Evangeline Little League jumped out to a 4-0 lead in the first inning and held on for a 15-12 win over Bossier Little League in the opening game of the Girls’ 7-8 Machine Pitch State Tournament at the Louisiana PepperPlex on Friday.

Winn Summer Sport Little League beat Vidalia Little League 16-6 in the nightcap. On Saturday, Jackson Parish LL beat Evangeline 12-2, and Bossier eliminated Vidalia. Today’s games start at 6 p.m. with ELL playing Bossier in an elimination game, followed by Winn against Jackson Parish at 8 p.m.

ELL built its biggest lead Friday at 11-5 midway through the fifth inning, only to see Bossier close to within 11-10 in the bottom of the frame. Evangeline tacked on four runs in the top of the sixth and final inning, and closed out the game in the bottom of the sixth allowing two runs before shutting the door.

“I believe we showed a solid effort today,” ELL manager Roger Hamilton said. “I believe all the hard work that we’ve been doing since our first practice has really paid off.”

Leadoff hitter Abby Smith and Catherine LeLeux scored the game’s first two runs on a grounder by Regan Hamilton in the top of the first inning. A base hit by Zoriah Davis brought in Hamilton, and Davis eventually scored on a couple of errors on the play to make it 4-0.

Each team went scoreless in its next at-bat before Bossier cut the ELL lead to 4-3 in the bottom of the second. Kate Boltinghouse singled to lead off the frame and scored on a grounder by Trinitee Bruno, who came home on a couple of errors. Aubrey Hillis reached on a fielder’s choice and eventually scored on a tag out following a grounder back to the pitching circle.

Evangeline Little League responded with four runs in the top of the third inning. Jade Hayes led off the frame with a base knock to the left side of the infield. Kameryn Champagne followed with an RBI single up the middle, scoring on an RBI grounder by LeLeux. Smith scored on an RBI grounder by Hamilton, and Davis singled to right with LeLeux and Hamilton scoring to make it an 8-3 game.

Bossier LL pulled to within 8-5 in the bottom of the inning. Ali Morris singled and eventually scored, with Tonya Henderson reaching on a fielder’s choice and scoring on an RBI grounder by Blanton Sawyer.

Neither team scored in the fourth inning, but ELL tacked on three runs in the top of the fifth to make it 11-5. Brooke Breaux singled to start the inning, moving up two bases on a bunt single to the left side of the field by Anna Baquet and scoring on the throw. Baquet scored on a grounder by Hayes, and Hayes came home on a grounder by Champagne.

Bossier made the game much tighter with a five-run outburst in the bottom of the fifth. Courtney Fisher reached with one out and scored on an RBI groundout by Henderson. Morris scored on an RBI grounder by Laura Lee Mayfield, and Mayfield and Sawyer came home on a two-RBI hit by Marissa Schoth. Hillis brought Schoth home with a grounder to the left side to make it an 11-10 game before a groundout up the middle for the final out of the inning with the potential tying and go-ahead runs aboard.

ELL gained some breathing room in the top of the sixth with Smith reaching to lead off on a grounder to the left side of the infield, scoring on errant throws. Hamilton reached with one out and scored on a grounder by Kierra Buchanan. Davis scored on a hit by Faith Kreamer, and Buchanan made it a 15-10 game when she scored on a the throw.

Bossier squeezed out two runs in the bottom of the sixth to make it an exciting finish, with Hillis reaching to lead off the inning and scoring on a grounder by Kaleigh Barnstable. Morgan Carroll scored on a base hit by Fisher, and two more runners reached before a groundout back to the pitching circle for the final out.

ELL team members include Ella Guilbeau, Emily Boudreaux, Emalie Armentor, Ainsley Doré, Smith, LeLeux, Davis, Hamilton, Buchanan, Kreamer, Breaux, Baquet, Hayes and Champagne.

Heath Champagne, Cyrstal Doré and Eric Buchanan are team coaches.

Roger Hamilton said the team has a few goals for the postseason.

“We want them to have fun, but we also want them to be competitive and learn the fundamentals of softball,” Hamilton said.

The double-elimination tournament continues through the championship round Tuesday at 7 p.m., with an additional game Wednesday at 7 p.m., if needed.