Staff writer
Ruston’s baseball Bearcats got back on track and Choudrant’s Aggies remained on a roll, while Cedar Creek cruised by Simsboro as top storylines for parish prep sports so far this week.
RUSTON BASEBALL: After West Monroe swept the opening District 2-5A series from the Bearcats over the weekend, Monday evening’s non-league matchup with D’Arbonne Woods got RHS back in gear. A 7-0 win was built on pitching by Dyson Fields (five innings, three hits, nine strikeouts) and Jackson Powell (no hits, three strikeouts finishing the last two frames).
Joshua Miller drove in three runs. Miller, Cade Patterson and Jack
Whitaker each had two of the nine hits for the Bearcats (13-8), who meet district foe West Ouachita Friday (6 p.m., there) and Saturday (home, 1 p.m.). Ruston stands 16th in GeauxPrep.com’s Class 5A state power ratings, second in the district only to West Monroe.
CEDAR CREEK-SIMSBORO BASEBALL: Simsboro struck first Monday evening, but Cedar Creek struck right back, and in a big way against the visiting Tigers, ringing up 11 first-inning runs and rolling to a five-inning 16-1 triumph.
J.T. Stephens doubled and tripled and drove in three to lead the Cougars’ 14-hit attack. Jack Mitcham also had a pair of hits, including a double. In the first frame, Cedar Creek sent 17 batters to the plate.
The Cougars (10-8, 15th in the GeauxPrep Division IV rankings) began a seven-game homestand with the win. They host Ouachita Christian at 6 p.m. Thursday and Bossier at 6 p.m. Friday.
Simsboro actually led, getting an RBI single from Hayden Rabo in the top of the first. The Tigers (3-11, 26th in GeauxPrep’s Class B rankings) host Red River at 6 p.m. Thursday at 6 and go to Bossier for game that will start at 6 p.m. Friday.
CHOUDRANT BASEBALL: The powerhouse Aggies are red hot and rolling on a 15-game winning streak after Monday’s closer-than-it-looks 13-3 win at LaSalle. Choudrant actually trailed 2-1 entering the fifth inning, but erupted for five in that frame, four in the sixth and three in the seventh.
A bases-loaded walk by B. Carter tied it, then Eli Watson’s two-run single put the Aggies on top to stay and Bryce McGuire followed with an RBI base hit, all with no outs. Watson had a sac fly and McGuire doubled in a run in the sixth, and a two-run error by the Tigers did more damage.
Choudrant (18-3, No. 1 in GeauxPrep’s Class B rankings) goes to Maurepas Friday and Saturday for the Class B Bash.
CHOUDRANT SOFTBALL: A 14-8 win at Class 5A Parkway on Monday lifted the Lady Aggies to 15-8. They stand ninth in the GeauxPrep state power rankings.
A nine-run second inning made the difference for Choudrant. Grayson Pylant had a team-high three RBI on a pair of singles, both in the second, the first opening the scoring. Mattie Johnson doubled in a run in the outburst, helped by three Panthers errors.
Choudrant (15-8) is ninth in the GeauxPrep power rankings.
SIMSBORO SOFTBALL: The visiting Lady Tigers pushed across the tiebreaking runs in the fifth inning Tuesday evening to dump Downsville 12-10 and complete a sweep of a doubleheader.
A bases-loaded, two-out walk drawn by Kayla Mitchell put Simsboro (11-11-1, 23rd in the power rankings) on top and Jacoya Lewis followed with a single to pad the margin.
In the Lady Tigers’ 8-7 victory in the first game, VaShanti Sproulls’ two-run double broke a 4-all tie in the third inning and ignited a five-run uprising. Winning pitcher Carlei Wheeler also doubled and drove in a pair.
RUSTON FOOTBALL/TRACK: Junior B.J. Green announced on Twitter Tuesday that he received a football scholarship offer from Louisiana Tech.
The Bearcats’ cornerback is one of the country’s top triple jumpers and has a wide range of offers from Power 5 programs and others in track and field as he aims for his third state championship in his specialty in May. He will compete Saturday in the Mobile (Alabama) Challenge of Champions.