LPJ Sports Report
West Monroe clinches Ruston series in emotional game three
RUSTON — Saturday’s game between Ruston (21-12) and West Monroe (25-8) did not lack in dramatics, though the Rebels would hold on to get the 6-5 win in a 10-inning game that was peppered with controversy and a valiant rally by the ‘Cats in the bottom of the seventh inning to send the game into extras.
For nearly 20 minutes in the top of the fifth inning, the umpires talked over what had been brewing for an hour between West Monroe junior Peyton Starr and Ruston High junior pitcher Peyton Nations after Starr hit a solo home run in the top of the fourth to tie the game 3-3. As Starr rounded the bases, he proceeded to flip his bat, yell at the Bearcat dugout and then throw his helmet on the ground in celebration one he crossed home plate.
With three umpires on the field, not one appeared to see the bat flip, which is an automatic ejection in Louisiana high school baseball.
Once Starr returned to the plate in the fifth, Nations threw the first pitch high and inside and clipped Starr on his helmet. Starr initially appeared to charge the mound but was held back quickly by staff before the game was halted.
During the delay, the umpires determined that Nations would be ejected and allowed Starr to remain in the game. A fan in the stands was also subsequently ejected before play resumed.
Beck acknowledged the emotions of the moment but emphasized his program’s approach.
“We don’t advocate and we don’t teach our kids to do that,” Ruston High Head Coach Bryan Beck said. “We feel the same way about bat flips. We foster behaviors that are very competitive, and we don’t back down from any opponent. The umpires didn’t lose that ballgame for us, but it was a very critical call for us to lose our starting pitcher in a close game like that.”
Saturday’s contest proved to be a back-and-forth battle from the start. West Monroe struck first in the opening inning when Ryder DeJean launched a two-run home run to left field. Ruston responded in the third, taking advantage of a Rebel error, a hit-by-pitch to Sam Hartwell and a sacrifice fly from Nolan Parnell to grab a 3-2 lead.
Starr’s solo home run in the fourth tied the game and helped set the stage for the later controversy.
“Peyton Starr is one of the best players in the state, and he cranked on a ball that left our ballpark,” Beck said. “Kudos to him for jumping on that pitch and getting it out.”
The Rebels regained momentum in the seventh when Kade Thomas and Bradyn Cupit delivered back-to-back solo home runs to give West Monroe a 5-3 advantage.
Ruston answered once again in the bottom half of the inning. Parnell delivered a sacrifice fly and senior Jackson Burroughs followed with a run-scoring double to even the score at 5-5, forcing extra innings. Burroughs’ knock nearly walked off a win for Ruston, but as fate would have it, the ball bounced over the outfield fend and was ruled a ground-rule double, holding the winning run at third. The Bearcats would not be able to bring him home and the game when into extras.
“I’ve been around a lot of baseball, never been around a game where a ground-rule double ended up costing you the ball game,” Beck said. “Baseball doesn’t have all the answers sometimes.”
In the 10th, Thomas delivered the decisive blow with an RBI single that plated the go-ahead run, sealing the 6-5 win for West Monroe.
Despite the loss, Ruston showed resilience throughout, matching West Monroe’s offensive output and playing error-free defense. Parnell led the Bearcats with two RBIs, while Burroughs, Dalen Powell, Hudson Wood and Jackson Lee each contributed hits.
“Our kids battled,” Beck said. “They lock arms with each other no matter who we’re playing, and that’s what I’m most proud of.”
West Monroe finished with 10 hits, highlighted by multi-hit performances from DeJean and Cupit, while Thomas and DeJean each drove in two runs.
The dramatic finish followed a more controlled contest on Friday, where West Monroe took a 4-2 victory to even the series after Ruston’s 3-0 shut out win Thursday.
The Rebels jumped out early in that matchup as Brodie Taylor tripled in the first inning to drive in two runs. Ruston answered in the third, taking advantage of a passed ball to tie the game at 2-2.
West Monroe regained the lead later in the inning on an RBI groundout by Starr, and Carson Hawsey added insurance with a solo home run in the sixth.
Ruston managed just four hits in the game, with Lander Smith, Powell, Wood and Lee each recording one. Wood drove in a run for the Bearcats.
Beck said the series served as a measuring stick for where his team stands late in the season.
“I don’t believe in moral victories, and neither do our kids,” Beck said. “They believe they could win that series, and we’re a bounce out of the ballpark away from doing that.”
“I feel really good about where we are heading into the playoffs and how well our kids are playing together right now.”
Luker, Taylor Lead Cedar Creek To Doubleheader Sweep Of Captain Shreve
SHREVEPORT — Cedar Creek’s offense erupted across both games of a Saturday doubleheader, as the Cougars swept Captain Shreve behind dominant performances from Kade Luker and Micah Taylor.
In the opener, Luker delivered a complete performance on the mound and at the plate to power Cedar Creek to a 20-2 win.
Luker struck out 11 batters over six innings, allowing just four hits and two runs without issuing a walk. He also led the offensive charge, going 3-for-5 with an inside-the-park home run, a triple and a single.
Cedar Creek broke the game open early, taking control in the second inning on Luker’s two-run inside-the-park homer that made it 3-1. The Cougars steadily added on before erupting for 13 runs in the seventh inning, capitalizing on patience at the plate with 14 walks in the game.
Jax Doiron drove in four runs, while Brett Bell and Carter Nichols each had multiple hits. Cedar Creek finished with 12 hits and swiped 10 bases in a dominant all-around effort.
In the second game, the Cougars held off a late push from Captain Shreve to secure a 15-9 victory and complete the sweep.
Micah Taylor led the way offensively, going 4-for-5 with four singles and multiple RBIs. Drew Wade added a big performance from the bottom of the lineup, driving in five runs, including a three-run double during a decisive sixth inning.
Cedar Creek used an eight-run sixth to break open a tight game. The inning featured a string of timely hits from Noah Smith, Taylor, Wade, Doiron and Connor Yates, along with disciplined at-bats that produced key runs.
After building an early lead, the Cougars saw Captain Shreve rally to tie the game in the fourth and briefly take a 9-7 lead in the fifth. Cedar Creek answered quickly, reclaiming the lead in the top half of the inning on a Taylor RBI single before pulling away for good in the sixth.
Doiron earned the win in relief, allowing one run on one hit over three innings.
Cedar Creek collected 15 hits in the second game, with Taylor and Kade Luker each recording multiple hits. The Cougars also stayed aggressive on the bases, stealing five bases.
Captain Shreve finished with 10 hits, led by Sharp’s three-hit performance, but could not overcome Cedar Creek’s offensive surge.
With the sweep, Cedar Creek continues to build momentum heading into its next matchup at Airline on Monday.
Simsboro Splits Weekend Slate, Routs Castor Before Earning Win Over Quitman
SIMSBORO — Simsboro delivered a dominant start to its weekend before splitting a pair of Saturday contests, overwhelming Castor and defeating Quitman before falling to Weston.
The Tigers opened the stretch with a 15-0 rout of Castor on Friday, fueled by an explosive first inning.
Simsboro scored 11 runs in the opening frame, capitalizing on patience at the plate and timely hitting. Kaid Barmore and Chris Stevens each drove in two runs in the inning, while Braylon Gipson, Levi Adkins and others contributed as the Tigers quickly seized control.
Adkins added a triple in the second inning, and Stevens brought in another run as Simsboro extended the lead.
On the mound, Chris Harrell set the tone, allowing just two hits over two scoreless innings while striking out five. The Tigers backed it up with clean defense and aggressive base running, stealing nine bases and drawing nine walks in the win.
Simsboro carried that momentum into Saturday with a 6-2 victory over Quitman.
The Tigers struck first in the opening inning on an RBI single from Noah Thomas before reclaiming the lead for good in the second. Maximus Lee delivered an RBI single, and Bryson Yarborough added a run by stealing home.
Thomas turned in a complete-game performance, allowing two runs on six hits over seven innings while striking out five and walking none.
Simsboro collected nine hits in the contest, with Trevor Cook and Barmore leading the way with two hits apiece. The Tigers also showed discipline at the plate, drawing seven walks.
In the final game of the stretch, Simsboro fell 14-2 to Weston after a decisive fourth inning by the Wolves.
The Tigers struck first on a sacrifice fly by Harrell in the opening inning, but Weston answered with three runs in the bottom half and continued to build its lead.
After extending the advantage in the third, Weston broke the game open with an eight-run fourth inning, highlighted by multiple extra-base hits and a string of run-scoring plays.
Simsboro managed hits from Maximus Lee, Cook, Stevens, Thomas and Barmore, while Harrell, Thomas and David Cedotal each drove in a run.
Despite the loss, the Tigers remained active on the base paths, swiping four bases and turning a double play defensively.
Simsboro will look to bounce back when it travels to Southwood on Monday.
Choudrant Drops Pair To Caldwell Parish, St. Frederick
CHOUDRANT — Choudrant battled in both contests over the weekend but came up short in a pair of losses to Caldwell Parish and St. Frederick.
On Friday, the Aggies fell 5-3 to Caldwell Parish despite a solid offensive showing.
Caldwell Parish struck first in the opening inning, taking advantage of an error to go ahead 1-0. Choudrant answered in the second when Max Milton grounded out to drive in a run and tie the game.
The Spartans regained control in the bottom half of the inning, using an RBI single from Eli Nugent and a run-scoring groundout by Noah Pearson to take a 3-1 lead. They added another run in the third and held off the Aggies the rest of the way.
Braden Bagwell pitched a complete game for Choudrant, allowing five runs (four earned) on nine hits over six innings.
At the plate, Rhett James and Josh Sellers each collected two hits, while Milton and James drove in runs for the Aggies.
Choudrant returned to action Saturday but dropped a 9-5 decision to St. Frederick in a game that featured early momentum swings.
St. Frederick took a 2-0 lead in the first inning, but Choudrant responded with a four-run second to move in front. The Aggies capitalized on walks, a key single to right field and a defensive miscue to build the early advantage.
St. Frederick answered in the bottom of the second to tie the game and took the lead for good in the fourth on a bases-loaded walk. The Warriors broke the game open in the fifth with a three-run home run from Owen O’Neil.
Choudrant finished with six hits and continued to show patience at the plate with six walks. Two Aggies recorded multi-hit performances, and one player drove in a pair of runs to lead the offense.
St. Frederick’s pitching settled in after a rocky start, with Clayton Turpin allowing just one run over six innings in relief.
