By Kevin Shannahan

This Easter season, like most before it, will feature egg hunts, new clothes, candy and family. While not entirely frivolous, Easter is more chocolate bunny than a serious observance in modern society. This piece is about an Easter service in a world far removed and almost inconceivable to citizens in a free society, that of a Nazi concentration camp.

Dachau was the first concentration camp built by Nazi Germany as well as the one in operation for the longest time. It was opened by Heinrich Himmler in March of 1933. At its liberation by the United States’ Army on the 29th of April,1945, it had been in operation for almost the entire span of Nazi Germany’s wretched existence. It was not the largest concentration camp, nor was it as deadly as places like Auschwitz or Treblinka. It was the first camp to open. Dachau served as a template for the other camps. Rudolph Hoss, the commandant of Auschwitz, served at Dachau first. Guards for the whole camp system were trained there. Dachau was started as a camp for German political prisoners, after Kristallnacht in 1938, over 10,000 Jews were interned in the camp. During its existence, prisoners arrived from all of the lands the Nazi’s conquered. Prisoners lived in constant fear of deadly and sadistic punishments.

Seventy four years ago soldiers from the US Army’s 42nd Division and 45th Divisions liberated Dachau. They encountered a scene of suffering that staggers the imagination. The camp was severely overcrowded. As the Nazis were forced further and further back by Allied armies, prisoners were transferred to camps in the German interior. Dachau, near Munich, was one such camp. Overcrowding, cold and lack of sanitation combined with starvation, bred disease. Typhus ran rampant. Many of the newly liberated prisoners were to die before help could be brought to them due to the sheer numbers of people at the camp.

This was the background for one of the most unique Easter services ever held. Dachau held a large population of priests and clergy. The Orthodox calendar is different from that used in the West. The concentration camp was liberated just before Orthodox Easter. In the Orthodox calendar, Easter fell on what would be the 6th of May of 1945. There was a group of Serbian and Greek Orthodox priests and deacons who wanted to celebrate Mass on Easter. Half starved, ridden with lice, owning nothing but their filthy camp uniforms, having survived the Hell of Nazi tyranny, they gathered together to celebrate the risen Christ. They wore vestments fashioned from bedsheets taken from the SS guards’ barracks. The crosses on them were taken from the SS medical orderlies’ armbands. There were no missals. They sang the Orthodox service from memory. In the words of Gleb Alexandrovitch Rahr, one of the prisoners who attended the service:

“…In the entire history of the Orthodox Church there has probably never been an Easter service like the one at Dachau in 1945. Greek and Serbian priests together with a Serbian deacon adorned the make-shift “vestments” over their blue and gray-striped prisoners uniforms. Then they began to chant, changing from Greek to Slavonic, and then back again to Greek. The Easter Canon, the Easter Sticheras – everything was recited from memory. The Gospel – “In the beginning was the Word” – also from memory.

And finally, the Homily of Saint John Chrysostom – also from memory. A young Greek monk from the Holy Mountain stood up in front of us and recited it with such infectious enthusiasm that we shall never forget him as long as we live. Saint John Chrysostomos himself seemed to speak through him to us and to the rest of the world as well! Eighteen Orthodox priests and one deacon – most of whom were Serbs, participated in this unforgettable service. Like the sick man who had been lowered through the roof of a house and placed in front of the feet of Christ the Saviour, the Greek Archimandrite Meletios was carried on a stretcher into the chapel, where he remained prostrate for the duration of the service…”

On May 6th, 1945, Adolf Hitler lay dead. Berlin and the rest of Nazi Germany lay in ruins. Germany would unconditionally surrender the next day. In a prison barracks in Dachau a group of men celebrated the risen Lord. It was an Easter to remember.

By JIM BUTLER

The City Council has forwarded to the Zoning Commission a two-part development package on Hwy. 28 East in Pineville. 

Meeting in special session this week, the council forwarded petitions to annex almost five acres to be zoned residential and two acres to be zoned commercial. 

The Journal reported in January that Louisiana Housing Corp planned to release about $2.1 million for construction of 50 affordable housing units on the larger tract. 

Hughes Spellings of Louisville, MS plans two residential buildings housing the units, a clubhouse, picnic area and parking lot.

The development is at 4205 Hwy. 28. Both sites are owned by GKW Investments, domiciled in Alexandria. 

Mayor Rich Dupree told the council the smaller tract will allow commercial enterprise development. 

He noted that persons unfamiliar with street addresses in the vicinity can use a sight reference – the water tower along the highway – for a site reference.

Arrests are accusations, not convictions.

March 27

Tavarious Thomas, 18, Alexandria — attempted murder 2nd degree, $100,000 bail

By LEIGH FLYNN DOTY

While many of the classrooms at Bolton High School may still feature the original chalkboards, it was the chalk dust outside on Thursday that demonstrated a lesson.

A tradition since 2005, Chalkfest has allowed hundreds of students to transform the drab, gray concrete walkway leading to the school’s main entrance into a beautiful mosaic of art.

Students chose different artwork to sketch out and draw on the walkways, with the intricate patterns carefully drawn to scale. The day-long event, which is typically held the day before Spring Break, allows artistically talented students to showcase their skills in a fun, public way…

Bolton’s Tracie Campbell has organized the effort since its inception. Art alumni, including some of her “OG” participants, joined in the fun this year to commemorate the final Bolton High School Chalkfest. One even flew in from Oklahoma just to participate in the event.

Talking with some of the former and current students, the reasons for their participation in today’s event were similar. “Back then, we wanted to get out of class all day and do something fun!” said one of the original participants. Today’s students would agree.

But it is more than fun. It is a tradition that these students, both past and present, can say they were a part of during their time at Bolton High School. While their drawings will be on display on the front walkway until Mother Nature decides to erase them, the memories of days such as this one will forever be etched into these students’ memories.

By RON HIGGINS, Journal Sports

ALBANY, N.Y. – UCLA head women’s basketball coach Cory Close coached against LSU head coach Kim Mulkey three times when Mulkey coached Baylor.

“There’s a lot of familiarity,” said Close, who’s 1-2 vs. Mulkey.

UCLA starters Lauren Betts and Charisma Osborne were teammates of LSU’s Angel Reese on the USA silver-medal-winning AmeriCup team last July.

“I’m really excited to play against her,” Betts said of Reese. “We went at each other (in practice). It was always very intense. We’re both great posts.”

And Close left nothing to chance in preparing for Saturday’s Albany Regional II Sweet 16 semifinal at 12 noon between No. 2 seed UCLA (27-6) and the No. 3 seed LSU (30-5) in MVP Arena.

“I told our guys scout team this week to talk as much trash as you want in practice,” said Close, wanting to simulate the lippy Tigers. “We want to play in our personality, and if they (LSU) want to play in theirs, so be it.

“Our job is to get ready to play our best, and that may look different than LSU. But we’re not letting anything they do take us out of the mental focus of playing our best the way we like to do it.”

The defending national champs have been aware since game 1 this season that every opponent wants the victory notch on its gun belt.

“When you win the national championship or you get to a Final Four, there are expectations, fair or not, that you’re supposed to do it again,” Mulkey said. “I don’t know if it can be done again. Certainly, that’s a goal of ours, and we do have the talent to do it. But it takes a lot of things to go right to do it.

“You have to be playing your best basketball. You’ve got to stay away from injuries. You’ve got to have just a tiny bit of luck on the way, some play that goes your way.

“I know we’ll play hard. I know whatever happens we’re going to go down fighting. That’s just how we are. We just fight for every loose ball. We fight for every rebound. We fight for just the tip-off. We fight for the jump ball.

“If you do that, you can live with whatever happens.”

LSU and UCLA had to rally from deficits last weekend to score second-round wins over Middle Tennessee and Creighton, respectively.

The Tigers trailed by 9 points one minute into the second half before a hailstorm of LSU points off turnovers and fastbreaks resulted in an 83-56 win in the Pete Maravich Assembly Center.

Four of five LSU starters scored in double figures, led by guard Flau’jae Johnson’s 21 points and double-doubles from forward Angel Reese (20 points, 10 rebounds) and guard/forward Aneesah Morrow (19 points, 13 rebounds).

There’s no doubt the Tigers play with such fire and emotion at times, it appears there’s team in-fighting. Reese said that’s just she and her teammates keeping it real.

“Being able to hold each other accountable is something I love about this team,” said Reese, the SEC’s Player of the Year. “Nobody takes it personally. Just being able to get on each other and correct each other. Even if it’s tough player coaching, we will come on the sideline and say, `That was my bad for saying it like that. But you know what I mean?’”

UCLA trailed at home to Creighton by 10 points in the first two minutes of the second half before battling back for a 67-63 win.

Sophomore guard Kiki Rice scored 17 of her game-high 24 points in the final two quarters. Betts, a 6-7 sophomore who missed the Bruins’ NCAA tourney first-round game with an ankle injury, added 20 points and 10 rebounds.

Rice said she and her teammates are excited for the chance to take down the defending national champions.

“I don’t think there’s any intimidation,” Rice said. “It’s an opportunity to show the talent and ability we have that we’ve put together throughout this season.

“It’s going to come down to a few possessions. Every possession matters.”

LSU must have all hands on deck in the rebounding department, and not place most of the load on Reese and Morrow. Saturday’s game matches the No. 1 (UCLA at 14.2) and No. 2 LSU (at 13.1) teams nationally in rebound margin.

For 13-year UCLA head coach Close, it’s her sixth trip to the Sweet 16, advancing just once to the Elite Eight in 2018. Last season, the 27-10 Bruins lost 59-43 to No. 1 South Carolina in the Sweet 16.

“We’ll be ready to play,” Close said. “Playing in the Pac 12, which has four teams in the Sweet 16, has been an incredible confidence-building experience. It’s not just how good the league is. It’s a varied style of play. It prepares you for so many different levels.”

Mulkey is in the Sweet 16 for the 17th time in her 24 years (21 at Baylor, 3 as a head coach) and has advanced to the Final Four five times (four national titles) and as far as the Elite Eight on five occasions.

“There’s so many times people take getting to a Sweet 16 for granted,” Mulkey said. “Do you know how many coaches have probably never done that in their careers? I’ve always, always acknowledged that it’s hard to do.”

No. 3 seed LSU (30-5) vs. No. 2 seed UCLA (27-6), Albany Regional II semifinal

WHEN, WHERE: Saturday 12 p.m. CT, MVP Arena, Albany, N.Y.

TV-RADIO: ABC, LSU radio network which is streamed on LSUsports.com

SERIES: LSU has won 4 of 6 games against UCLA, including twice when the Bruins were ranked (73-72 vs. No. 14 UCLA in 1979-80, 55-53 over No. 9 UCLA in 55-53). The Tigers have never played UCLA in the NCAA tourney. LSU is 9-6 in Sweet 16 game, winning the last 8 of 10.

PROJECTED STARTING LINEUPS

LSU

G – Hailey Van Lith, Gr. 5-7, 11.8 ppg, 2.5 apg

G – Mikaylah Williams, Fr., 6-0, 14.5 ppg, 4.8 rpg

G – Flau’jae Johnson, So., 5-10, 14.4 ppg, 5.3 rpg

F – Angel Reese, Jr., 6-3, 18.7 ppg, 13.2 rpg

F-G – Aneesah Morrow, Jr., 6-1, 16.5 ppg, 10 RPG

UCLA

G – Kiki Rice, So., 5-11, 13.2 ppg, 5.8 rpg

G – Charisma Osborne, Gr., 5-9, 14.1 ppg, 5.2 rpg

G – Londynn Jones, So., 5-4, 11.8 ppg, 2 apg

F – Angela Dugalic, Sr., 6-4, 8.9 ppg, 6.4 rpg

C – Lauren Betts, So., 6-7, 14.9 ppg, 9 RPG

TALE OF THE TAPE

(National ranking in parenthesis)

LSU/UCLA

Scoring offense

86.1 (3) 77.6 (22)

Scoring defense

62.3 (121) 60.6 (85)

Scoring margin

23.8 (3) 16.9 (12)

Rebounds PG

46.24 (4) 43.58 (8)

Rebound margin

13.1 (2) 14.2 (1)

FG pct.

46.54 (10) 44.87 (36)

FG pct. Defense

36.6 (22) 32.4 (250)

3-pt. pct.

32.61 (99) 32.49 (104)

FT pct.

74.63 (75) 74.78 (77)

Turnover margin

+4.40 (26) -0.06 (191)

Contact Ron at ronhigginsmedia@gmail.com

Arrests are accusations, not convictions.

March 22

Michael Harrell, 45, Alexandria — OWI 1st, headlamps required on motorcycles/motorized vehicles, 8:36 pm, $1,100 bail.

March 23

Tyler Bordelon, 31, Deville — OWI 3rd, open container, improper lane usage, driving under suspension for prior offense, 10:30 pm, $25,700 bail;

Marc Jacques, 63, Alexandria — OWI 3rd, open container, improper lane usage, 7:04 pm, $10,200 bail (also charged OWI 3rd on March 23, 2022);

David Patterson, 61, Pineville — OWI 1st, no driver’s license, following too close, contempt, 4:07 pm, $1,800 bail.

March 24

Lamarcus Delry, 37, Alexandria — OWI 2nd, safety belt violation, open container, no driver’s license, fugitive, contempt, 2:50 pm, $4,300 bail;

Joseph Racina III, 20, Boyce — OWI 1st, improper lane usage, 1:47 am, $1,100 bail.

March 26

Eric Meginley Sr., 46, Deville — OWI 1st, open container, improper lane usage, no MVI sticker, 12:06 am, $6,300 bail.

March 27

Shannon Beran, 48, Deville — OWI 4th, unlawful refusal to test, resisting, improper lane usage, 9:11 pm, $41,200 bail.

Arrests are accusations, not convictions.

March 27

Christopher Bourgeois, 37, Hot Springs, AR — possession 2 counts, CDS in presence of person under 17, suspension/revocation, no headlight, $3,200 bail;

Herbert Dotson Jr., 48, Pineville — possession with

intent, $50,00 bail;

Toby Guidroz, 22, Moreauville — possession, paraphernalia, failure to dim for approaching vehicle, $1,100;

Darius Lilly, 46, Alexandria — possession, contempt 2 counts, $5,500 bail.

This date: 20 arrests, 8 of which included at least 1 contempt of court charge.

How to handle issues of decorum without restraining debate has coincidentally been addressed by two local public officials this month.

Perhaps a result of the prevailing discord on Capitol Hill or just a reflection of a change in behavioral norms society-wide, civility often now gives way to cacophony in the halls of government.

A hundred years ago, disagreement brought such as this:

Lady Nancy Astor to Winston Churchill: “If I was your wife, sir, I would poison your tea.”

Churchill: “Nancy, if I was your husband, I would drink it.”

No more. Current example – Wednesday’s City Council public hearing on a proposed post-reapportionment change in three election districts. 

Alexandria Mayor Jacques Roy said at a briefing earlier this month his administration is working on a revised procedure for handling public comment at City Council meetings. It can’t come soon enough. 

Police Jury President Joe Bishop closed this month’s Jury session with a pointed reminder on how he thinks business should be conducted. 

Roy noted what is the obvious — the current public comment rules at council meetings often allow wandering off subject. And the clock used to time commenters sometimes seem to run like a clogged hour glass. 

Council President Jim Villard allows a generous latitude, even to those who pitch unfounded accusations and non-germane remarks. 

The mayor said no one wants to curb legitimate questions and comment in invoking procedures that will revolve around proper time, place and manner. He didn’t say it, but something has to be done. 

Bishop’s remarks were more pointed. 

Some background:

Early in the meeting, Jay Scott moved to waive the parish’s 30-day rule and appoint him to a four-year term on the Rapides Area Planning Commission. It died for lack of a second. 

Four other appointment motions by Scott had the same result. 

Such waivers by the jury are as regular as robins in the spring. 

The rule was adopted in the 1980s when appointments to the airport authority, coliseum authority (both now out of business) and the library board were coveted and contentious. 

It requires notice to the public that jurors intend to fill a post the following month, allowing any and all to make their wishes known.

Over time, interest in appointments has for the most part diminished and jurors routinely waive the wait, leading some to wonder why it just doesn’t rewrite the rule. 

Shortly after letting Scott’s motions go by the wayside, jurors approved one by Vice President Sean McGlothlin to waive the rule for a sewer board appointment. 

Reading between the lines of minutes is necessary. 

Such is the backdrop for Bishop’s remarks:

“As your President this year I want to take a moment to speak to each of you about something that affects all of us. This is directed to all of us not to anyone in particular. 

“Our constituents elected us to come here and represent them, they expect us to represent them in a professional and courteous manner.

“At our meetings we can certainly disagree with each other on issues and each of you vote your own conscience. But let’s do that in a professional and respectful and polite manner.

“We don’t need any disrespectful conduct or hard language or curse words towards each other. 

“Also, when you contact a fellow juror either by telephone or email or text message please be professional and respectful to each other and don’t use disrespectful or harsh language or curse words with each other.

“Let’s all also work together even when we disagree, and serve the citizens of Rapides Parish in a manner that they expect from us. We are God’s people and let’s conduct ourselves like that.”

Carbon copy to Congress. 

Jim Butler, a Bolton High School alumnus, was an acclaimed writer and editor at the Alexandria Town Talk for 36 years, the last 23 (1977-2003) as editor-in-chief. He led Pulitzer Prize-winning coverage of Hurricane Katrina for the Gulfport (Miss.) Sun-Herald in 2005. Butler returned home to Cenla a few years ago, and shares his talents and insight with Rapides Parish Journal readers.

By LEIGH FLYNN DOTY

I am going to come right out and say it. Some businesses are just easier to promote than others. Due to the nature of their business, it seems some almost promote themselves effortlessly, while, for others, it is more of a struggle.

When I was asked to begin featuring local businesses for the Rapides Parish Journal, I gladly accepted the challenge. Many of our local, small businesses do not have large advertising budgets, so they rely heavily on social media and word of mouth advertising. Bringing the stories of how local residents have identified a need and have invested their time, talents, and futures into this community is truly heartwarming.

There are so many good, unique stories to tell. I hope I can share many more with you. If you have a business that you feel may need some local love, let me know!

One of the first businesses we brainstormed brought together two unlikely strangers who, while training for a triathlon, found that they had more in common than they originally thought.

Long training sessions can be grueling, but when you find someone who shares another interest with you, it provides a great distraction. In the case of Robyn Schwartz and Bridget Vaughn, that commonality happened to be cupcakes.

The two discovered a shared passion for baking, but, as they put it, there was no way they could have predicted where those conversations would eventually lead.

Now, more than a dozen years (and many, many dozen cupcakes) later, their determination, perseverance, faith, and friends, have not only helped make Little Cakes with Big Attitude a local “go to” for sweet treats; those qualities have also helped bring these two through some of the most difficult of circumstances, many of which have occurred in the past year alone.

The inexplicable grief of senselessly losing a daughter, the establishment of a non-profit organization in her memory, and the inaugural “LV5K” set for this Saturday are all demonstrative of the outpouring of love and support that continues to envelop the Little Cakes family.

Although the original goal for the 5K was 250 participants, more than 650 had signed up by mid-week to participate in the event. The 5K and 1 mile walk/run is a fundraiser for the Lauren Vaughn Memorial Scholarship that was established at Northwestern State University to benefit future nurses in the Accelerated BS to BSN program and to raise awareness of the dangers of drunk and impaired driving.

In the midst of their grief, the partners opened a second location at 2965A Monroe Highway in Pineville. Again, the outpouring of support helped to sustain these two.

Customers love their uniquely shaped cupcakes, their cupcake shakes, homemade “pop tarts” and other breakfast items, coffees, their paleo and keto items, and so many other specialty items. They offer a variety of flavors, including specialty flavors of the month.

Although their formative days of being on the road, participating in vendor events such as Junior League trade shows, are behind them, Vaughn and Schwartz continue to be extremely involved in community events.

Vaughn, who celebrated a birthday this week, is actually a finalist for the inaugural Spirit of Sara Simmonds Award being presented by the Junior League of Alexandria during its Empowerment Breakfast in mid-April. In promoting the event, the Junior League’s Facebook page describes the award as such: “The Spirit of Sara Simmonds Award embodies the very essence of dedication and compassion.”

Nominees were described as having made a difference in the community by “demonstrating unparalleled commitment to service, leadership, and the collective betterment of our community.”

Little Cakes with Big Attitude’s Alexandria location, at 4120 Jackson Street, is open from 7 a.m. until 6 p.m. Monday through Friday, and from 9 a.m. until 1 p.m. on Saturdays. The Pineville location is open Monday through Friday from 7 a.m. until 6 p.m., and Saturdays from 9 a.m. until 3 p.m. Holidays may affect the hours of operation.

Contact Leigh at leighf31@yahoo.com

Arrests are accusations, not convictions. 

March 26

Kenneth Evans, 37, Pineville — firearm possession by convicted felon, theft of motor vehicle, failure to secure registration, suspension/revocation, improper display of license plate, cancelled plate, contempt 2 counts, $55,100 bail.

Alexandria residents looking for an “egg”cellent time this evening should hop on over to Bolton High School for the annual Bunny Hop.

The event begins at 5:30 p.m. on the Bolton High School football field. Entrance is from the Masonic Drive end of the stadium.

For $5 admission, participants can expect an Easter egg hunt, face painting, games, food trucks, and even more fun activities.

The event is a fundraiser for the Bolton Cheerleading Team. For information, contact the school, or check out the Bolton Cheerleading Facebook page.

Dr. Renton Rathun, director of the Center for Biblical Worldview at Bob Jones University in Greenville, South Carolina, will be the speaker for the final Christ, Church, Culture event of the spring 2024 semester.

The C3 will be held Monday, April 8, at 6:30 p.m. in Guinn Auditorium and is free and open to the public.

His topic will be “How Superman Killed God: the Twenty-First Century Mind.”

He will also be the Chapel speaker on Tuesday, April 9 at 11 a.m., speaking from Ephesians 2:1-9 on “Why I am a Christian.”

Renton Rathbun is committed to developing a biblical worldview in faculty, staff, and students which begins in the heart, is refined by the mind, and leads to service for others.

As the director of BJU’s Center for Biblical Worldview, Renton works to support the mission of the university by helping align the entire organization with one unified vision of biblical worldview.

He has been a college professor for more than 20 years teaching in both public and Christian colleges and universities. He is a national speaker on biblical worldview.

Renton holds a B.S. in English education and an M.A. in interpretative speech from BJU. He has an M.F.A. in creative writing from Minnesota State University, an M.A. in philosophy from the University of Toledo, a Th.M. in systematic theology from Puritan Reformed Theological Seminary, and a Ph.D. in apologetics from Westminster Theological Seminary.

LCU’s Jenkins Center for Evangelism & Missions sponsors several C3 seminars annually.

The 2023-24 all-state basketball teams for Classes A, B and C have been announced by the Louisiana Sports Writers Association and several Rapides Parish stars found the spotlight.

Headlining the list:  Northwood senior guard Rhianna Battles leads the Class A girls All-State team with her second consecutive all-state selection, this time as Outstanding Player.

The Lady Gators’ standout averaged 21 points, five assists and four rebounds per game in her final season while guiding the program to a fourth straight state tournament championship game appearance.

Taking charge to lead Northwood to this year’s Division IV Select state championship game, she averaged 21 points, five assists, five steals and four rebounds per game. The District 3-1A MVP, Player of the Year on the Rapides Parish Journal’s All-Parish Team, finished her high school career with two state championships and two runner-up trophies.

Teammate Nyasia Moran was a Class A All-State second-team selection. The smooth left-handed wing averaged a double-double with 14 points and 11 rebounds per game, earning a spot on the District 1-3A first team and the All-Parish Team. 

Two more parish small school stars earned first-team all-state recognition.

Plainview girls standout Cameron Sutton, a 5-8 junior, averaged 17.0 points to make the Class C All-State roster.

For the Oak Hill girls, 5-10 senior Alexis Dyer made the Class B All-State first team, also averaging 17 points while contributing 8 rebounds, 2 assists and steals per game. Oak Hill made a second straight state championship game appearance.

On the boys side, Plainview senior guard Nathan Fee was a second-team Class C All-State selection after scoring 20.2 points per game.

In Class B, Rapides’ standout Christopher Newton was included on the boys All-State honorable mention list.

By RON HIGGINS, Journal Sports

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. — It’s the current No. 1 ranked team in college baseball. . .

“I don’t really talk about it,” Arkansas head coach Dave Van Horn said. “It’s great, but at the same time, it’s just a number. There’s a lot of season left. Things are going to move around.”

Vs. the defending national champions. . .

“We’re the champ, we’re getting everybody’s best shot,” LSU head coach Jay Johnson said.

The top-ranked Razorbacks (20-3 overall, 5-1 SEC) and the No. 7 Tigers (20-6, 2-4 SEC) are on different trajectories as they open the third weekend of league play starting a three-game series in Fayetteville today at 6 on ESPN2.

Armed with a pitching staff ranked first nationally in four stat categories, including earned run average (2.50), Arkansas is a heavy favorite to win the series.

Not because the Razorbacks will be playing at home in sold-out Baum Walker Stadium where the Hogs are 16-1, but they’ve also won the last 9 of 13 games over the Tigers including 3 of 4 series wins including the last two (2019, 2022) in Fayetteville.

LSU’s inability for its pitchers to escape trouble – 65 percent of opposing runs (34 of 52) in its first six SEC games have been scored with two outs – and chilly bats (.236) in losing its first two league series at Mississippi State and home vs. Florida – have the Tigers in an early hole in conference play.

“We know what we’re capable of,” said Arizona transfer outfielder Mac Bingham, who’s batting .301 for the Tigers with 5 homers and 17 RBI. The best we’ve played in is at Texas (going 4-0 with a win over Rice and three victories in the Astros Classic).

“Right there, it shows you can beat anyone at any given moment. That’s how baseball works. We’ve seen how well we can play and we can still be better than that and we’ve seen when it’s not going well.”

Two of LSU’s starting pitchers – transfers Luke Holman (Alabama) and Gage Jump (UCLA) – improved from the Mississippi State series two weekends ago to the Florida series this past weekend.

But the third starter – returnee Thatcher Hurd – has struggled with an 11.17 ERA in 9.2 innings in being credited with losses to MSU and Florida.

Because of that, Johnson is shuffling his starting rotation. He’s putting Hurd back in the bullpen, moving Holman from Game 1 to Game 2 and Gage from Game 2 to Game 3.

The starter for tonight’s opener will remain a mystery until Johnson submits a lineup card.

Arkansas isn’t an overwhelming offensive team, ranked 13th in the SEC in batting average at .279.

But the Razorbacks have gotten a boost in the last 11 games ever since junior shortstop Peyton Stovall, a former Haughton High star, made his 2024 debut after sustaining a broken foot in a Feb. 5 scrimmage.

Stovall, one of Arkansas’ three team captains, is batting .310 with 3 homers and 12 RBI.

Two years ago as a freshman, he hit .295 with 6 homers and 31 RBI and hit .360 in five College World Series games with a team-leading 10 RBI. Last season, he started 38 games at second base before suffering a season-ending injury.

The Razorbacks are already 9-1 this season in games decided by 2 runs, largely because of its pitching staff led by junior Hagen Smith, a likely 2024 MLB draft first-round draft choice.

Smith, scheduled to start the series opener, is 4-0 with a 1.24 ERA and 62 strikeouts in 29.0 innings over six starts. The superb left-hander leads the nation in strikeouts per nine innings (19.2), ranks second in hits allowed per nine innings (3.4) and ranks fourth nationally in total strikeouts (62).

LSU’s Johnson knows what he’s up against taking a team with almost an entire new starting lineup and pitching rotation into an atmosphere the Tigers haven’t been successful even with experienced teams.

“This is one of the best programs in the country and we’re going to get their best shot,” Johnson said. “Our competitive level has to be off the charts. I really want to see us play with maturity. No matter what happens in the game, we’re always ready to move forward to the next pitch and do our job that pitch.”

No. 7 LSU (20-6, 2-4 SEC) at No. 1 Arkansas (20-3, 5-1 SEC)

PITCHING MATCHUPS

Game 1, today, 6 p.m. CT (ESPN2)

LSU –TBA

ARKANSAS – Jr. LH Hagen Smith (4-0, 1.24 ERA, 29.0 IP, 10 BB, 62 SO)

Game 2, Friday, 7 p.m. (SEC Network)

LSU – Jr. RH Luke Holman (5-1, 0.78 ERA, 34.2 IP, 8 BB, 56 SO)

ARKANSAS – Jr. LH Mason Molina (3-0, 2.57 ERA, 28.0 IP, 15 BB, 47 SO)

Game 3, Saturday, 2 p.m. (SEC Network +)

LSU – So. LH Gage Jump (2-0, 2.38 ERA, 22.2 IP, 9 BB, 32 SO)

ARKANSAS – Jr. RH Brady Tygart (3-0, 1.59 ERA, 28.1 IP, 16 BB, 39 SO)

LSU-ARKANSAS SERIES

LSU has lost five of its last six SEC games played in Fayetteville. Arkansas swept the Tigers in 2022, and the Razorbacks won two of three in 2019. LSU’s last SEC series win in Fayetteville came in 2017 when the Tigers won two of three games over Arkansas.

A LOOK AT LSU

LSU’s pitchers lead the SEC with 312 strikeouts, and the staff averages 12.23 strikeouts per nine innings. Junior right-hander Luke Holman leads the SEC in ERA (0.78) and is second in strikeouts. . .Graduate catcher/DH Hayden Travinski of Bossier City Airline is hitting .400 (6-for-15) in LSU’s last five games with one double, three homers, five RBI and five runs. . .Senior outfielder Mac Bingham is batting .400 (8-for-20) in LSU’s last five games with one double, two homers, five RBI and three runs scored. . .Sophomore first baseman Jared Jones has three homers, four RBI and six runs in LSU’s last five games.

A LOOK AT ARKANSAS

The Razorbacks are No. 1 in the SEC in ERA at 2.50, and the Razorbacks have recorded 296 strikeouts in 201.1 innings. Arkansas is No. 13 in the SEC with a .279 team batting average. . .Pitcher Hagen Smith leads the SEC in strikeouts (62) and opponent batting average (.116), and he’s No. 2 in the league with a 1.24 ERA. . .Infielder Wehiwa Aloy, a transfer from Sacramento State, has team-highs of five homers and 24 RBI for the Razorbacks.

Contact Ron at ronhigginsmedia@gmail.com

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