On Sunday at approximately 7:10 a.m., Louisiana State Police Troop E responded to a one-vehicle crash on U.S. Highway 84 west of Whitehall in LaSalle Parish. This crash claimed the life of 21-year-old Dustin G. Rachal of Pineville.
The initial investigation revealed that a 2013 Dodge Ram, driven by Rachal, was westbound on U.S. Highway 84. For reasons still under investigation, Rachal’s vehicle left the roadway, traveled down the ditch embankment, vaulted, and struck several trees.
Rachal, who was unrestrained, sustained fatal injuries and was pronounced deceased on scene. Routine toxicology samples were collected and will be submitted for analysis. This crash remains under investigation.
While not all crashes are survivable, proper use of seat belts can greatly decrease an occupant’s chance of death and may greatly reduce the extent of injury. Always ensuring every occupant is properly restrained can often mean the difference between life and death.
In 2024, Troop E Troopers have investigated 22 fatal crashes resulting in 24 fatalities.
Louisiana State Police, Public Affairs Section – Region E
There’s as much chance of GAEDA’s board holding its May meeting Tuesday as there is of LSU winning the SEC baseball tournament. Or less.
The Greater Alexandria Economic Development Authority has a posted agenda for the session but in addition to grant considerations it’s laced with items central to the dispute between the two factions in the board — three holdover members from upheaval that began in early February and four including two holdovers and two appointed in February.
Among those agenda items — minutes from meetings being challenged legally or on the basis that no quorum was present.
No quorum is the likely scenario Tuesday.
Legality of a February session at which an interim director was named permanent is the subject of a suit filed by new member John Callis.
It is on the June docket of District Judge Monique F. Rauls.
Callis, whose appointment by City Council member Lizzie Felter began the agency’s tumultuous times, has been outspoken about his disdain for how it functions.
Board member Curtis Lewis, Ph.D, has filed complaints with the state ethics board over alleged conflicts of interest by two members as well as asked for attorney general’s opinion on two issues related to the membership turnover.
In the meantime, the four have replaced the board attorney, who is resisting that move, and rescinded the director appointment. She in turn has threatened legal action.
GAEDA, funded by a hotel-motel occupy tax, provides funding to assist in attracting attendance at various events in the city or underwriting some costs.
The premise is the events attract attendees who stay in lodging as well as spend dollars elsewhere, bolstering the city economy.
Out-of-market advertising and marketing expenses are a frequent funding request. Another recurring request is a stipend to assist in food costs at gatherings here.
Its annual audit shows GAEDA spent $484,000 on economic development projects in 2023
TOMMY GUNS: LSU’s Tommy White flexes after clubbing an opposite-field grand slam Saturday as the Tigers completed a crucial SEC series sweep of visiting Ole Miss. (Photo courtesy LSU Athletics)
By RON HIGGINS, Journal Sports
BATON ROUGE – LSU baseball’s NCAA Tournament chances, still barely airborne after being shot full of holes, seem to have found a safe landing after almost running out of runway.
In their last SEC regular season series of the year and needing three wins to dramatically increase their chances of earning a ticket to the Big Dance, the Tigers got their first sweep in league play on Saturday during Senior Day in Alex Box Stadium with a 9-3 win over Ole Miss.
Tommy White’s grand slam fourth-inning bomb helped LSU get out its broomstick after wins of 5-1 in Thursday’s Game 1 and 4-2 in Friday’s Game 2.
A week after a series loss at Alabama featuring two heartbreaking one-run defeats, the Tigers (36-20, 13-17) played their best trio of games since March. It earned LSU a spot in the opening game of the SEC Tournament in Hoover, Ala. The 11th-seeded Tigers will play Tuesday at 9:30 a.m. vs. No. 6 seed Georgia (39-14, 17-13). The Bulldogs are led by first-year head coach Wes Johnson, who was LSU’s pitching coach last season for its national championship team.
“I don’t think us being in the postseason should even be a discussion,” proud third-year LSU head coach Jay Johnson said. “We have the players. We pass the eye test. We have 36 wins as an SEC team. This should be a no-brainer. If you look deeply at our record against somebody else against common opponents, we win out on all of those.”
Maybe so.
But for the longest, the Tigers’ inopportune hitting, inconsistent relief pitching and spotty fielding kept a team with seven new position starters and a revamped starting pitching rotation from hitting its stride.
Yet against Ole Miss (27-28, 11-19), which also had been on the NCAA tourney bubble, LSU discovered the magic it has been chasing all season.
The Tigers had their best batting average (.300), earned run average (2.00) and fielding percentage (1.000) in an SEC series this year.
Junior third baseman Tommy White, a projected top 10 pick in the upcoming Major League Baseball draft in mid-June, had the most productive conference series of his two-season LSU career after transferring from North Carolina State.
He battered Ole Miss pitching, hitting .615 (8 of 13) with 3 homers, a career-first triple, 2 doubles, 2 singles, 7 RBI and 5 runs scored. His hitting seemed contagious, especially helping the Tigers find their offensive mojo as they hit .326 with runners on base.
“Seeing and getting the right pitches to hit is great for our confidence,” said White, who drove in 5 runs in Saturday’s Game 3 when his solo home run in the sixth gave him the seventh multi-homer performance of his 122-game LSU career. “In the past, we’ve chased and got outside of ourselves. We’re bringing it back to where it’s at. Finding hard contact, hitting it where it’s pitched, not trying to do too much, not trying to hit a five-run home run every time we’re up there. Just putting it back where it came from.”
Gage Jump and Luke Holman, the Tigers’ Game 1 and Game 2 starting pitchers, again provided consistent outings.
Before he was pulled from Thursday’s opener which was halted by a lightning/rain delay of 1 hour and 39 minutes, Jump allowed 1 run and 5 hits in 6 innings while striking out 8 and walking 2.
“I could have thrown the whole game,” said Jump, lamenting the weather delay that prematurely ended his night.
Holman lasted 6.2 innings in Friday’s start, striking out 9 and issuing no walks while giving up 2 hits and 5 runs.
“Pitches were working whenever I wanted to throw them,” Holman said. “I was able to mix really well.”
An undeniable key in LSU’s sweep was its superb relief pitching.
Eight LSU relievers, including two appearances each from Christian Little, Griffin Herring, Nate Ackenhausen and Gavin Guidry, allowed just 3 runs in 13.1 innings.
“Tough, tough weekend,” said Ole Miss head coach and former LSU catcher Mike Bianco. “We didn’t swing it well all weekend.”
Little set the tone for the series by striking out 3 of 4 batters he faced as the first Tigers’ reliever in Game 1 after the weather delay.
LSU’s usual Game 3 pitching lineup of stringing together four to six relievers, which had provided a dismal 1-8 record in SEC series-closing games, finally drew a line in the sand.
The final day relievers were the beneficiaries of a big inning of offensive support when LSU scored 6 runs in the fourth, tying the most runs it had scored this season in an inning in an SEC game. The usually run-starved Tigers haven’t scored more than 6 runs in 24 of 30 SEC contests this season.
Ten LSU batters went to the plate in the fourth, had four hits and forced two Ole Miss hurlers to throw 52 pitches. Three LSU batters earned walks on 3-2 pitches.
The big blast was White’s first-pitch grand slam into the rightfield stands. It was the 11th first-pitch homer of his LSU career and his third grand slam.
“It’s just playing the game the right way,” White said. “That’s how this team is together now and that’s why we’re winning baseball games.”
With the sweep of the Rebels, LSU’s RPI according to the NCAA jumped from No. 35 to No. 30. A win over Georgia would cement LSU’s postseason chances since 70 percent of the SEC teams since 1985 with 14 league wins (including in the SEC Tournament) received NCAA tourney bids.
“There’s no doubt we are one of the top ten to fifteen teams in college baseball,” Johnson said. “It’s not even debatable. If we lost today (Saturday), then we may have given the committee an excuse to not put us in. But there is no excuse now, this is one of the best teams in the country.”
Downton Alexandria was the place to be for colorful family fun as the Cenla Indian Association held its annual Holi Fest, Saturday, May 18. The festival, a multicultural area tradition since 2013, is the signature fundraiser for the Children’s Advocacy Network that drew over 1,000 people to enjoy an afternoon of music, food, and lots and lots of color.
The event featured a 5k walk, jog, or run with a fun twist. The more than 150 runners ran through clouds of brightly colored smoke as they started the run. Volunteers also threw bright powdered paint at the runners. A firetruck from the Alexandria Fire Department put a mist over the finish line to keep everyone cool in the heat and to provide a fun play area for the children.
The Royal Indian Bistro, a local Indian restaurant, served up hundreds of plates of tasty Indian fare, while volunteers threw powdered paint on participants and kept the event running smoothly.
The Holi Fest celebrated the varied and dynamic cultures of India. Dancers performed pieces representative of some of India’s 28 states and several hundred languages. Other onstage entertainment consisted of dance schools, Zumba classes, and tap dancers.
The Holi Fest is held as a fundraiser for the Children’s Advocacy Network and is expected to raise over $20,000.00 to assist area children finding themselves in difficult circumstances. The event is terrific family fun and a superb example of people of differing races and cultures coming together for a common purpose in order to make our community a better place for our children.
The festival is a wonderful example of our community at its best!
Mary Griffin Thompson June 18, 1935 – May 8, 2024 Service: Monday, May 20, 2024, 11am at Mount Beulah Baptist Church, Alexandria.
Phyllis Brewer Rosier October 2, 1935 – May 16, 2024 Service: Tuesday, May 21, 2024, 11am at Hixson Brothers Funeral Home, Pineville.
Troy L. Middleton October 27, 1931 – May 18, 2024 Service: Tuesday, May 21, 2024, 2pm at Hixson Brothers Funeral Home, Pineville.
Sandra Bracknell June 21, 1943 – May 10, 2024 Service: Saturday, May 25, 2024, 10am at Hixson Brothers Funeral Home, Pineville.
Christina ”Charmaine” Gaspard May 1, 1959 – May 10, 2024 Service: Saturday, June 8, 2024, Noon at St. Frances Cabrini Catholic Church, Alexandria.
The Rapides Parish Journal publishes paid obituaries – unlimited words and a photo, as well as unlimited access – $95. Contact your funeral provider or RPJNewsla@gmail.com . Must be paid in advance of publication. (Notice of Death shown above are FREE of charge. You may email them to RPJNewsla@gmail.com)
Texas Dow Employees Credit Union (TDECU), Houston’s largest not-for-profit credit union, has signed a definitive agreement to acquire Sabine State Bank and Trust Company
Sabine State Bank & Trust Company, a commercial bank headquartered in Many, LA with more than $1.2 billion in assets. The combined entity is expected to provide access to a broad variety of lending products to all communities served by TDECU and will expand TDECU’s presence in lending to small business owners in oil and gas, agriculture, and energy.
At closing, the combined institution will be expected to have approximately $6 billion in assets and 471,000 Members. The acquisition will expand the field of membership for TDECU, which has a significant presence in Greater Houston, and a growing presence in the Dallas, Fort Worth and Victoria areas.
“TDECU is on a growth journey to expand across the state of Texas and beyond,” said President & CEO Isaac Johnson. “Our mission is helping people navigate their financial journeys, and be financial solvers for our Members’ everyday needs. This acquisition extends our reach to more communities, diversifies our commercial portfolio, and makes our balance sheet even stronger. If our balance sheet is stronger that will enable TDECU to continue to deliver and do more for our existing Members. Together, we will strengthen ties with our membership, partners, and local communities”
A strong performing commercial bank
Founded more than 120 years ago, Sabine has a footprint of 51 branches across Louisiana and east Texas. It specializes in commercial loans with industry concentration in oil and gas, forestry, timber and agriculture, and has many long-standing depository relationships.
“We are excited to become a part of the TDECU family and we share their commitment to strengthening our communities and empowering our customers to build better financial futures,” said Lee H. McCann, President and CEO of Sabine. “Our customers can rest assured that they will continue to experience the best-in-class service they count on from us. Best of all, that service will be enhanced with an even wider array of financial products to help them better secure their futures.”
Strengthening the credit union movement
TDECU has a healthy balance sheet that is focused on consumer deposits and lower-risk investment strategies. Sabine’s strong commercial operations will further diversify the credit union’s loan concentration and support TDECU’s overall growth strategy, bolstering stability and resiliency to provide compelling service offerings to its Members during economic and market fluctuations. The transaction is anticipated to be completed early 2025, subject to receiving all required regulatory and shareholder approvals and satisfying all other closing conditions. TDECU members and Sabine customers should continue to conduct their business as usual until the closing.
TDECU signs definitive agreement for the acquisition of Sabine State Bank and Trust.
TDECU-NRG/Relaint-Stadium-Houston
From L to R: Paul Sklar, Chief Financial Officer of Sabine State Bank and Trust; Lee McCann, President and CEO of Sabine State Bank and Trust; Dave Sikora, TDECU Board Chairman; Isaac Johnson, TDECU President and CEO; Jim Cole, Sabine Board Chairman; John Whitehead, General Counsel and Chief Compliance Officer of Sabine State Bank and Trust; Aparna Dave, TDECU Chief Legal Officer and General Counsel
More than a half-million people have been listed in the Louisiana Protective Order Registry since its creation in 1997.
Such orders are issued when a court finds a man or woman guilty of harassing, threatening or violent acts against a spouse, intimate cohabitant, dating partner, family or household member.
The 575,000 listed are overwhelmingly male in number.
About 60 percent of the orders were issued through civil action, 40 percent in criminal proceedings.
The register allows local, state and federal law enforcement to track offenders.
Information is provided to the National Crime Information Center in instances determined to be watchworthy.
The state registry through 2023 had provided data on about 416,000 men and women to NCIC.
Among the issues is the federal prohibition against firearm sales to persons with active protective orders.
Alleged protective order violation is a regular entry on the Rapides arrest records. Forty-nine were entered in the registry from Rapides in January, the most-recent data available.
Judges in the parish’s Ninth Judicial District Court, according to a Louisiana Supreme Court report, issued 1,109 protective orders in 2023. The report does not enumerate how many were violated.
Comparative numbers for the year: Caddo, 1,473; Ouachita, 1,773; Calcasieu, 575.
Penalties for conviction of violating an order are relatively minor, if no battery is involved.
First conviction: Not more than a $500 fine or six months in jail, or both; Second conviction: Not more than $1,000 and not less than 48 hours (no probation, parole, suspension) nor more than six months; Third conviction or subsequent: Not more than $1,000, minimum 14 days, maximum six months.
If battery is involved, the stakes go up, in dollars and cell time.
QUALIFICATIONS: Experience or education in law enforcement or criminal justice or social work preferred; P.O.S.T. certification preferred; Job description available upon request
CONTACT: 337-463-7993
SUBMISSION: Submit resumes on or before May 24, 2024, at 4 p.m. to: P.O. Box 1148, DeRidder, LA 70634 OR fax to 337.463.9244
JUMP STARTED: Gage Jump gave LSU a quality start Thursday night, dominating Ole Miss batters as the Tigers took Game 1 of the series at Alex Box Stadium in Baton Rouge. (Photo by SIERRA BEAULIEU, LSU Athletics)
By RON HIGGINS, Journal Sports
BATON ROUGE – Gage Jump on the bump toasted some Rebels’ rumps Thursday night in Alex Box Stadium.
LSU’s left-handed starting pitcher held Ole Miss to one run and five hits in six innings. He struck out eight, recording a strikeout or more every inning.
He threw 67 percent of his pitches for strikes. His pitch count of 83 was still relatively low.
And he was unhappy that Mother Nature showed up at the wrong time.
“I thought I could have thrown the whole game,” Gage said. “But lightning. . . I was pretty upset when there was lightning.”
Gage was in the LSU dugout with the Tigers at bat with two outs in the bottom of the sixth when the umpiring crew halted the game because lightning was detected within an 8-mile radius of the stadium.
LSU head coach Jay Johnson wasn’t happy either. For once, his team’s pinpoint, timely hitting and flawless fielding were copacetic, and the Tigers held a 4-run lead in Game 1 of the final SEC regular season series of the year.
“After spending many years in San Diego and Tucson, Arizona,” Johnson said of his previous sunny coaching stops where weather delays were a rarity, “this is a lot harder.”
After a 1-hour, 39-minute delay in which lightning led to a downpour that ended Gage’s night, LSU’s pitching continued to motor the Tigers down victory lane. Four relievers combined to blank the Rebels in the final three innings, preserving a 5-1 win that qualified the Tigers for next week’s SEC Tournament starting Tuesday in Hoover, Ala.
Most bracketologists feel LSU (34-20, 11-17) won’t have a chance of getting an NCAA Tournament at-large bid with anything less than 13 league wins (including one in the conference tournament if needed). Ole Miss (27-26, 11-17) has college baseball’s No. 1 strength of schedule and is neck and neck with the Tigers on the NCAA Tournament bubble.
It’s why nothing less than total attention to detail in every part of the game – hitting, pitching and fielding – is required this weekend for the defending national champions.
All three winning elements have rarely simultaneously shown up this year for LSU.
But all of the home team’s baseball planets aligned in Thursday’s game, from shortstop Michael Braswell’s leaping first-inning grab of an Ole Miss line drive to start an inning-ending double play, to Gage’s steady mound performance, to five Tigers combining for 8 timely hits to scratch across all of LSU’s runs in the second, third and fourth.
“All three of the phases were really good,” Johnson said. “We played very good defense tonight. We struck a lot of guys out (13), so that minimizes the plays. And we got his (Ole Miss starting pitcher Riley Maddox) pitch count up early. I looked up in the fourth and he was pretty close to 80 pitches. I was like, `Wow, for once this feels like 2023.”
Seven of LSU’s hits were singles including second baseman Steven Milam’s 2-out RBI in the second, first baseman Jared Jones’ 2-strike RBI stroke in the third, and Braswell’s full-count 2-RBI liner to left center in the fourth, followed a batter later by third baseman Tommy White delivering a 2-strike rip to left field.
The only non-single was White’s third-inning triple, which he noted was a rarity for him. The ball bounced off the base of the center field wall and caromed away from Rebels’ center fielder Ethan Groff.
“When I was almost to second base and he (Groff) was still going for the ball.” White said, “I thought I’ll take a shot (at a triple). I think the last time I had a triple I was like nine years old, but that didn’t really count because I smoked it to the wall on a small field.”
One of the most impressive performances was LSU relief pitcher Christian Little jumpstarting the Tigers after the rain delay when they rested and feasted on tacos in their clubhouse.
Little opened the parade of LSU relievers following him by striking out 3 of the 4 batters he faced in the Ole Miss seventh when play resumed. He, Nate Ackenhausen, Gavin Guidry and Griffin Herring combined to allow 1 hit while striking out 5 and walking 2 of the 12 Rebels’ batters they faced in the final three innings.
Thursday’s start time was moved from 6 p.m. to 4 p.m. in an unsuccessful effort to get ahead of the severe thunderstorms. With much the same weather expected for Game 2, the start time today has been pushed from 6:30 p.m. to 12 noon.
In just over a week, the Louisiana Sports Hall of Fame’s June 22 New Orleans Saints and Pelicans Junior Training Camp has been filled to capacity.
The capacity registration was not surprising, said camp coordinator Kat Marshall, but the rapid response filling the event more than a month in advance was unexpected. Logistics in operating the event require a limit on participants.
“We appreciate the great response,” said Hall of Fame chairman Doug Ireland. “We wish we could involve even more kids in this free camp but it’s just not possible considering the facilities and the time frame with four events going on that day.”
Camp Day on Saturday, June 22 begins with check-in at 8:30 a.m. at the WRAC with introductions of Hall of Famers at 9, and activities starting by 9:15. It wraps up at 11 after all campers get football and speed instruction at Northwestern’s Turpin Stadium and receive basketball and agility instruction inside the Webb Wellness and Recreation Center (WRAC) at 322 Sam Sibley Drive.
Campers will receive free T-shirts, a meal coupon, and more. Northwestern State coaches and athletes help Saints and Pelicans personnel, and the 2024 Hall of Fame inductees, working with the kids.
The 2024 Hall of Fame Induction Class includes Saints quarterback Drew Brees, Basketball Hall of Fame 2024 inductee Seimone Augustus, recently enshrined in the Women’s Basketball Hall of Fame, MMA legend Daniel Cormier, NFL quarterbacks coach Kerry Joseph of the Chicago Bears, former Tulane basketball coach Perry Clark, longtime Grambling baseball coach Wilbert Ellis, USA wrestling gold medalist Kevin Jackson, legendary high school football and baseball coach Frank Monica and one of America’s greatest jockeys, Ray Sibille.
Complete information on all Induction Celebration events June 20-22 in Natchitoches is available at the LaSportsHall.com website or by calling 318-238-4255.
David C. Everett September 11, 1941 – May 15, 2024 Service: A private family service will be held.
Steve Darnell Wilton March 10, 1958 – May 6, 2024 Service: Friday, May 17, 2024, 10am at First Evening Star Baptist Church, Alexandria.
Doris Carroll Brazzell Morace August 15, 1932 – April 29, 2024 Service: Friday, May 17, 2024, Hixson Brothers Funeral Home, Pineville.
Debbie Ann Waller Good May 30, 1959 – May 11, 2024 Service: Saturday, May 18, 2024, 10am at St. Frances Catholic Church, Alexandria.
Ann McCoy Nicastro February 1, 1947 – May 13, 2024 Service: Saturday, May 18, 2024, 3pm at Hixson Brothers Funeral Home, Alexandria.
Sandra Bracknell June 21, 1943 – May 10, 2024 Service: Saturday, May 25, 2024, 10am at Hixson Brothers Funeral Home, Pineville.
The Rapides Parish Journal publishes paid obituaries – unlimited words and a photo, as well as unlimited access – $95. Contact your funeral provider or RPJNewsla@gmail.com . Must be paid in advance of publication. (Notice of Death shown above are FREE of charge. You may email them to RPJNewsla@gmail.com)
Chandler Alan Johnson, 23, of Alexandria was booked Tuesday, accused of producing, manufacturing and distributing marijuana and synthetic cannabinoids or counterfeit substances.
Johnson has been out of the public eye since February 2019, when he was charged with first-degree rape.
He had turned himself in then after learning he was sought for alleged involvement with a person under 13.
After that, his case left the public’s attention.
According to records, he posted $250,000 bail the same day and was released.
Johnson was rearrested on May 1, 2019, charged with pornography involving juvenile under 13 and offender over 17.
That was apparently an amended charge to the earlier rape accusation. In October 2019 Johnson was again charged, posting total bail of $50,000.
Penalty for conviction on the latter charge is 5 to 40 years imprisonment, with court’s discretion to double the term.
Information regarding the 2019 case status is not available through booking records.
HEAVY HITTER: Third on the LSU team with 14 home runs and 46 RBI, Hayden Travinski will likely play his final home games at Alex Box Stadium as LSU hosts Ole Miss to wrap up the regular season. (Photo by SIERRA BEAULIEU, LSU Athletics)
By RON HIGGINS, Journal Sports
BATON ROUGE – Jay Johnson is nearing the end of his 12th season as a college head baseball coach, the last three guiding LSU.
And while every year brings a unique set of expected and unexpected challenges, the 47-year-old Johnson figured he’d experienced most of them.
That is, until now for he and the defending national champions.
“I really pride myself on us winning close games,” Johnson said. “We’ve had some that we just have not finished out where you’re a pitch away from winning the Florida series, a pitch away from winning the Alabama series, and a pitch away from winning the Vanderbilt series.
“I don’t know that I’ve ever had all of those at one time before.”
LSU, 4-9 in SEC games this season in games decided by 2 runs or fewer, was one out away from beating Florida in Game 2 and Alabama in Game 1 but lost both. It led Vandy in Game 2 through seven innings and lost.
Flip those three series in favor of the Tigers and it means they’ve won 6 of 9 SEC series and are likely in line to host an NCAA tourney regional and possibly a Super Regional.
Instead, LSU (33-20, 10-17) has lost 6 of 9 SEC series heading into tonight’s 6 p.m. opener here in Alex Box Stadium vs. almost equally desperate Ole Miss (27-25, 11-16) in a regular season-ending league series that could be nicknamed the NCAA Tourney Bubble Invitational.
The Tigers, winners of their last 3 of 4 SEC series despite last weekend’s disaster at Alabama where they suffered 1-run losses in Game 1 and Game 3, is ranked No. 35 in the latest NCAA RPI. Ole Miss, winners of its last two SEC series (with 4 of 9 series wins for the year), is No. 24 in RPI.
As of Wednesday, Baseball America projected nine SEC teams, including Kentucky, Tennessee, Texas A&M, Arkansas and Georgia serving as regional hosts, will receive NCAA tourney bids. There are 34 at-large invitations like LSU covets, but since most of the teams earning the 30 automatic berths as conference tournament champions won’t be among the top teams in RPI, teams like LSU with losing conference records have cloudy outlooks.
Baseball America listed LSU among the first four teams just missing being in the 64-team field and Ole Miss among the next four teams out after the first four teams out.
LSU needs a series sweep over Ole Miss or 2 of 3 wins over the Rebels and at least one win in next week’s SEC tourney starting Tuesday to have a fighting chance for an NCAA at-large invite when the brackets are announced May 27 at 11 a.m.
“We still have a chance because we didn’t lose very much outside the league (a 23-3 non-conference record), the third most non-conference wins (nationally),” Johnson said. “We have 13 wins against teams projected to be in the (NCAA tourney) field. We won a premier tournament (the Houston Astros Foundation Classic).”
LSU’s turnaround in the second half of SEC play can be somewhat attributed to an easier schedule than the first half.
But Tigers’ junior shortstop Michael Braswell III said he and his teammates have played with more belief after dropping its first five SEC series to Mississippi State, Florida, Arkansas, Vanderbilt and Tennessee.
“When we played in Houston (in March) and we closed out some close games, we had the mindset at the end of games we were playing to win,” said Braswell III, a South Carolina transfer batting .293. “We got into SEC play and things started to go a bit sideways. We started playing not to lose rather than trying to win. But now, we go out there and we believe we’re the better team.”
LSU (33-20, 10-17 SEC) vs. Ole Miss (27-25, 11-16 SEC), Alex Box Stadium, Baton Rouge
LSU-OLE MISS SERIES: LSU leads Ole Miss, 182-159, in a series that began in 1906. . .The Tigers won 8 of the past 12 regular-season series with Ole Miss. The Rebels lost 19 consecutive SEC series in Baton Rouge from 1983-2017. But he Rebels have won their last two series in Alex Box Stadium – a 2-1 series victory in 2019 and a three-game sweep in 2022.
A LOOK AT LSU: LSU is No. 5 in the SEC in team ERA (4.45), and the Tigers have recorded the second-highest total of strikeouts in the league with 583 Ks in 458.2 innings pitched. . .LSU is No. 8 in the league in team batting average (.282), and the Tigers’ total of 91 home runs is fifth best in the conference.
A LOOK AT OLE MISS: Ole Miss is No. 13 in the SEC in team batting average (.261), and the Rebels have collected 82 doubles, six triples, 73 homers and 50 steals in 58 attempts. . .The Ole Miss pitching staff is No. 13 in the SEC with a 5.91 ERA, and the Rebels have posted 509 strikeouts in 447.2 innings.
WHAT DID YOU EXPECT?: Alexandria Senior High junior sprinter JT Lindsey shrugs after running the winning anchor leg on the Trojans’ 400-meter relay team at the Trojan Relays in March. Lindsey had the fastest 200-meter time in Rapides Parish this spring. (Journal photo by BRET H. MCCORMICK)
By BRET H. MCCORMICK, Journal Sports
Some of Louisiana’s best high school track and field competitors this spring were Rapides Parish standouts.
They’re all on the Rapides Parish Journal All-Parish Track and Field teams for boys and girls.
The teams were selected using the top marks from district, regional and state meets – not from regular-season competition.
Unlike regular meets, where athletes can compete in up to four events, the All-Parish teams limited athletes to being selected in two events. To qualify for a relay team, an athlete must have run either in that relay event or the open event equivalent to the relay (100 meters, 200 meters, etc.). If an athlete made the All-Parish team in an open event, he or she was ineligible to make the relay team.
Below are the boys and girls All-Parish Track and Field teams as compiled using results available on the Louisiana MileSplit website.
GATHERED AGAIN: While powerful Georgia Gwinnett worked over five LCU pitchers Wednesday, there were several conferences on the mound by the Wilcats. (Photo by LAURIE MECHE, courtesy LCU Athletics)
LAWRENCEVILLE, Ga. – The Louisiana Christian Wildcats baseball team knocked off the NAIA’s No. 4 team, LSU Shreveport, twice on the way to recently winning the Red River Athletic Conference Tournament title and earning a trip to the NAIA Tournament.
The Wildcats found there is obviously a huge gap between No. 2 and No. 4 in the Top 25. For the second time in four games in the NAIA Opening Round Lawrenceville Bracket, LCU encountered the home team, and the No. 2-ranked Georgia Gwinnett Grizzlies applied the same level of mauling as they did in the first meeting Monday.
Georgia Gwinnett (49-7) rolled to a 20-1 victory Tuesday, followed that up with a 16-1 rout of previous regional unbeaten Faulkner (Ala.), and are a win away from claiming a Super Regional berth next weekend.
The Wildcats (34-21) could muster only four singles Wednesday while the Grizzlies clubbed 20, including 10 for extra bases, five home runs.
Unlike a 26-2 hammering Monday, this time LCU hung in early. After GGC scored three in the top of the first, the Wildcats got on the board in the second inning.
Nick Brunet drew a leadoff walk and eventually scored on a wild pitch. LCU had two runners in scoring position with one out, but couldn’t cash in and tie the game.
GGC scored two in the fourth, four an inning later for a 9-1 advantage and put it away with an eight-run sixth inning.
The Wildcats, the fifth seed in the five-team field, opened the regional Monday morning with a 6-4 win over fourth-seeded Bushnell (Oregon) and whipped No. 3 seed Ottawa (Arizona) 9-4 on Tuesday.
