JOURNAL SPORTS

They’re not undefeated this time, but the LSU Shreveport Pilots are on a roll heading into the NAIA Tournament.

Monday, LSUS rattled the fences as it hammered Texas A&M–Texarkana 17–6 to claim the Red River Athletic Conference Baseball Tournament championship at Pilot Field.

LSUS (41-12) won its seventh straight in a stretch when the Pilots have averaged over 13 runs per game. Their 11-run spread Monday was the fourth double-digit gap in the current streak.

Coach Brad Neffendorf’s squad, with 30 new players on hand to fill in graduation losses from the 2025 club that won the NAIA title with a 59-0 record, was already assured of returning to the NAIA postseason. LSUS will host an NAIA Opening Round event beginning Monday and running through next Thursday, with the Shreveport Bracket winner advancing to the NAIA World Series.

Dorien Jackson cracked a two-run homer and Nazir Mendez capped the eruption with a grand slam to provide the biggest swings of a 21-hit onslaught against Texarkana (31-25).

Jackson’s home run helped LSUS to a 4-0 advantage in the third inning. A five-run fourth put the Pilots in charge.

Spencer Sullivan started the outburst with a two-run single to right field, followed by a two-run double by Carlos Sanchez down the right field line. Sanchez stole home a few pitches later.

The Eagles pushed across five runs combined in the fifth and sixth innings to stay in range but could get no closer than five runs. Mendez’ grand slam in the top of the ninth lifted LSUS to a double-digit margin.

After going 3-0 over the weekend, on the RRAC All-Tournament Team, seven Pilots were listed: Sullivan, Sanchez, Evan Grant, Carlos Vega, Brock Lucas, Camden Stephens and Makana Olaso. Vega picked up the tournament’s Gold Glove Award, while Lucas was named the Most Valuable Player. His complete game five-hitter Saturday to beat Texarkana 5-1 in the tourney opener launched the Pilots’ championship run.