By: TOM DODGE
LSN Editor
DECATUR, Mississippi -- Top-ranked LSU Eunice Bengals fell 8-2 to Jones County Junior College in Thursday’s NJCAA Division II Region 23 opening game.
Jones (46-7) jumped out to a 1-0 lead in the top of the first when Shelton Wallace was hit by a pitch and scored on Mason Irby’s double to right field.
The Bengals (50-5) tied the game in the bottom of the third when Zach LaFleur was hit by a pitch and scored when Nick Coomes reached on a fielder’s choice.
Jones pushed across three runs in the top of fifth, begun when Fred Franklin reached on a bunt and later scored on a Bengal error.
Clint Sasser was hit by a pitch, Irby reached on an error and both scored on John Wall’s hit to left field.
LSU Eunice responded with a run in the boittom of the fifth when LaFleur walked, stole second and third before scoring on a wild pitch.
Jones added three more runs in the top of the seventh inning, helped when Shelton Wallace reached on an error, stole second and scored on a double by Tanner Huddleston.
Erick Hoard followed with a home run over the left field fence to push the Bobcats ahead, 7-2.
Jones added an insurance run in the top of the ninth when Hoard hit a solo home run over the centerfield fence.
Starter Erin Baldwin (10-2) suffered the loss as he allowed two earned runs with four strikeouts, one walk and six hits over six innings.
Hunter Feduccia went 2-for-4 to lead the Bengals, who were limited to five hits.