Roach tosses no-hitter as Ruston sweeps Pineville series
RUSTON — Sophomore Tyler Roach delivered a historic performance on Thursday, tossing a no-hitter to lead Ruston High (17-9) to an 8-0 win over Pineville, highlighting a dominant two-game sweep for the Bearcats.
Roach was in control from the start, not allowing a hit while striking out the side to record the final out. The right-hander anchored a week in which Ruston posted three shutouts, continuing a strong response after an earlier district setback.
“Big series win for us, man, to win the week, to go 3-1 on the week and have three shutouts,” head coach Bryan Beck said. “We had a little bad taste in our mouth after the OCS loss, but our kids responded.”
Ruston set the tone early in the opener when Jackson Lee blasted a solo home run in the first inning. The Bearcats extended the lead to 2-0 in the third on an RBI single by JP Moak before breaking the game open with a five-run fifth inning.
Lander Smith delivered a sacrifice fly that plated two runs, Nolan Parnell added an RBI single, Dalen Powell tripled home a run, and another run scored on a wild pitch to push the lead to 7-0.
Hartwell, Moak and Powell each collected two hits, while Lee and Hartwell also wreaked havoc on the bases as Ruston finished with six stolen bases.
Beck pointed to his team’s leadership and preparation as key factors in the performance.
“Our senior leadership showed up Wednesday morning at 6 a.m. in the weight room, probably our best lift of the year,” Beck said. “That just rolled straight into domination, starting with Tyler Roach’s no-hitter. Jackson Lee setting the tone with that leadoff home run, and we never looked back.”
Ruston carried that momentum into Friday’s matchup, securing a 10-0 victory behind a six-run fourth inning.
Lee sparked the surge with a two-run triple, Moak and Sam Hartwell followed with RBI singles, and Parnell capped the inning with an inside-the-park home run — the first of his career.
“Probably the biggest barrel of the day was Nolan Parnell getting his first career home run,” Beck said. “He’s a veteran leader who works really hard, and our kids and coaches were really happy for him.”
Peyton Nations was dominant on the mound in the second game, allowing just two hits over five shutout innings while striking out five.
At the plate, Hartwell continued his torrid stretch, going 3-for-3 to lead Ruston’s 13-hit effort. Moak and Lee each added multiple hits as the Bearcats remained aggressive on the basepaths.
“Sam Hartwell is just on fire right now,” Beck said. “He’s an incredible competitor and gives us a great spark at the top of the lineup.”
With the sweep, Ruston builds momentum heading into the final week of the regular season, which includes a matchup with Simsboro and a key three-game series against West Monroe.
“That series will really simulate the first round of the playoffs,” Beck said of the upcoming district series with the Rebels. “It should be great crowds, a great atmosphere, and we’re excited for the challenge.”
Simsboro rides big inning to win over Beekman Charter
SIMSBORO — Simsboro used a big early inning and a strong all-around performance to roll past Beekman Charter 11-4 on Thursday.
The Tigers broke things open in the second inning, taking advantage of timely hitting and Beekman miscues. Bryson Yarborough drove in a run on a groundout, an error brought home two more, and Chris Harrell capped the frame with a two-run double to give Simsboro a 5-0 lead.
Simsboro added to its advantage in the third inning when another Beekman error and an RBI single by Maximus Lee pushed the lead to 7-0.
Harrell earned the win on the mound, going the distance while allowing seven hits and four runs — just two earned — over seven innings. He struck out seven and walked one.
At the plate, Harrell also led the way with three RBIs. Trevor Cook paced the offense with a perfect 3-for-3 day, while Noah Thomas added two hits.
The Tigers showed patience and aggression throughout, drawing 10 walks and swiping four bases. Harrell and Braylon Gipson each worked two walks, while Harrell accounted for all four stolen bases.
Simsboro also turned a double play defensively.
The Tigers will have an intra-parish matchup with Ruston tonight at 6 p.m.
Cedar Creek drops pair of tight games to Glenbrook in Thursday doubleheader
RUSTON — Cedar Creek came up just short in a pair of tightly contested games Thursday, falling twice to Glenbrook in a doubleheader that featured strong pitching and missed opportunities.
The opener proved to be a pitcher’s duel that went into extra innings before Glenbrook walked it off for a 3-2 win.
Cedar Creek broke through in the sixth inning when Brett Bell and Noah Smith delivered back-to-back RBI hits to give the Cougars a 2-0 lead. Glenbrook responded in the seventh, tying the game on a single and a bases-loaded walk to force extras.
In the eighth, Ryan Reagan ended it with a walk-off RBI single.
Despite the loss, Kade Luker turned in a dominant outing on the mound, striking out 15 batters over 6⅓ innings while allowing just two runs. The Cougars’ pitching staff combined for 17 strikeouts in the game.
Luker also led Cedar Creek offensively with two hits, while Bell and Smith each drove in a run. The Cougars showed patience at the plate, drawing seven walks, and played error-free defense behind a busy night from Bell, who handled 17 chances.
In the second game, Cedar Creek again found itself in position but couldn’t hold off a late Glenbrook surge in a 6-3 loss.
The Cougars grabbed an early 2-1 lead in the second inning on a sacrifice fly by Eli Slocum and an RBI single from Drew Wade. Glenbrook tied the game in the fourth before taking control in the sixth, capitalizing on walks, a hit-by-pitch, and a wild pitch to score four runs.
Cedar Creek out-hit Glenbrook 8-3 in the game, with eight different players recording a hit, but struggled to convert those opportunities into runs.
Slocum, Luker, and Wade each drove in a run, while the Cougars turned a double play defensively.
Across the two games, Cedar Creek showed flashes of strong pitching and consistent contact at the plate but was undone by timely hitting from Glenbrook and a handful of late-inning swings.
The Cougars will look to bounce back Tuesday when they travel to face St. Mary.
**Choudrant will return to action tomorrow on the road at Weston.
