LSU-Eunice sweeps River

EUNICE, La. Eighth-ranked LSU-Eunice swept Pearl River here Tuesday, rallying late in both games to take a pair of 5-2, 2-1 baseball victories and hand the visiting Wildcats their first losses of the 2012 season. The host Bengals improved to 10-0 with the wins, while PRCC dropped to 4-2. In the nine-inning first game, the Wildcats scored solo runs in the first and second innings and held on to their 2-0 lead until the bottom of the sixth when LSU-E scored three go-ahead runs before adding two more in the eighth. Pearl River Aaron Lee of Pearl River Central singled in the top of the first frame and eventually scored off a single by Chad Livingston of Slidell (La.) High, while in the second, Krisjon Wilkerson out of St. Stanislaus College in Bay St. Louis doubled and scored off a base hit by Chase Lewallen of Sumrall High. Reliever Will Bacon (2-0) picked up the win in his three relief innings that started in the sixth. He gave up one hit, struck out two, and walked one; while Brady Wilson started for the Bengals and went five-and-a-third, giving up two hits, two earned runs, striking out seven and walking two. Brady Domangue pitched the ninth. Roy Gasaway Jr. of Pascagoula High (0-1) got the loss for his one-third inning of relief in the sixth, givng up a hit and an earned run, while Taylor Byrd of Petal High started and went five-and-a-third, giving up two hits, two earned runs, striking out one, and walking one. Cody Conkle of Petal High relieved Gasaway in the sixth, pitching one-and-two-thirds, giving up two hits, an earned run, and striking out one; while Bradley Rayborn relieved in the eighth, going two-thirds of an inning, giving up two hits, an earned run, and striking out one. Aaron Lee paced the Wildcats eight-hit attack with three singles, while Lewallen had two base hits, Chase Toussaint of Petal High and Wilkerson both doubled, and Livingston singled. Marco Picciola led the Bengals with a pair of singles, while Drew Forbes doubled and Adam Angelle, Tyler Caruthers, Buddy McCoy, Casey Rodrigue, and Stuart Turner all had base hits. Each team committed an error in the contest. In the seven-inning nightcap, things went scoreless for the first five innings. LSU-E threatened in the bottom of the fourth when it loaded the bases with two outs off a pair of walks and a single, but Picciola grounded out to squash the threat. Pearl River went up 1-0 in the top of the sixth when Wilkerson drew a one-out walk and scored off a two-out single by Braxton Lee of Picayune High. The Wildcats threatened to pad its lead in the seventh when Lewallen cracked a two-out single and Toussaint drew an intentional walk, but Marcus Lawton Jr. of Biloxi High was retired for the final out. In the bottom of the frame, Stuart led off with a walk, Picciola reached on a fielder choice and Stuart slide safely into third. After Justin Schopp popped out, Rodrigue reached on a fielder choice, scoring Stuart and Picciola went to second to knot things at 1-1 before Adam Angelle singled in Picciola to end the game. Jarred Dye (3-0) got the win after relieving in the seventh, going an inning and giving up a hit, striking out two and walking one; while Cody Boutte started. He went five-and-two-thirds, giving up two hits, an earned run, striking out four and walking four; while Tanner Olinde pitched the final third of the sixth. Martin Anderson (0-1) out of Cedar Creek High in Calhoun, La., got the loss after relieving in the seventh. He gave up a hit, two earned runs, and walked a batter; while Brandon Pennington of Sumrall High starter, pitching four-and-two-thirds, giving up three hits, striking out four, and walking two. Scott Ashford out of Catholic High in Baton Rouge, La., pitched the final third of the fifth, striking out one; while Anthony Lusco of Bay High pitched the sixth. Braxton Lee led the Wildcats three-hit effort with a pair of singles, while Lewallen had a base hit. LSU-E finished with four hits all singles by Angelle, Sam Carriere, Forbes, and Schopp. Both teams played error-free. LSU-Eunice has finished in the top 10 Division II rankings the past seven seasons, including No. 1 finishes in 2009 and 2007, a No. 2 finish in 2008, No. 3 in 2010, No. 4 in 2006, No. 7 in 2004, and No. 9 in 2011. Pearl River, on the other hand, topped the balloting in 2005 and wrapped its season at No. 2 in 2004. The Wildcats return to action Saturday when it travels to Baton Rouge CC (La.) in Baton Rouge, La., for a 2 p.m. doubleheader before heading MACJC non-division rival East Mississippi in Scooba Friday, March 2, for a 5 p.m. twin bill.

Each community college president is asked to bring two (2) wrapped door prizes, minimum value of $50 each. We will have a station set up at the conference for you to drop off the door prizes.

Each community college is asked to provide name tags for their Board members, administration, and staff attending the conference.