Staff writer
Joshua Miller repeatedly came through in the clutch Monday to lead Ruston High’s baseball squad to a tense victory over visiting Neville. Choudrant rolled over Jonesboro-Hodge Monday and an Easter surprise spotlighted a rising Ruston girls basketball star.
RUSTON BASEBALL: Miller’s walk-off single, his third clutch RBI of the 13-inning game, ended a mammoth battle with the Bearcats on top 8-7 Monday night at the Ruston Sports Complex.
The Bearcats (16-8) got to overtime on another Miller single in the bottom of the seventh. He extended the game in the 11th with a two-out base hit to centerfield. He also worked the final three innings on the mound, earning the win.
Jack Whitaker doubled with one down in the 13th and ended the game crossing the plate on Miller’s line drive to center.
The Bearcats host Alexandria Senior High Thursday afternoon at 5:30 in a District 2-5A matchup at the Ruston Sports Complex. RHS goes to ASH Friday.
RUSTON GIRLS BASKETBALL: It was a breakthrough season for the Lady Bearcats, who went 22-8, shared the District 2-5A championship for the first time in over a decade, and narrowly missed (a four-point regional round defeat) the state playoff quarterfinals.
But it was also a breakthrough season for 6-4 sophomore center Emerald Parker, who was an honorable mention selection Sunday on the Class 5A All-State team selected by the Louisiana Sports Writers Association. Parker, first-team all-district, averaged eight points, 10 rebounds and two blocks while anchoring Ruston’s rugged defense under third-year coach Meredith Graf.
CHOUDRANT BASEBALL: Bryce McGuire threw a two-hit shutout with eight strikeouts in five innings Monday as the Aggies trounced Jonesboro-Hodge 14-0 and won their 18th straight game.
Landon Hennen and Stone Weaver drove in a pair of runs for the Aggies (21-3).
Choudrant’s seven-run third inning put the home team in command. The visiting Tigers opened the door with six errors and 10 walks.
The Aggies battle district rival Quitman twice this week, this evening at 6 at home and in Jackson Parish Thursday at 6.
SIMSBORO BASEBALL: Downsville drubbed the visiting Tigers 18-4 Monday evening, taking control with a seven-run bottom of the second and adding four runs in each of the next two innings.
Hayden Rabo had two hits for Simsboro (3-13), which hosts district foe Weston at 6 this evening at 6 and goes to visit the Wolves at 4 p.m. Thursday.
CEDAR CREEK BASEBALL: The Cougars were dumped 12-5 on Friday by Ouachita Christian after the Eagles erupted in the fifth inning.
The visiting Eagles scored nine runs in their last three at-bats, erasing a 5-3 deficit. OCS moved up 6-5 after the top of the fifth, then added a pair in the sixth and salted it away with four in the seventh.
Cedar Creek (10-9) got three hits from Jake Parks and a pair by Brady Menzina, who staked the Cougars to a 3-0 first inning lead with a two-run, two-out double. He added an RBI single in the third inning, along with Nathan Gremillion.
Creek hosts another district foe, Delta Charter, at 5 p.m. today.