Kevin Davis Crume was born on February 14, 1962 in Roseburg, Oregon. He left this world unexpectedly and was received by his Heavenly Father on the morning of May 29, 2024 at 62 years of age.

Kevin moved to Ruston with his family in 1973 and graduated from Ruston High School in 1980 (Go Cats!). Kevin was a loyalist. After graduating from Louisiana Tech University with a Bachelor’s in Business and minor in Aviation (Go Dawgs!), he began working for his family businesses. Kevin’s devotion to family business carried through the duration of his life – D.C & Associates, CTS Trucking, Secur-It Self Storage, Ruston Country Club, and RE/MAX Results Realty. The example he set was embraced by his kids and the legacy of loyalty to family and community lives on.

He was an avid outdoorsman. He loved fishing, hunting, landscaping, sports (Geaux Tigers!), music, a good meal, driving around, and he could take a nap anywhere at any time. Kevin didn’t need to have a reason – for a visit, to help someone in need, or to show up for his family and his friends. Being available and intentional was in his nature. 

Quick-witted. Life-long learner. Matter of Fact. Hilarious. Dog Dad. A Listener. Caring. Sarcastic. Gentle. Patient.  There is so much more to be said, but what an impact he has made.

Kevin is preceded in death by his son, Logan Joel Crume; his father, Donald Crume; his brother, Byron Crume and sister-in-law, Mary Crume. 

Surviving to cherish his memory are, the love of his life Jenny Crume; oldest son, Brandon Crume (Blake Cooper); youngest daughter, Jordan Crume Mabry (Joanne); oldest daughter, Morgan Crume Fuller (Graham) with granddaughter Bobbi Anne Fuller and grandson Braxon Fuller. He is also survived by his mother, Charlotte Crume and sister Cheryl Hough (Vernon), mother-in-love, Cecelia (Granny) Hedrick, and father-in-law, Bob Hedrick (Lely) and “a boat load” of other loved ones.

Serving as pallbearers will be: Tim Clark, Bobby Crume, Joel Hedrick, Marc Richard, Tom Schneider, Dr. Patrick Stuckey with honorary pallbearers Jeff Hedrick and Gary Perry. 

Visitation will be held at 1:00 p.m. on Saturday, June 1, 2024, with the funeral to follow at 3:00 p.m. at First Baptist Church of Ruston with Rev. Chris Craig officiating. Burial will follow in Forest Lawn Cemetery in Ruston under the direction of Owens Memorial Chapel Funeral Home of Ruston. In lieu of flowers the family asks for donations in Kevin’s name to First Baptist Church of Ruston or The Ruston Cultural District.

---

By T. Scott Boatright

Considered the slowest of the team sports, things can still change in a hurry during a baseball game.

Grambling State University’s baseball team found that out the hard way Friday afternoon.

Having led off the game with a pair of singles and holding off Texas A&M’s batting attack in the bottom of the first inning, the Tigers seemed to be on the right track.

But the GSU hardball train derailed in the bottom of the second as Texas A&M took early control en route to an 8-0 over the Tigers in the opening game of the College Station Regional of the NCAA Baseball Championship Tournament.

The Aggies plated seven runs in the bottom of the second inning off five hits and a walk aided by a pair of wild pitches and a throwing error by the Tigers that gave Texas A&M a 7-0 advantage heading into the top of the third.

“We were hitting and were feeling good and then it suddenly got away from us,” said GSU coach Davin Pierre. “As a team we talked about it coming into this game —- we couldn’t give up a big inning because that’s what cost us multiple games this season. But against a good team like Texas A&M, it still happened.

“The strike zone was a little different than it is in the (Southwestern Athletic Conference), and we’ve got to get used to that. We hit the ball but left too many base runners stranded. We’ve got to take advantage of the opportunities we’re given, and today we didn’t do that.”

GSU totaled nine hits on the day while leaving 14 runners on base.

Grambling led off the game with a pair of singles from Tiger Borom and Kyle Waker before Aggies pitcher Tanner Jones retired the Tigers’ next three batters.

GSU starting pitcher Mason Martinez gave up a pair of walks in the bottom half of the opening stanza, but a double play by the Tigers followed up by a strikeout to close out the inning kept things scoreless moving to the top of the second.

The Tigers managed another pair of hits in the top of the second inning before the Aggies ignited in their next at bat.

Two of Texas A&M’s runs in the bottom of the second were scored off wild pitches, and GSU coach Davin Pierre made the move late in the stanza to pull Martinez and send Javier Martinez to the mound.

Mason Martinez finished with seven runs (six earned) charged to him with five walks and two strikeouts to earn the loss that dropped him to X-X on the season.

Javier Martinez allowed one earned run over the next 4.1 innings on the mound, holding Texas A&M to four hits and one walk while striking out four Aggies.

Three of those hits given up by Javier Martinez came in the bottom of the fourth and allowed Texas A&M to score its final run of the contest.

Jeremiah Newman pitched the final two innings for GSU, giving up only one hit while fanning three Aggies.

“Javier and Jeremiah came in and pitched well, but it had already gotten away from us even though we kept on hitting. We just didn’t score.”

Catcher DeMarckus Smiley led GSU with a 2-for-4 plate performance while Borom and Ashton Inman each went 2-for-4.

The Tigers will return to action in a loser’s bracket elimination game at 2 p.m. Saturday.

---

The Louisiana Peach Festival Peach Prize has been found at the Lincoln Parish Sheriff’s Office.

The winner of this year’s Peach Prize is Emily McGrew.

This year’s Peach Prize is worth $500, and as McGrew was wearing this year’s #LAPeachFest t-shirt when she found the prize, it will increase to $750.

The Peach Prize is sponsored by The Cleaners of Ruston.

The 74th annual Peach Festival will be held Saturday, June 1, throughout Downtown Ruston. Admission will be free.

---

Click here for Monday’s Clue

Click here for Tuesday’s Clue

Click here for Wednesday’s Clue

Click here for Thursday’s Clue

Day 5: “We’re here to help” is their motto, go there and you’ll win the peach lotto!

You have all the clues you should feel prepared….they may have lights and sirens, but don’t be scared!

---

This year’s Peach Prize is worth $500, and if the winner is wearing this year’s #LAPeachFest t-shirt when they find the prize, it will increase to $750.

The Peach Prize is sponsored by The Cleaners of Ruston.

The 74th annual Peach Festival will be held Saturday, June 1, throughout Downtown Ruston. Admission will be free.

by Malcolm Butler

With Lincoln Parish’s recent growth and projection for even more over the course of the next few decades, members of the Lincoln Parish Police Jury are focused on adopting a strategic master plan for economic development.

On Thursday morning, members of the police jury met at the Lincoln Parish Court House to review an outline scope and implementation plan developed by Hunt, Guillot and Associates (HGA), a local company that has been contracted to serve as the consulting firm for the endeavor.

HGA representatives Jay Guillot, Ernie Broussard and John-Robert Smith were in attendance to discuss and answer any questions pertaining to the company’s initial plan.

The outline, which was referred to by Economic Development and Planning Committee chair Logan Hunt as “fluid”, includes, but is not limited to, six major areas:

• Solid Waste
• Transportation and Infrastructure
• Facilities
• Land Use Planning and Zoning
• Recreation and Open Space
• Health and Safety

“This committee was tasked back in February with identifying a partner to move forward to lead our long-term planning efforts,” said Hunt. “We engaged with HGA to do just that for us.”

Under the newest leadership of the Lincoln Parish Police Jury following recent elections, the jury has been hyper-focused on creating a future that will benefit parish residents for years to come. The strategic master plan is paramount to that goal.

“I want everyone to hear two things when it comes to the purpose of the plan,” said Hunt. “No. 1 we need to plan for the growth that (Lincoln Parish) is experiencing and will experience. We need to do everything we can to create an environment of prosperity for our citizens. 

“And No. 2 we won’t be able to get federal and state grant dollars if we don’t have a plan. So this is two-fold. What can we provide our citizens that will improve their quality of life. That’s what I believe all of this is geared towards in each of these areas.”

The outline presented by HGA included a proposed master planning process outline:

1. Develop/define/refine concept of operations
2. Identify facility and infrastructure requirements
3. Inventory existing conditions as it relates to the focus areas
4. Perform gap analysis
5. Develop options/scenarios for development
6. Analyze and vet options
7. Select/defend/structure selected plan
8. Develop performa/business plan
9. Develop and enact implementation plan
10. Market the plan

Guillot, one of the founding partners of HGA, told the jurors Thursday morning that he believes the timing is perfect for this strategic project.

“As a citizen, I would say this is a great time to be doing this,” said Guillot. “The community is coming together. There is significant economic development being generated by the universities. You are at the forefront of capturing some really neat things that will help move this community forward. I commend you for doing this.

“Think of this as a partnership. It’s one thing for us to have the expertise, but this is your plan and you will get to decide where you want to go. You will get to decide how active you want to be in the participation of it. Some of you may want to be more active in certain areas than others. You know the parish as well as anybody or better.”

The eight members of the Lincoln Parish Police Jury who were present for Thursday morning’s committee meeting voted 7-0 with one abstention to adopt the initial outline presented by HGA.

“This is not the first time that a strategic plan has been talked about,” said Glenn Scriber, president of the LPPJ. “But talk is cheap. Action is everything. We have to capture this now. I don’t think we have a better opportunity or a better time than right now. The steps we are taking for Lincoln Parish …. I can’t express how excited I am.”

Hunt stressed during the meeting that the policy jury and HGA needs to focus on the future. He said their isn’t a firm timeline but that the goal is to move as quickly as possible.

“I challenge us and HGA to say, ‘What will we need 20 years from now,'” said Hunt. “Not what did we need 20 years ago that we are still trying to get that we don’t have because we didn’t do anything. But what do we really need right now, not what we want. But what do we really need right now, and what will we need 20 years from now.”

Funding for many of these future projects will come from state and federal grants.

“The money is out there,” said juror Chris Garriga. “I’m not saying it’s an endless bucket of money, but the money is out there. We just have to have the right person that knows how to go get it.”

---

By Kyle Roberts

It’s finally happening.

That’s, at least, the feeling for anyone that has heard over the course of the previous two decades that Ruston’s Fire Station No. 2 will move out of the small confines of a building opened in 1949 and onto the open lot located at 1609 W. California Ave. in Ruston.

Ruston Fire Department chief Chris Womack is one of those who is excited to finally see groundbreaking on the new station, less than a mile west on California Ave. from the current No. 2 station.

“It’s been a long journey,” Womack said. “I want to take all the men and women of the Ruston Fire Department for believing me when I said it was coming. I also want to thank all the department heads, the mayor and city council.”

Ruston mayor Ronny Walker is also excited for the new facility and expects construction to last around year.

“It’s been an ongoing process, but it’s something that we really need,” Walker said. “(The location) used to be a trailer park that had become dilapidated, and we’re cleaning it up and putting in a beautiful station.” 

The facility is expected to be 10,000 square feet and will have a two-story bay station, meaning four vehicles can be housed at the station. Six to seven personnel will be able to stay comfortably on overnight shifts, according to Womack.

The new station will also have an office for the Fire Prevention Bureau.

---

By Hanna Singh

The Louisiana Peach Festival is set to return to Ruston on Saturday, June 1, featuring over 100 different vendors. Attendees can explore a wide array of offerings, including local art, delicious food, and arts and crafts activities for kids.

Tori Davis, Director of Marketing and Communications at Experience Ruston, expressed her team’s excitement in bringing the vendors together for the festival.

“Our committee has worked very hard to curate a great group of vendors for our festival attendees to enjoy,” Davis said. “The Peach Festival truly provides a unique opportunity to shop local with a variety of area artists, artisans and makers.”

Over 80 art vendors will line the streets of Downtown Ruston showcasing the work of local artists and businesses. Vendors will include crafts, jewelry, soaps, crochet items and many more products. 13 food and snack vendors will provide a variety of options to enjoy.

Kid’s Alley will also be returning to the Peach Festival with 10 different vendors providing kids’ activities and crafts. The North Central Louisiana Arts Council will provide arts and crafts booths on Kid’s Alley along with hosting the Peach Festival Art Exhibition.

“We are excited to bring fast and fun mini art projects to the venue for festival goers of all ages to enjoy,” the NCLAC said. “This year’s annual Peach Festival Art Exhibition has over 190 pieces featuring artists of all ages and works including painting, drawing, photography, sculpture and much more.”

Other kids’ activity vendors will include Lincoln Parish 4-H, Cub Scouts, Girl Scouts, LA Tech Panhellenic Council, LA Tech Stem, Lincoln Parish Library, Junior Auxiliary of Ruston, Magic Memories and Ruston High Robotics.

Attendees can find these vendors throughout downtown Ruston on Saturday, June 1.

---

Ruston Police arrested a local man early Sunday morning after he ran from officers investigating a disturbance at the Gray Creek Apartments.

Police responded to the apartment complex on South Barnett Springs Street about 3 a.m. Sunday. An apartment manager said a man was making a loud disturbance in the parking lot and refused requests to keep the noise down.

---

When officers attempted to talk to Marlon Harris, 31, of Ruston, he fled on foot. Harris was apprehended on Fletcher Lane but fought efforts to take him into custody. A Taser was used to overcome his resistance.

Harris was booked at the Lincoln Parish Detention Center for disturbing the peace and two counts of resisting an officer. Bail was set at $2,000.

This information has been provided by a law enforcement agency as public information. Persons named or shown in photographs or video as suspects in a criminal investigation, or arrested and charged with a crime, have not been convicted of any criminal offense and are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.

Show these to our partners for your weekly deals! (Businesses that wish to participate can email LPJnewsla@gmail.com for more information.)

---

By Kyle Roberts

College sports fans will often tell you that it feels harder and harder to see the connection between athlete and student on university campuses in collegiate athletics.

In a world with NIL, transfer portals, and play-for-pay, college fans are becoming increasingly jaded and cynical.

I am here to offer a brief remedy for you.

This past weekend, I had a really neat feeling: watching the Diamond Dogs as the host team this year’s Conference-USA tournament and seeing them battle night in and night out all the way to the title game on Sunday.

It was exciting baseball, even if the good guys didn’t manage to bring the championship hardware home.

And while I often watch Tech sports as a fan, this tournament weekend was a little more unique.

For context, I just finished my fifth quarter as an adjunct professor in the College of Business. I have been blessed with a tremendous career opportunity to do something that I never thought would give me so much life: teaching at the college level.

And in the time I have been at Tech, I have had the privilege to teach athletes of all sports. But in these last few weeks, I have been especially proud to see the success of my Bulldog baseballers, including one who graduated in a private ceremony Monday morning after battling through the weekend.

You would think baseball players in the middle of a season would completely check out on class. I can report first-hand that has not been the case. The players I taught that are on this 2024 roster were all star students in my Marketing 365: Introduction to Digital Marketing — from attendance to engagement to presentations.

Even better: when I recently shared with head coach Lane Burroughs how impressed I’ve been by his players in my class, he absolutely lit up and thanked me. 

That’s heartwarming for a part-time college professor: the feeling that we’re all in this together for the success of these young men while they are at Louisiana Tech — and then beyond.

To Adarius Myers, Reed Smith, Slade Netterville and Blake Hooks – thank you for all for being awesome students and for representing the university so well.

And go show ’em how Bulldogs handle their business in Fayetteville.

Just like you did in Digital Marketing.

---

Click here for Monday’s Clue

Click here for Tuesday’s Clue

Click here for Wednesday’s Clue

Day 4: Everyone’s invited to join in the games, if you’re looking for the prize the name is the same.

Decades of hunting and the tradition still stands. If you don’t want to hunt we won’t tie your hands!

---

This year’s Peach Prize is worth $500, and if the winner is wearing this year’s #LAPeachFest t-shirt when they find the prize, it will increase to $750.

The Peach Prize is sponsored by The Cleaners of Ruston.

The 74th annual Peach Festival will be held Saturday, June 1, throughout Downtown Ruston. Admission will be free.

Why?

I have never successfully answered the “why” question. There are times in a relationship when one will ask the other one, “Why did you hang the picture in that particular place?” “Why did you eat the last of the Blue Bell ice cream?” “Why did you mow the lawn as you did?” I think I have failed in answering those questions. It is because the answer to the question moved behind the realm of action into the realm of motivation. How many of us have the emotional intelligence to authentically answer a motivational question? Why did you blow up at the nice person in the restaurant, when they didn’t melt the cheese on your cheeseburger? 

I had an unanswerable “why” question this weekend. The dogs escaped the yard. When our dogs get out of the yard, they jet. Rolo is part Beagle and the sniffer in him takes over and he has to run each scent in the neighborhood. I know that if anything happens to Rolo, I will be in the eternal doghouse. He got out by opening a gate. No kidding, one of the dogs opened a gate. I don’t know how, and they are not confessing.

---

Why were the dogs in that part of the yard? That part of the yard is gated off on four sides, because my greenhouse is in that part of the yard. I was working in the greenhouse and the dogs were with me. I don’t know what motivated the dogs to be with me. I can’t explain canine motivation. I took a break and went inside; the dogs decided to execute an escape plan. The dogs did return, exhausted. I was released from the doghouse. However, the why questions continued. I know I am frustrating because I have never answered a why question, well.

The same in my professional life. Yes, I am called to this ministry. Yes, I read and study scripture daily. Yes, I talk to God several times a day. Even in ministry, I’m not good with the “why” question. “Why did this happen to me?” “Why am I sick?” “Why is my life falling apart?” I have been doing the preacher thing for forty-eight years. Here is how I now answer the “why” question. The answer to the “why” question is the purview of management, I’m only in customer service.

That is not where the conversation stops, although I have never been able to answer “why” question, I do have some insights about the better question; “how.” How do I move forward given my life circumstances How do I trust in Jesus in the middle of this storm? How do I put one foot in front of the other so I can take the next step? The question for all of us is….

How?

Meet Mark.

Mark is an 11-month-old lab mix, and he is the last of his litter. Mark and his siblings were found in a box on the side of the road last summer in 100 degree weather.

He is up to date of vaccines, already neutered, and heartworm negative.

Mark gets along with all dogs and loves attention from our 4Paws volunteers! He always has a smile on his face!!

For more information visit 4Paws Rescue website here.

---

Letters to the Editor do not necessarily reflect the views and opinions of the publishing staff of the Lincoln Parish Journal.

To the editor:

It has recently been reported that a new fire station will finally be built at the corner of Tech Drive and Hwy 80. When I was on the City Council years ago, I asked for a new fire station to be built at this location. Because of Mayor Walker, the Ruston City Council, and all who have faithfully paid their city taxes, a new fire station will be built.

The first responders at this location will now have the latest state-of-the-art equipment for the daunting task of covering a very large territory including Tech Campus, hundreds of apartments and the Cypress Springs neighborhood. The new station will be a great addition for the safety of our community.

I also want to thank all of Ruston’s first responders — the fire department, the police department, the linesmen — and all of you who work so diligently to keep Ruston operating safely.

Sincerely,

Marie S. Riggs

---

Each Monday and Friday, the Lincoln Parish Journal will post a list of non-for-profit upcoming events happening in the parish. If you would like to add your event to this list or advertise your for-profit events, please email us at lpjnewsla@gmail.com. 

Friday, May 31
Peach Festival: https://www.lapeachfest.com/schedule 
2-3 p.m.: CPR on the Go (Lincoln Parish Library)

Saturday, June 1
Peach Festival: https://www.lapeachfest.com/schedule
8 a.m. to 5 p.m.: Student Steel Bridge Competition National Finals (Ruston Sports Complex)
9 a.m. to 1 p.m.: Ruston Farmers Market

---

by Malcolm Butler

At one time in his coaching career, Lane Burroughs wore the purple uniform of the Kansas State Wildcats.

Now the Louisiana Tech skipper will be facing the same Big 12 foe when the Bulldogs open the Fayetteville Regional tonight at 7 p.m. at Walker Baum Stadium.

Tech (45-17) enters the regional as the No. 2 seed and will face the No. 3 seed Kansas State (32-24) in the second game of the day. No. 1 seed and host Arkansas (43-14) will face No. 4 seed Southeast Missouri State (34-25) at 2 p.m.

Burroughs, who spent the 2008 season in Manhattan as an assistant coach for the Wildcats, will lead Tech into its third regional in four years (Ruston 2021, Austin 2022).

He said the Wildcats will present plenty of challenges despite the fact it’s K-State’s first NCAA Regional in 11 years. He specifically talked about the arm Tech will face tonight in Owen Boerema (6-3, 4.91).

“I watched video (of him the past few days),” said Burroughs. “He is good. He has good stuff. Three pitches for strikes. He competes, and he pitches deep into ball games. He threw 132 pitches last week in the Big 12 Tournament.”

Offensively, the Wildcats are hitting .271 with just 59 home runs, but they have stolen 127 bases on the year. K-State is just 12-17 away from their home stadium this season, including a 3-3 mark in neutral site games.

“They are just a really good team,” said Burroughs. “Having lived up there and coached up there I know what that program means to those people. I’m sure they are going to show up too. It’s a really, really good ball club and we have to be ready to go.

“I think all four of the teams are good. It will be fun to get up there, reconnect with some old friends, and play some ball.”

Burroughs confirmed that Luke Nichols will get the nod on the mound in Friday night’s opener for Tech. Nichols (4-3, 3.75) will make his 16th start of the season, logging a team-high 77.0 innings this year.

“We’ll see their top starting pitcher Luke Nichols, no one ever said it was going to be easy, but it’s that time of year when you’re going to have to run through some arms to go where we want to go,” said K-State head coach Pete Hughes. “They’ve got a really good coach, Lane Burroughs is one of the most respected coaches in the country, so I look forward to playing against his team – I’ve always admired his team from afar.”

Hughes had plenty of praise for the Bulldogs.

“Their top four guys each had over fifteen home runs, that’ll make you pause and think a little bit,” said Hughes. “It’s a really good program for those guys. No one-hit wonders. They have won a lot of games for some time now. They’re playing good baseball, they’re hot and they’re well coached. They are pretty physical, and they pitch it well too, the back end of their game is as good as it gets in the country.”

Every game this weekend will be on 97.7 FM with Dave Nitz providing a call of the game. They will also be streamed on ESPN+.

---

By T. Scott Boatright

COLLEGE STATION, Texas — The Grambling State baseball team made some school history last weekend by winning the Southwestern Athletic Conference Tournament, and earned the chance to make some more this weekend.

The Tigers begin play at noon today in the College Station Regional of the NCAA Baseball Championship, facing the host Texas A&M Aggies, the No. 3 national seed in the 64-team tournament bracket at 16 regional sites.

A couple months ago GSU’s basketball teams made history when the men’s and women’s squads both earned postseason tourney berths.

The Tigers won the SWAC regular-season hoops crown, defending their 2023 title, but then notched Grambling’s first-ever SWAC Tournament championship to advance to March Madness. There, they won an opening round game in the First Four before bowing to eventual national finalist Purdue.

The Lady Tigers missed the Big Dance but were invited to the Women’s National Invitational Tournament and won a first-round game at Tulsa.

And now, for the first time since 2010, Grambling baseball will be playing in an NCAA Regional.

GSU stands at 26-26 (18-8 in regular-season SWAC play) while Texas A&M enters the regional with a record of 44-13.

“We faced a tough (Southwestern Athletic Conference) tournament that threw everything imaginable just to get here,” said Tigers coach Davin Pierre. “But here we are making history. Players like Cameron Bufford, Trevor Hatton and Julian Murphy, who have been a big part of this program for a long time, are now part of history. And this entire team has established their own legacy in the history of Grambling athletics.

“Now it’s about going out there and trying to continue making history.”

Speaking of history, the last time the Tigers appeared in an NCAA Regional was in Fayetteville, Arkansas, in 2010, when then coach James Cooper’s GSU team fell 19-7 to Arkansas in its opener before rallying back against Kansas State in its second game, scoring four runs in the seventh inning to tighten things up only to lose 9-8.

Grambling first made NCAA hardball history in 1985 when the Tigers played in the Austin, Texas, Regional where they took the University of Texas to 12 innings before falling 4-3. Grambling fell 5-2 to Oklahoma a day later.

“I’ll never forget that Texas game —- that was historic,” said College Baseball Hall of Fame coach Wilbert Ellis, who was the Tigers’ bench boss. “Texas had a great team, including pitcher Greg Swindell. Gary Eave pitched the whole game for us. 

“It was a game we lost on a controversial call, but we showed we could take a team that went on to the College World Series championship game to extra innings. I’m just praying we can see this year’s team do that (today) against Texas A&M.”

That won’t be easy. The Texas A&M pitching staff has the seventh best ERA in the nation (3.97) and ranks first in shutouts (10), first in 1-1 strike percentage (69.0), fourth in strikeout-to-walk ratio (3.31), fourth in WHIP (1.24), seventh in ERA (3.97), ninth in strikeouts per nine innings (10.8), 10th in 0-0 strike percentage (62.0), 11th in hits allowed per nine (7.94) and 11th in walks allowed per nine (3.26). 

And that pitching corps’ 10 shutouts are tied with the 1976 Aggies for second in program history.

Offensively, Texas A&M ranks fourth in home runs per game (2.18), fifth in homers (124), sixth in slugging percentage (.567), sixth in walks (355), 13th in runs (500), 16th in scoring (8.8) and 19th in on-base percentage (.419).

They’ll be facing a Grambling batting lineup with a .317 batting average that ranks 10th nationally. 

Junior second baseman Kyle Walker leads the charge, batting .394 with 11 home runs, 10 doubles, and one triple. 

GSU’s projected starting pitcher, Mason Martinez, stands 12-2 on the season with  a 4.33 ERA.

“I’m hoping the momentum that came from the way we won the SWAC Tournament carries over and gives us a spark against Texas A&M,” Pierre said. “Baseball is a crazy game and sometimes the underdogs do shock the world.

“That’s what we’re going to try to do. Represent Grambling and shock the world.”

The other two teams in the regional, Texas and Louisiana-Lafayette, will play in today’s evening contest. Winners collide Saturday after an elimination game between today’s losers.

---

JOURNAL SPORTS

HAMILTON, Ontario – Sam Burns turned good vibes into a great round early Thursday on the first day of the RBC Canadian Open at the par-70 Hamilton Golf and Country Club.

The Shreveport native and Calvary Baptist grad, a two-time LSU All-American before turning pro in 2017, shot a 7-under 63 in the early morning wave of competitors and finished the day one shot back of Englishman David Skinns and tied with 2011 Canadian Open champ Sean O’Hair.

Burns, 27, now a Choudrant resident who plays out of Squire Creek Country Club in Lincoln Parish, had a fourth-place finish in this event in 2022. He is a spokesman for the tournament sponsor, RBC (Royal Bank of Canada) Wealth Management, and can been seen in its TV commercials.

Earlier this month, Sam and his wife Caroline, also a Shreveport native, became parents to infant son Bear Burns. Dad is relishing his new role, and said after Thursday’s round that he suddenly is eager to leave the golf course and get home on a regular basis. Caroline and Bear will soon join him for a three-week trip on the PGA Tour that will include next month’s U.S. Open at Pinehurst in North Carolina.

All that, and Thursday was the birthday of Burns’ caddy, Travis Perkins.

So Burns, who while missing the cut in three of his last five starts has been home practicing on a soft Squire Creek course that has absorbed plenty of rain recently, had good vibes and familiar conditions Thursday. He recorded two eagles and a birdie across a six-hole stretch to rocket up the leaderboard.

“I think with all the rain we had (in Hamilton) early in the week the greens are still pretty receptive,” Burns said. “It makes a big difference on par 5s when you have a long iron or a wood coming in there to be able to stop the ball pretty quick. That makes a huge difference. So I think that was really the difference in my round today. Making two eagles. Kind of kick started me and it was overall a solid round.”

After a 7:18 a.m. tee time Thursday, Burns, former U.S. Open champion Gary Woodland and Canadian Adam Svensson start today’s round at 12:33 EDT (11:33 CDT). Golf Channel will have coverage beginning at 2 p.m. CDT.

Woodland said after Thursday’s round that he didn’t think the golf course was easy until he watched Burns take it apart.

---

Courtesy of Conference USA

Conference USA has announced its broadcast schedule for the 2024 football season.

Louisiana Tech will have a total of four games on CBS Sports Network, two on ESPNU, one on ACC Network, one on ESPN+ and five on ESPN Platforms.

For all games below designated as ESPN Platforms, they are subject to the 12-day selection window and all kick times are subject to change based upon television placement.

The current confirmed schedule features games to air nationally by the league’s primary partners, and each of the following CUSA football games will be available on traditional linear television or via streaming across the ESPN digital platform.

CUSA games will be available this fall via CBS Sports Network and ESPN. The majority of these exposures will take place on Saturday. However, the 2024 season also includes a return to the successful Weekday CUSA model, during the month of October, with CBS Sports Network carrying 10 games and ESPN carrying eight this season during that timeframe on linear networks ESPN, ESPN2 and ESPNU.

The 2024 CUSA Championship game on Friday, Dec. 6, will air on CBS Sports Network and kick off at 7 p.m. CT.

CUSA games will also be made available through the ACC Network, Big Ten Network, FOX and SEC Network as part of other conferences’ television agreements. Additional games will continue to be added to the schedule this fall as part of these agreements across other networks.

Additional Conference USA football broadcast exposures will be released as soon as they are finalized.

CBS SPORTS NETWORK

Thurs 8/29		Coastal Carolina at Jax State		7 p.m. CT/8 p.m. ET
Thurs 10/3		Sam Houston at UTEP		8 p.m. CT/9 p.m. ET
Fri 10/4		Jax State at Kennesaw State		6 p.m. CT/7 p.m. ET
Tues 10/8		FIU at Liberty		6 p.m. CT/7 p.m. ET
Thurs 10/10		Middle Tennessee at LA Tech		7 p.m. CT/8 p.m. ET
Tues 10/15		Kennesaw State at Middle Tennessee		7 p.m. CT/8 p.m. ET
Wed 10/16		FIU at UTEP		8 p.m. CT/9 p.m. ET
Tues 10/22		UTEP at LA Tech		7 p.m. CT/8 p.m. ET
Wed 10/23		Liberty at Kennesaw State		6 p.m. CT/7 p.m. ET
Tues 10/29		New Mexico State at FIU		6 p.m. CT/7 p.m. ET
Wed 10/30		Jax State at Liberty		6 p.m. CT/7 p.m. ET
Sat 11/2		Middle Tennessee at UTEP		2:30 p.m. CT/3:30 p.m. ET
Sat 11/9		Liberty at Middle Tennessee		12 p.m. CT/1 p.m. ET
Sat 11/9		Jax State at LA Tech		3:30 p.m. CT/4:30 p.m. ET
Sat 11/16		LA Tech at WKU		11 a.m. CT/12 p.m. ET
Sat 11/23		Sam Houston at Jax State		11 a.m. CT/12 p.m. ET
Fri 11/29		Liberty at Sam Houston		2:30 p.m. CT/3:30 p.m. ET
Fri 12/6		CUSA Championship		7 p.m. CT/8 p.m. ET

ESPN

Sat 8/31

WKU at Alabama

6 p.m. CT/7 p.m. ET

ESPN2

Sat 9/7		Liberty at New Mexico State		9:15 p.m. CT/10:15 p.m. ET
Wed 10/9		New Mexico State at Jax State		6:30 p.m. CT/7:30 p.m. ET
Wed 10/16		WKU at Sam Houston		7 p.m. CT/8 p.m. ET
Wed 10/23		Middle Tennessee at Jax State		6:30 p.m. CT/7:30 p.m. ET
Wed 10/30		Kennesaw State at WKU		6:30 p.m. CT/7:30 p.m. ET

ESPNU

Thurs 10/10		UTEP at WKU		7 p.m. CT/8 p.m. ET
Tues 10/15		LA Tech at New Mexico State		8 p.m. CT/9 p.m. ET
Tues 10/22		Sam Houston at FIU		6:30 p.m. CT/7:30 p.m. ET
Tues 10/29		LA Tech at Sam Houston		7 p.m. CT/8 p.m. ET

ESPN+

Sat 8/31		Kennesaw State at UTSA		2:30 p.m. CT/3:30 p.m. ET
Sat 8/31		Campbell at Liberty		5 p.m. CT/6 p.m. ET
Sat 8/31		Tennessee Tech at Middle Tennessee		6 p.m. CT/7 p.m. ET
Sat 8/31		Sam Houston at Rice		6 p.m. CT/7 p.m. ET
Sat 8/31		Nicholls at LA Tech		7 p.m. CT/8 p.m. ET
Sat 8/31		SE Missouri at New Mexico State		8 p.m. CT/9 p.m. ET
Sat 9/7		Jax State at Louisville		2:30 p.m. CT/3:30 p.m. ET
Sat 9/7		Central Michigan at FIU		5 p.m. CT/6 p.m. ET
Sat 9/7		Sam Houston at UCF		5:30 p.m. CT/6:30 p.m. ET
Sat 9/7		ULL at Kennesaw State		6 p.m. CT/7 p.m. ET
Sat 9/7		Eastern Kentucky at WKU		6 p.m. CT/7 p.m. ET
Sat 9/7		Southern Utah at UTEP		8 p.m. CT/9 p.m. ET
Sat 9/14		FIU at Florida Atlantic		5 p.m. CT/6 p.m. ET
Sat 9/14		UTEP at Liberty		5 p.m. CT/6 p.m. ET
Sat 9/14		Jax State at Eastern Michigan		6 p.m. CT/7 p.m. ET
Sat 9/14		WKU at Middle Tennessee		6 p.m. CT/7 p.m. ET
Sat 9/14		Hawai’i at Sam Houston		6 p.m. CT/7 p.m. ET
Sat 9/21		Monmouth at FIU		5 p.m. CT/6 p.m. ET
Sat 9/28		UT Martin at Kennesaw State		5 p.m. CT/6 p.m. ET

ESPN PLATFORMS

Sat 9/21		Southern Miss at Jax State		2 p.m. CT/3 p.m. ET
Sat 9/21		ECU at Liberty		5 p.m. CT/6 p.m. ET
Sat 9/21		Tulsa at LA Tech		6 p.m. CT/7 p.m. ET
Sat 9/21		Duke at Middle Tennessee		6 p.m. CT/7 p.m. ET
Sat 9/21		New Mexico State at Sam Houston		6 p.m. CT/7 p.m. ET
Sat 9/21		Toledo at WKU		6 p.m. CT/7 p.m. ET
Sat 9/28		Texas State at Sam Houston		2 p.m. CT/3 p.m. ET
Sat 9/28		LA Tech at FIU		5 p.m. CT/6 p.m. ET
Sat 9/28		New Mexico at New Mexico State		7 p.m. CT/8 p.m. ET
Sat 11/9		Kennesaw State at UTEP		3 p.m. CT/4 p.m. ET
Sat 11/9		WKU at New Mexico State		5 p.m. CT/6 p.m. ET
Sat 11/16		FIU at Jax State		1 p.m. CT/2 p.m. ET
Sat 11/16		Sam Houston at Kennesaw State		2 p.m. CT/3 p.m. ET
Sat 11/23		WKU at Liberty		12 p.m. CT/1 p.m. ET
Sat 11/23		New Mexico State at Middle Tennessee		1:30 p.m. CT/2:30 p.m. ET
Sat 11/23		FIU at Kennesaw State		2 p.m. CT/3 p.m. ET
Sat 11/30		Middle Tennessee at FIU		1 p.m. CT/2 p.m. ET
Sat 11/30		Kennesaw State at LA Tech		2 p.m. CT/3 p.m. ET
Sat 11/30		Jax State at WKU		2:30 p.m. CT/3:30 p.m. ET
Sat 11/30		UTEP at New Mexico State		3 p.m. CT/4 p.m. ET

ACC NETWORK

Sat 9/14

LA Tech at NC State

11 a.m. CT/12 p.m. ET

BIG TEN NETWORK

Sat 9/7

FIU at Indiana

2:30 p.m. CT/3:30 p.m. ET

FOX

Sat 9/7

UTEP at Nebraska

2:30 p.m. CT/3:30 p.m. ET

SEC NETWORK

Sat 9/7

Middle Tennessee at Ole Miss

3:15 p.m. CT/4:15 p.m. ET

---

Derrion J. Mayfield 
Saturday 11/21/2009 — Sunday 05/19/2024 
Visitation: Friday 05/31/2024 3:00pm to 6:00pm at King’s Funeral Home 
Celebration of Life: Saturday 06/01/2024 2:00pm at King’s Funeral Home 
Interment: Saturday 06/01/2024 Following Service, Mt. Harmony Church Cemetery, Ruston 

---

Click here for Monday’s Clue

Click here for Tuesday’s Clue

Click here for Wednesday’s Clue

Day 4: Everyone’s invited to join in the games, if you’re looking for the prize the name is the same.

Decades of hunting and the tradition still stands. If you don’t want to hunt we won’t tie your hands!

---

This year’s Peach Prize is worth $500, and if the winner is wearing this year’s #LAPeachFest t-shirt when they find the prize, it will increase to $750.

The Peach Prize is sponsored by The Cleaners of Ruston.

The 74th annual Peach Festival will be held Saturday, June 1, throughout Downtown Ruston. Admission will be free.

Ruston Police investigators are still pursuing leads in the homicide of a 14-year-old male Ruston youth on May 19.

Chief Steve Rogers said the shooting occurred at U.S. 167 and Hilly Avenue in south Ruston.

Rogers said investigators have several leads and have made progress in the case. He said the reluctance of witnesses to share information had been a hindrance in the case.

“People are much more reluctant to give information today,” Rogers said. “Back when I was investigating cases, witnesses would usually talk to us.”

---

Rogers said the shooting may have been a case of revenge. The 14-year-old victim had allegedly stabbed another person in an earlier incident, he said.

The investigation continues alongside that of the murder of Haleei Andrena Newton, 18, who was shot and killed while traveling on Interstate 20 near Tech Drive just after midnight Saturday.

Recent Ruston High graduate Newton and a male friend were returning from Arcadia when someone shot into the car, striking Newton. Rogers said investigators have not identified any altercation or precipitating event that may have occurred prior to the shooting.

Rogers said Newton could have been a random victim but thought it unlikely.