrow. We’re fortunate to be here and they are fortuante to be here.”
Hebert said the key “will be coming out and playing hard and having some fun … baseball is all about having fun and having a positive attitude.”
McApline said Isaacs has been throwing the ball well and is confident his team will bounce back.
“I think we’re going to get locked in and it’s going to be a good game,” he said. “We have to forget about the past and look forward to what we can get done.”
The game can be heard on KCRC (1390 AM).
Masri is sports editor for the Enid News & Eagle.
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