By JIM BUTLER

It’s official – Rebecca Pippen, recognized as one of Louisiana’s outstanding principals, is retiring.

July 22 is her last day as official principal at Tioga Junior High.

And Frances Landry has resigned, effective June 28, from the acting principal post at the school as transition continues.

Those are among the personnel changes detailed in the monthly report received by the School Board at its May meeting.

The May report is ordinarily a lengthy one as end-of-school year turnover begins.

Other retirements posted include four teachers – Kellie Cable, Brame Middle; David Nardini, Pineville; Patricia Robinson, Arthur F. Smith Middle; and Shannon Shelby, Peabody Montessori.

Other employees reaching retirement include Shelia Charrier, speech therapist, JB Lafargue; James Daniels, 12-month custodian, Forest Hill; Vickie Lacour, accounting clerk, central office; Patricia Paul, 10-month library clerk, Hayden R Lawrence; Julia Terrell, Food Nutrition Service manager, Horseshoe Drive; and Billie Tucker, 10-month school clerk, Bolton High.

The resignations list includes 21 teachers in addition to other job categories.

By JOHN MARCASE

It was during my junior year at Pineville High School in 1987. The boys basketball team was returning home from a rather lackluster performance in the Lake Charles-Boston tournament.

By the time the old gray and maroon Ford van reached Kinder, assistant coach Ronnie Kaiser had enough. Apparently, the team wasn’t as upset about its loss as Kaiser. 

As the van stopped at a red light, Kaiser turned around in the driver’s seat and barked, “The next person who says a word is gonna get slapped.”

Complete silence.

Then, Coach turned and looked at me in the shotgun seat.

“And, I’m gonna start with you, Marcase!”

I might’ve turned whiter than I normally am. 

Then he unfurled that mischievous grin of his. The light turned green, and onward north we traveled.

That was Ronnie Kaiser, the longtime Pineville coaching icon who passed away Saturday.

Visitation is scheduled for Friday from 5-8 p.m. at Hixson Brothers in Pineville. A Rosary will be recited at 6 p.m. Services are scheduled for 1 p.m. Saturday at Sacred Heart Catholic Church in Pineville.

Coach was tough, a proud graduate of Louisiana College coaching legend Billy Allgood’s School of Hard Knocks. Tough and gruff on the exterior, but also one who truly cared about his players during and after their playing careers.

“He was known to break baseball bats, throw baseballs and basketballs, slam his hands on metal chairs,” said Steve Rachal, a player on Kaiser’s 1980 Pineville baseball team that won the school’s first championship in the sport. “But, at the end of the day, he would always make sure to come around and let us know that he truly cared and loved us all.”

Kaiser was a Hall of Fame basketball player at LC before he went into coaching at Pineville, with a brief stop at Peabody, along the way. 

He was a throwback to the days when coaches coached multiple sports. In addition to coaching baseball, he also coached basketball alongside Bobby Rucker, football under Louisiana Sports Hall of Famer Don Shows and later Mike Desadier, and softball with Jackie Laborde-Monkhouse, who credited Kaiser for helping win the 1983 state softball championship.

Kaiser and Rucker spent two decades coaching together and were like an old married couple, playfully nitpicking at each other while trying to get players to choose sides. It often depended on the sport. Kaiser held sway in baseball; Rucker in basketball. 

When Rucker stepped down to go into administration prior to the 1988-89 school year, Kaiser replaced him as basketball coach, and Rachal took over as head baseball coach.

“The nervous part was replacing the man,” said Rachal. “I had older brothers who had played for him, so I knew what to expect. I was more nervous taking over the program, but it was great having him as an assistant to learn and bounce things off him.”

In Kaiser’s second season as head basketball coach, he led the Rebels to the school’s lone state championship in boys basketball, upsetting heavily favored Morgan City in the semifinals before defeating longtime rival Peabody in the championship game, making him one of the few coaches in the upper levels of the LHSAA to win titles in both sports. 

An indelible scene of that championship in basketball was Kaiser hugging Rucker after the game. In a 2015 Town Talk article on the 25th anniversary of that title, Kaiser said that championship should’ve been Rucker’s.

His former players would go on to serve as head baseball (Rachal and Keith Hood), basketball (Chad Sears), football (Robbie Martin), softball (David Moreau and Mark Mertens) and track (Dwayne Taylor) coach at Pineville. The baseball field at Pineville is named in Kaiser’s honor. 

His three daughters – Kasee and twins Kari and Krystal – were all standout athletes at Pineville, each of whom would win state championships in softball. 

Kaiser and wife Brenda were married for 55 years. They may not have had sons of their own, but they did have sons. Hundreds of them. And what do sons want most in life? To earn the respect of their dads and make them proud.

During college, I began working at The Town Talk in the sports department, and thus had to interact with Coach as a reporter. It was intimidating at first, but the compliment I treasure most from my 30-plus-year career in journalism came one night after a Pineville basketball game.

I walked into Kaiser’s office. He was sitting at his desk. Assistant coach Billy Jones was sitting on the couch. Whereas Kaiser and Rucker were like an old married couple, Kaiser and Jones, who were teammates at LC, were like a comedy duo, constantly teaming up to pick on anyone and everyone and everything.

On this night, I wasn’t sure what to expect. Before I could say anything, Kaiser looked at me and said, “You were right. I should’ve listened to you.”

To be honest, I have forgotten the subject at hand, but I will never forget that moment. 

Nor will I forget a Friday night at Tioga during a heated game with Buck Williams’ Indians that went to overtime. At some point in the fourth quarter, Kaiser suffered a heart attack. He didn’t leave his boys for the hospital until they had pulled out the victory.

That was Ronnie Kaiser. He would be with you through thick and thin.

Medwin Wallace was a member of that 1990 basketball championship team. He discovered, like Rachal and I, that sometimes you didn’t experience the other side of Kaiser until after you left high school.

“When I would go to Camp Beauregard, I’d go by and see him,” said Wallace, who is a Detective-Sergeant with the Houston Police Department and served as a Command Sergeant Major with the Louisiana National Guard until retiring from that post a few years ago. “He always told me he was proud of me, what I had accomplished. I saw a guy who wasn’t always on edge. He was enjoying life.”

Rachal saw that side of Kaiser once they became colleagues in 1988.

“I got to see a softer side of Coach,” he said. “I cherished the eight years we shared a gym (as teachers), sharing life together. He had a great impact on my life.”

When Wallace lost his dad Mack, a longtime local educator and basketball official in 1999, Kaiser was one of the men he turned to along with his godfather, Columbus Goodman, and Ernest Bowman, the former Peabody basketball coach, who was one of his dad’s closest friends.

“We rekindled relations after that,” said Wallace. “I always knew I had Ronnie Kaiser and Columbus Goodman as well as Ernest Bowman. I knew if I needed any fatherly advice, I could call him. No hesitation.

“He didn’t have a son, but he treated me like one.”

The Rapides Parish high school athletic year 2023-24 ended Wednesday, but just barely, as Menard dropped a 1-0 battle with St. Charles Catholic at Sulphur in the LHSAA’s Select Division III baseball semifinals.

Menard was the last parish team still in contention in the final LHSAA sport being contested this school year.

Tuesday, in the Select Division V semis, Rapides and Grace Christian were both eliminated. Grace Christian, seeded second, fell 7-6 to No. 3 Family Christian and finished with a 26-10 record.  Rapides, the fifth seed, dropped a 6-0 decision to No. 1 Avoyelles Christian and finished with an overall 13-17 mark.

The No. 4 Eagles had the tying and go-ahead runs in scoring position with two out in the top of the seventh but top-seeded St. Charles Catholic survived when pitcher Brady St. Pierre induced a groundout to end the contest and complete a three-hitter.

The Comets managed just two hits off Menard’s Coen Laroux, but one was an RBI double in the second inning by Noah Troxclair for what proved to be the game’s only tally.

Menard (23-9) sends out a 14-player senior class that finished as state finalists last year and semifinalists this season. The Eagles’ most recent previous baseball state tourney appearance came in 2007, when today’s players were babies or not even born.

 The Red River Athletic Conference Tournament champion Louisiana Christian baseball team will get its postseason marching orders this afternoon, with double-elimination play in four-team pods set to begin Monday at 16 regional sites.

The Wildcats (32-19) will be tuned in to a 4 p.m. CDT unveiling of the NAIA Tournament bracket. It’s unlikely they’ll head up the road to Shreveport for another meeting with RRAC regular-season champion LSUS (42-9), which retained its No. 4 national ranking despite two weekend losses to LCU in the conference tournament at Sterlington. LSUS is expected to be one of the regional hosts.

Regional play starts Monday and will  wrap up next Thursday.

Meanwhile, veteran Wildcats coach Mike Byrnes has won the RRAC Coach of the Year award. He claimed career win No. 500 at LCU in March, one of several milestone wins this season, highlighted by the back-to-back victories over LSUS but also including another neutral site triumph over No. 18 Mobile. The Wildcats also have a win over another likely NAIA Tournament entry, Loyola (New Orleans).

The victories over LSUS were the first for the Wildcats since 2009 against the perennially powerful Pilots.

LCU had winning streaks of eight and seven games, and four walk-off wins. It also overcame an eight-game skid in midseason. Currently, the ‘Cats have won six of the last seven, with the only loss by one run in the conference tournament.

Byrnes is now 512-459 in 23 seasons of running the Wildcats’ program.

After rolling through the Red River Athletic Conference softball tournament unbeaten, the LSUA Generals got their NAIA Tournament travel plans Wednesday and are headed to the plains of Oklahoma.

LSUA (36-12) is the No. 3 seed in the Chickashaw Bracket hosted by University of Science and Arts of Oklahoma, and will meet No. 2 Midland at 6 p.m. Monday in a first-round contest. The four-team regional pod is a double-elimination competition.

USAO is the No. 1 seed in the regional and gets a first-round bye. No. 4 Baker and No. 5 Friends meet with the winner advancing to the matchup against the regional host.

Tournament play will continue through next Thursday.

Today: Individual awards

Friday: The RPJ’s All-Parish Team

By BRET H. MCCORMICK

Olivia Henry didn’t get the dream ending to her high school softball career. 

After pitching Buckeye to back-to-back state championships, Henry and the Lady Panthers came up one victory shy of a three-peat as they fell to Vandebilt Catholic in the Division II Select state championship game.

It’s one of the few times that Henry didn’t get the storybook ending during her illustrious career. 

That loss didn’t diminish a standout senior season or legendary career for Henry, who adds the Outstanding Player award for the Rapides Parish Journal’s 2024 All-Parish Softball Team to a list of accolades that includes all-state honors, state titles, an all-star selection and a softball scholarship to Southeastern Louisiana University. 

Henry continued her stellar two-way play in 2024, posting a 19-5 record in the circle with a 0.93 ERA and 182 strikeouts. While she made her mark with a gritty, tough-nosed approach as a pitcher, Henry also brought that same fierce competitiveness into the batter’s box for the Lady Panthers. 

Batting in the No. 3 hole as a designated player even when she wasn’t pitching, Henry hit .477 on the season with one home run, 13 doubles, four triples and 30 RBIs.  

Henry said she doesn’t play softball to win awards, and she tries to avoid talking about her ERA or her batting average because she doesn’t want her numbers to define her. 

“I don’t think about that stuff throughout the season,” she said. 

But she admitted the postseason recognition is nice, especially “knowing all the hours I put in behind the scenes.”

Henry concluded her career as one of the all-time greats, if not the greatest, to ever wear a Buckeye Lady Panther softball uniform. She finished with a record of 64-27, 2.03 ERA, seven saves and 724 strikeouts over the past four seasons. At the plate, she batted .396 with five homers, five triples, 54 doubles and 117 RBIs. 

There has been a lot of talk about Henry’s legacy recently and where she sits among Buckeye’s all-time greats. She said what matters most is what she did off the field. 

“I hope people remember the kind of person I was over the kind of player that I am,” Henry said. “I hope that they remember that I always put God first and put my family second. I just hope they always know that when I was out there I was a good teammate and a good leader.”

While Henry and the Lady Panthers were unable to win another title in 2024, Grace Christian coach Mark Rosier and his Lady Warriors finished the job for the first time in school history. 

Rosier, no stranger to softball success during a lengthy coaching career that includes two state titles at Oak Hill as well as stops at Alexandria Senior High, Buckeye and Louisiana Christian (then Louisiana College), finally got Grace into a championship game, and the Lady Warriors lifted the trophy for the first time after knocking on the door for years. 

In just his second year at the Class B school located on Jackson Street in Alexandria, Rosier brought a young squad that was missing its best pitcher to Sulphur last year and used the lessons learned in that loss to propel the Lady Warriors into 2024. 

Riding the return of junior pitcher Rylee Guillot from injury as well as a productive lineup the featured just one senior in shortstop Ava Guillot and a host of talented underclassmen like junior Sydney Avery and sophomores Bella Acree and Wynnlee Vincent, Grace Christian posted a 21-6 record in the regular season to grab the top seed in the Division V Select playoffs.

The Lady Warriors were battle-tested, having faced bigger perennial parish powers like ASH, Pineville and Buckeye, and defeating Division II Non-Select semifinalist Grant. The tough schedule paid off as they shut out district rival Avoyelles Charter in the quarterfinals, avenged last year’s semifinal loss to St. Joseph’s of Plaucheville and then dominated Family Community in a 12-2 victory to secure the championship. 

Rosier said playing tougher competition in the regular season eliminated any questions in the Lady Warriors’ own minds of if they were capable of winning a championship.

“I think Rylee coming back, I mean she was locked in pretty good,” Rosier said of the biggest difference this year. “She was real focused and determined. Of course, she gave everybody else a lot more confidence, just knowing she was gonna be there. On the other hand, all the rest of them with the experience they had from the previous years just gave them a belief that they could accomplish what they thought just a couple of years ago would have been unheard of for them.”

2024 RPJ ALL-PARISH SOFTBALL

Outstanding Player: Olivia Henry, Buckeye

Coach of the Year: Mark Rosier, Grace Christian

“It was finally the weekend. Spring turkey season had arrived and all Neal Windley of Norfolk, Va., wanted to do was get to his farm, change into his camouflage and get into the woods. What he found when he arrived not only put a halt to his weekend of hunting, it also cost him thousands of dollars in repair and prevention.

“Windley’s hunting camp was demolished. Windows were broken, a television and other items were missing and the once clean and comfortable house had been turned into a disaster area. Sadly, that was not the first time this had happened. Vandals had trashed his camp two other times. Sweeping up glass and filling out police reports were not what he had in mind when he and a good friend originally bought the land in the early 1990s.”

The above report was part of a news release I received from the National Wild Turkey Federation. The report from the NWTF gives sobering evidence that all too often, hunters head for camp after a long hiatus to find just what Neal Windley found.

The first thing I did after reading the NWTF press release was call a fellow club member to see if he’s checked on our camp lately. He no doubt heard my sigh of relief when he reported he was there this past weekend, and everything was as we had left it.

The second thing I did was call the Lincoln Parish Sheriff’s office to talk with Steve Rogers who was investigator at the time to see if there have been incidences of hunting camp vandalism and/or theft recently.

“It happens here from time to time. It seems that things will be quiet and then we’ll get three or four reports in a week. It’s like a rash; it spreads when it breaks out,” said Rogers.

There are several things hunting camp owners can do during the off-season to keep criminals from trashing or stealing from your hunting camp, according to Rogers.

“First, if your camp has a locked gate, be sure to keep the gate locked. This won’t necessarily prevent theft but it makes it harder for thieves to cart off large items.

“Another important thing is don’t leave valuable items, such as 4-wheelers, guns, cookers, lanterns, etc. at the camp. Take them home for the off-season.

“I’d also suggest that you or somebody in your hunting club check on your camp regularly. Also, you might get a neighbor who lives near the camp and who you trust to keep an eye out for what may be going on when you’re not there. One of the problems we have,” Rogers noted, “is that we’ll get a report in the fall when hunters arrive at the camp and it may have been broken into in late spring. 

“Make an inventory of everything of value in your camp, just like you should be doing in your home. Write down serial numbers, description of each item, and where practical, put some identifying mark on the item in a concealed area so thieves won’t be as likely to find and remove it. I’d also suggest taking photos of valuable items to aid in identifying them should they be stolen,” said Rogers.

Some other suggestions offered by the NWTF is to make the local authorities aware that the camp will be unoccupied for a designated period of time. Another suggestion is to leave keys to your property’s gates with someone in authority to help them watch your place while you are away.    Make sure you have insurance and make sure it includes boats, ATVs or any item that may not be covered under a standard homeowner’s or renter’s policy.

Put identifying marks or recognizable numbers on tree stands and blinds. This can help law enforcement agents identify these items in the field if they are stolen. 

Follow these suggestions and you stand a better chance of finding your hunting camp this fall just as you left it — except of course for dirt-dobber nests and a mouse or two.

Contact Glynn at glynnharris37@gmail.com

Arrests are accusations, not convictions. 

May 7

Adrian Augustine, 20, Marksville — cruelty to juveniles 2nd degree, $50,000 bail;

Juries Crosby, 23, Pineville — cruelty to juveniles 2nd, $50,000 bail;

Kieron Richardson, 30, Pineville — aggravated assault domestic abuse battery 2 counts, domestic abuse battery, $150,000 bail;

Jerry Sheppard, 37, Natchitoches — unauthorized entry inhabited, fugitive, $5,000 bail;

Shawn Tyler, 34, Boyce — unauthorized entry inhabited dwelling, probation violation, $15,000 bail;

Centerial White, 34, Boyce — battery on infirm, theft, dogs running free, contempt 3 counts, $31,500. 

This date: 12 arrests, 4 of which include at least one contempt count. 

Arrests are accusations, not convictions.

May 7

Waylon Durison Sr., 41, Elmer — possession, obstruction public passage way, $3,000 bail.

The Natchitoches Historic Foundation’s Gala event on May 9 to commemorate the completion of the Pacalé-Roque House restoration project will be moved inside the Natchitoches Events Center due to rain in the forecast Thursday evening. 

The Dedication Ceremony will still take place on the downtown riverbank at the Roque House on Thursday, May 9 at 2 PM. This event is open to the public and anyone else who’d like to see the completed project.

Following the dedication, the festivities will continue with an elegant Gala event, beginning at 7 PM at the Events Center. This adult-only affair promises an evening of sophistication, featuring delectable cuisine, refreshing beverages, and live entertainment provided by the talented Katrice Lacour.

Tickets for the Gala are priced at $50 per person and can be purchased by contacting Lee Akin at (832) 729-2610 or visiting www.nhfla.com. 

For those who wish to leave a lasting legacy in support of historic preservation, we invite you to consider adding your name or the name of a loved one to the Preservationist Wall. For a contribution of $150, your name will be eternally memorialized as a testament to your commitment to the preservation of Natchitoches’ rich history.

By JIM BUTLER

School system employees will receive sales tax supplemental payments on May 24.

All degree-holding employees will get $7,350 gross and all others $3,675, CFO Liz Domite told School Board members Tuesday evening.

The payments come from sales tax revenue collected under levies first approved by voters in 1967 and 1987.

Each has generated approximately $17 million on the current fiscal period.

About $14.6 million is going into the supplemental pay under the tax covenants.

By JIM BUTLER

The School Board on Tuesday evening voted to name the Alexandria Senior High field house after the late Louis “Butch” Crenshaw.

Board members unanimously approved the motion by Wally Fall.

Crenshaw, who died last week at age 83, was the first head football coach and athletic director at the school.

After his coaching career he entered the insurance business and was at different times a School Board member and a City Council member.

LINK TO LAST WEEK’S PROFILE OF MR. CRENSHAW –

Tributes abound for ‘molder of men’ Butch Crenshaw

By JIM BUTLER

After being taken to the woodshed by legislators during April budget hearings for declining in February to participate, state officials are preparing to provide summer meal money to about 594,000 children.

State cost of the $71 million SUNBucks program is estimated at $3.6 million. 

The following was provided by the Department of Children and Family Services:

Louisiana will participate in the SUN Bucks program for school-aged children this summer, helping to provide more nutritious meals to students during the summer months.

SUN Bucks, also known as Summer EBT, provides grocery-buying benefits to low-income families with school-aged children when schools are closed for the summer.

Each eligible child will receive a single payment of $120 for the summer, with benefits being issued in multiple phases beginning in June. Most eligible families will get SUN Bucks automatically, but some parents will need to apply.

“We have been working with our federal partners and fellow agency leaders to finalize plans and timelines,” said DCFS Secretary David Matlock. “The degree of collaboration has been tremendous, and we thank them for their support and assistance through this process.”

“We do expect a large percentage of eligible children will receive benefits in time for summer,” said Aly Rau, Assistant Secretary of Family Support. “The SUN Bucks program, along with the other federal nutrition programs like SUN Meals (the Summer Food Service Program), will provide Louisiana students with access to nutritious meals during the summer.”

Eligible children in the following categories will receive SUN Bucks automatically, without need for an application, beginning in June:

• Children whose families received Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) or Family Independence Temporary Assistance Program (FITAP) benefits during the 2023-24 school year
• Children receiving Medicaid
• Children who applied and were individually approved to receive free or reduced-price school meals through the National School Lunch Program (NSLP)

Additionally, children in the following categories may be eligible to receive SUN Bucks but will need to apply:

• Children experiencing homelessness
• Migrant children
• Children who receive free or reduced-price school meals but did not complete an NSLP application (for example, if the child attends a Community Eligibility Provision school where all students are provided free or reduced-price meals without applying)

Benefits will be rolled out in three phases, beginning in June with children who received SNAP during the 2023-24 school year. Benefits for these children will be added to their household’s existing Electronic Benefits Transfer (EBT) card. Other eligible children who do not have an existing EBT card will be issued one when their benefits are issued.

SUN Bucks will be issued to EBT cards and mailed to the address on file for each eligible child. Therefore, it is important that families ensure their mailing address is up-to-date on their SNAP, FITAP and/or Medicaid case, and with their child’s school.

Under federal regulations, SUN Bucks must be used within 122 days from the date the benefits are issued, or they will be removed from the card. Once the benefits expire, they cannot be added back on the card.

To stay up-to-date on the latest news about SUN Bucks in Louisiana, visit sunbucks.la.gov.

BATON ROUGE –  Jared Jones’ two-out, two-run home run in the eighth inning made the difference for LSU in its last non-conference game of the season, lifting the Tigers to a 6-5 triumph Tuesday night over visiting Northwestern State.

It was the Demons’ inability to break through early that ultimately proved the toughest hurdle for NSU to overcome at Alex Box Stadium.

“We had some chances earlier in the ballgame with runners in scoring position, and we gave away some at-bats where I feel like we could have had more than five runs,” said first-year Northwestern head coach Chris Bertrand, a Louisiana College graduate and former player. “The runs at the end were a double and a home run, which is baseball, but within the first four runs, there were some mistakes in which we felt were some self-inflicted wounds and some gift wraps. You have to be excited – and we are – with the way our guys fought and competed and played.”

The Tigers (32-19) scored the game’s last three runs to rally, getting the decisive swing on Jones’ 21^st homer of the year in the bottom of the eighth. As LSU chases an at-large NCAA Tournament berth, dropping Tuesday night’s contest was not feasible, he said.

“The message tonight was this is a must-win game,” said Jones, who credited his coaches with helping set up his game-winner. “The scouting report said in his (NSU reliever Caleb Bunch) last outing he threw 51 pitches and only 3 fastballs. I was lucky enough to get a slider I could handle, and do some damage with it.”

After falling behind 2-0 on Brady Neal’s two-run home run in the second inning, the Demons (19-29) responded and took the lead with a three-run fourth inning that featured RBI hits from Hayden Knotts and Reese Lipoma and a tie-breaking sacrifice fly from Samuel Stephenson.

Northwestern maintained that momentum after Tyler Nichol wiggled out of a bases-loaded jam by getting Tommy White to line out to second base in the fourth.

The Demons kept that edge and extended their lead in the following inning by taking advantage of a Fidell Ulloa wild pitch with a Colin Rains two-run single. Rains’ hit was part of the Haughton freshman’s second straight three-hit game.

Since driving in the go-ahead run in Saturday’s 2-0 win at Lamar, Rains is 7-for-9 with three RBIs.

“As we continue to talk about the growth of this team, what we talk about is gaining valuable experience,” Bertrand said. “What you’re seeing now is the fruits of Colin’s labor in how he is one of the hardest-working guys we have. That’s the thing – hitters hit and workers work. You’re seeing the fruits of labor mixed with a level of experience gained. That’s why he’s having success. The game of baseball is rewarding him for going about his business the right way.”

The NSU bullpen and its defense had its moments to keep the Demons on top for much of Tuesday night’s game.

Both Conner Bivins in the fifth and Alejandro Marquez in the seventh stranded inherited runners to keep the Demons on top as LSU began to chip away at its three-run deficit.

Bivins also worked a scoreless sixth inning that was highlighted by Balin Valentine’s diving catch that robbed Jared Jones of a potential RBI double to left field.

“The guy made a great play,” said Jones. “You just tip your cap. I did everything I could to put a good swing on a good pitch.”

While LSU (32-18) chipped away at the lead, right-hander Gavin Guidry (2-0) worked four shutout innings of relief to keep the Tigers in striking distance. He gave up only one hit after the visitors rapped nine in the first five innings.

“I’m so thankful for Gavin Guidry going four innings,” said LSU coach Jay Johnson. “I’m so proud of our team. We’ve been playing playoff baseball for a month, and they’ve just stayed with it. This was a game we couldn’t win a month ago … just the poise. Sometimes you need competitors. I called them up at the end of the fourth inning and said, ‘We have to win.’ And I never do that.

“That’s a good team. We’ve played a lot of teams in that league, and they’re right in the middle of the pack,” he said. “They do a great job coaching. They’re getting the most out of what they have … they played great tonight, made us have to stay with it to win. We played like a winning team, and deserved to win in a really good baseball game.”

There was postgame pride in the Demon dugout, too.

“The message we delivered to the team was how proud we were of the fight and the great things we did do against an unbelievable baseball team,” Bertrand said. “We got 10 hits. For the most part, we were able to suppress their offense from big swings. There are a couple of things we need to clean up.”

ALERT!!!! VIP tickets are nearly sold out! Get yours today! If you wait, it may be too late.

Spectacular weather forecast! The official forecast for Friday and Saturday is absolutely perfect!

FRIDAY NIGHT KICKOFF  *REQUIRES A SEPARATE TICKET

​7:00 – 8:30    Lone Star Skynyrd (Lynyrd Skynyrd Tribute Band) The crowd is sure to sing along, dance, and sway to a celebration of the original Skynyrd rock ‘n’ roll legacy. Winners of the prestigious 2022 Josie Award for Best Tribute Band in America: Lone Star Skynyrd. More than a tribute! More than a good time party!

​9:00 – 10:30  Rumours ATL: A Fleetwood Mac Tribute Fans from across the nation claim that Rumours is the band to see if you are looking for an authentic recreation of live Fleetwood Mac shows. In just under 10 years, Rumours has landed itself the reputation of being the best Fleetwood Mac Tribute band and additionally has made fans internationally.

SATURDAY 

​1:00 – 1:50     Mason Trail and Zydeco Rhythm (High-energy Zydeco) Out of Lake Charles, they’ll have the crowd dancing early with an eclectic repertoire of modern zydeco along with traditional authentic zydeco music with an R&B flavor.  

 2:20 – 3:25     On Point Band (Rhythm & Blues) The On Point Band out of Natchitoches will be performing an exciting high-energy, brand of soul and R&B, classics, as well as modern hits, with a little jazz thrown in. Don’t miss this young and entertaining upcoming group!

​3:40 – 5:00    The Young Ones (Jazz & R&B with a Latin flavor)  NSU music students who all hail from South and Central American countries. These super-talented musicians will be performing a unique mixture of rock and roll, jazz, and rhythm and blues, all with a Latin flavor in their tribute to the music of Michael Jackson, The Beatles, and Bruno Mars. 

​5:20 – 6:45     Johnny Earthquake & The Moondogs (High-energy variety show band)  The popular Natchitoches-based nine-piece, rhythm and blues, and rock ‘n’ roll band which critics have called: “quite simply, Louisiana‘s best Showband”, will be making this stop on their 30th anniversary “Over the Moon Tour” a special one as after their performance they’ll be inducted into The Louisiana Music Hall of Fame. 

 Don’t forget about our headliners; America’s got talent Finalists “Chapel Hart” at 7:15pm and County hitmaker, Craig Morgan at 9:00pm.

For more information or to purchase tickets online, visit

https://www.natchjazzfest.com

Arrests are accusations, not convictions. 

May 6

Thomas Barker, 52, Forest Hill — criminal conspiracy, theft, criminal damage, $2,000 bail;

Harvey Broadnax Jr., 60, Calcasieu — criminal conspiracy, theft, criminal damage, fugitive, $2,000 bail;

Jerry Chew, 40, Alexandria — violation protective order 2 counts, $5,000 bail;

Darnell Evans, 42, Leesville — obstruction evidence tampering, operating vehicle without insurance, flight, $10,600 bail;

Wesley Johnson, 20, Alexandria — violation protective order, $1,500 bail;

John Mickens, 49, Alexandria — violation protective order, stalking, battery, $7,500 bail. 

This date: 15 arrests, 8 including at least one contempt count. 

Arrests are accusations, not convictions. 

May 6

Charlie Branch Sr., 43, Alexandria — possession, unauthorized entry inhabited dwelling, $3,000 bail;

Tad Crawford Sr., 50, Cheneyville — possession, contempt, failure to appear, probation violation, $4,160 bail;

Jeanie Evans, 42, Pollock — possession 2 counts, contempt 4 counts, $7,500 bail;

Donterrius Whitlock, 34, Alexandria — possession 2 counts, paraphernalia, contempt 2 counts, $6,500 bail.