ENID, OK -- In dramatic fashion, Slate Fuller drove an 0-2 pitch over the left field wall in the bottom of the ninth inning to give the LSU-E Bengals a 5-3 decision over Parkland College (IL) and secure their sixth overall NJCAA Division II baseball title Friday night.
LSU-E took the best two-out-of-three series from the Cobras after defeating Parkland 9-5 on Thursday. The Bengals finished the year with an overall record of 59-6. The win sets a new single-season program record, breaking the 2012 team’s 57-win mark.
LSU-E trailed by one run, 3-2, after five innings of play, only to tie the game up in the bottom of the eighth inning when Bren Faulk, pinch running for Cameron Horton, scored on a two out single off of the bat of Koi Westbrook.
It was the Bengals that jumped out to the early lead, plating two runs in the bottom of the second inning.
Fuller led the inning off with a single to center field and advanced to second base when Hayden Mixon also collected a one bagger up the middle.
Horton flied out to right field, but was able to move Fuller to third base on the sacrifice fly. Fuller would score two pitches later on a wild pitch with Mixon moving up to second base.
Jacob Richard collected an RBI single, scoring Mixon and giving LSU-E the early lead.
The Cobras tied the game up in the top of the fourth, driving in two runs of their own. Parkland would overtake the Bengals in the top of the fifth after collecting a solo run.
Zach Hester was effective on the mound for LSU-E. The Vidor, Texas, native went eight complete innings, allowing two earned runs on three hits, while striking out nine and walking only three.
Justin Barton finished the game and picked up the win, pitching one complete inning, allowing no runs on no hits and striking out two.
Fuller and Westbrook led the way at the plate, going 2 for 4 respectively. Fuller scored twice and drove in two runs, while Westbrook added a single RBI.
In Thursday’s game, LSU-E used a pair of three-run home runs to take down Parkland in the opening game of the NJCAA Division II Championship Series. The Bengals overcame an early deficit for the third consecutive game.
Parkland College used a pair of two-out RBIs to go ahead 2-1 after 3.5 innings, but set the stage for what has become habit for the Bengals at the World Series. Cameron Horton lifted a three-run opposite field home run to give LSU-E the lead for good, 4-2. Horton became the fifth different Bengal to hit a home run at David Allen Memorial this weekend.
Brian Fairbanks held serve for LSU-E on the mound. The redshirt freshman received a no decision after throwing four innings, giving up two runs on three hits and three walks. Fairbanks also struck out two batters.
LSU-E built up a 9-3 advantage thanks to a run scoring double by Mason Templet in the fifth inning and Koi Westbrook’s three-run no doubter home run to right center in the sixth inning.
Westbrook and Templet both collected multi-hit games in LSU-E’s eight-hit effort. LSU-E also stole five bases with Westbrook and Richard swiping a pair each.
Noah Beason picked up the win after relieving Brian Fairbanks for two innings. The freshman threw two complete innings, giving up one run off two hits and a walk. Jacob Spell allowed two runs in the seventh to allow the Cobras to creep to 9-5.
Justin Barton, Austin Bradford and Landon Clifton shut down the Parkland bats for the final 2.1 innings, giving up two hits to close out the game.
Image
TRACEY JAGNEAUX