WESSON — The No. 2-ranked LSU-Eunice Bengals escaped SullivanField with two victories Wednesday. The defending NJCAA Division IINational Tournament champions posted a 21-10 victory over theCo-Lin Wolfpack in the opener but they took the finale 6-5 on acontroversial inside-the-park home run.

In the top of the seventh, Brady Bourkue of LSU-Eunice hit adeep fly ball to the right-center field fence. Co-Lin outfieldersMontez Chatman and Taebyus Smith collided but Chatman hung onto theball as they hit the ground. The home plate umpire ruled it a homerun instead of an out as Bourkue rounded the bases.

Co-Lin head coach Keith Case adamantly protested the call andwas ejected for his efforts.

“Montez was down but the ball was in his glove,” said Case. “Itwas a great catch, a great baseball play. Our kids played hard andshould have been rewarded.”

Case said the wrong umpire made the decisive call. “The infieldumpire was following the runner instead of the ball. So the homeplate umpire made the call. It was poor mechanics on the umpires’part.

“It was frustrating,” said Case. “You have to stand up for yourplayers.”

Case will have to sit out the first Gulf Coast game tomorrow,due to the ejection. “The umpires don’t have a governing body.Hopefully, that will change next year.”

Co-Lin fell to 18-16 with the setbacks.

Saturday’s South Division road games at Gulf Coast in Perkinstonhave been moved to 3 p.m. Friday. LSU-Eunice (36-9) is ranked No. 2in the nation. Gulf Coast is ranked No. 9.

LSU-E 21, Co-Lin 10

Supported by 3 home runs and 23 hits, Ron Boudreaux (8-0)pitched the win over the Wolves. He fanned 2 batters, walked none,allowing 8 runs on 8 hits.

Brandon Chretien (0-3) absorbed the loss. He walked 4 batters,fanned 3 and allowed 13 runs on 16 hits.

Co-Lin catcher Ryan Hoben hit a grand slam home run in the firstinning. Timmy Foster also homered.

The Bengals slugged 3 home runs. Right-fielder Perry Smithhomered and tripled for LSU-Eunice.

LSU-E second baseman Brady Bourkue and centerfielder Cade Kowenboth went 4-for-4.

LSU-Eunice 6, Co-Lin 5

Foster started on the mound for Co-Lin and went 5 completeinnings. He fanned 4 batters, walked none and gave up 5 runs on 8hits.

Marty Ballard hurled the last 2 frames. He walked none andfanned 1. He allowed 2 hits and 1 run.

“Timmy and Marty did a good job on the mound in the secondgame,” said Case. “We are close to being a pretty darn good team.We swung the bats extremely well and we played well on defense,too.”

Matt Broussard picked up the win in relief. He fanned 2 battersand walked none, allowing 2 hits.

Bourke went 3-for-3. Centerfielder Cade Kowen had 3 hits.

Smith hit his first homer of the season as Co-Lin tied the score2-2 in the second. James Antoon and Russ Carter doubled.