Proposal sparks discussion on experience, longevity, and the future of Louisiana’s courts

By Journal Staff

Voters across Louisiana will consider Amendment 5 on the May 16, 2026 ballot, a proposal that would increase the mandatory retirement age for judges from 70 to 75.

If approved, the change would allow judges to complete full terms—some as long as 10 years depending on the court—provided they have not reached their 75th birthday at the time of service.

A Shift Reflecting Longer Lifespans

Supporters of the amendment point to a broader societal trend: Americans are living longer and remaining professionally active later in life than when the current retirement limit was established decades ago.

Under the existing system, judges who reach age 70 are required to step down, regardless of their health, performance, or desire to continue serving. Proponents argue that this can lead to the loss of experienced jurists at a time when institutional knowledge and continuity are valuable to the court system.

Continued Service Beyond the Bench

Even under current law, many retired judges remain involved in the legal system, often serving in temporary or ad hoc capacities to assist with caseloads. Backers of Amendment 5 say the proposal would formalize and extend that opportunity, allowing qualified judges to remain in full-time roles longer rather than transitioning to limited assignments.

Broad Support Across Legal Circles

The amendment has drawn backing from various members of Louisiana’s legal community, including attorneys, judicial organizations, and others who cite the benefits of experience and stability on the bench.

Advocates emphasize that the proposal does not eliminate voter oversight. Judges would still be required to stand for election, meaning the public retains the ability to decide whether a candidate—regardless of age—should continue serving.

Considerations for Voters

As with any constitutional amendment, the decision ultimately rests with voters. Amendment 5 raises broader questions about balancing experience with generational turnover, as well as how best to structure long-term service in the judiciary.

Voters will have the opportunity to weigh those factors when they head to the polls on May 16.

I was always told as a kid growing up that you are judged by the company you keep. In other words, it’s important that you choose your friends wisely. This is also important when it comes to tournament bass fishing.

In each tournament, especially multi-day events, it’s important to have the right guys in the house you’re staying in. Guys that you trust and have the same moral and ethical values as yourself. Anglers that will come to your rescue on and off the lake if you have a problem.

Over the years I have fished all over the South and I have chosen who I travel with very carefully. There are several traits that make good roommates on the road. First and foremost, you have to trust the people you’re sharing a house with. I’m not talking about stealing or tearing the place up, but a person who when he says something, you can trust he’s telling the truth. 

Some guys like to share information, but you must be careful and proceed with caution with the info you receive — even from the guys you’re staying with. There are anglers that will lead you astray and send you down a rabbit hole just to eliminate you from being in contention. 

Understand this, bass fishermen are a different breed of people and love nothing more than winning. Oh, we all hope everyone in the house does well, but rest assured, each one of us wants to win!

The next trait I’m looking for in a good roommate on the road is attitude. Nothing is worse than having a guy in the house that has a poor attitude or rubs people the wrong way. It can make for a very long week of fishing when there’s one guy who the rest of the house can’t stand.

There are some guys that are always negative and like to drag others down with them. Fortunately for me, I’ve never had that experience before. But that’s because I choose the guys I’m traveling with very carefully. 

The final thing that is very important in a good housemate is if he is financially stable. This can be a problem if one guy can’t pull his weight and pony up the money necessary to take care his share of house expenses. 

I’ve always said, “If you can’t afford the expenses involved in tournament fishing like house rent, food, boat gas, entry fees, insurance etc., then you don’t need to be fishing tournaments!”  

No one, and I mean no one, has been as fortunate as I have when it comes to great housemates on the road. I have never encountered one angler who I would  later think, “He’ll never stay with me again!” 

For the last 10 years the guys who have been a part of our road crew are Brett Hortman, Walt Stevens, Adrian James, Brennan Flick and Cole Garrett. These guys are as good as gold and guys that I have nothing but great respect for. Not one time have we had an issue with anyone in the house. I’ve also had the privilege of staying with Albert Collins and Clayton Boulware, who are both great anglers but even better people. 

We’ve all had some great tournaments and some that weren’t so good. But the one thing I always knew, I could trust each and every one of them no matter what. Whether it was fixing a flat tire or making repairs on our boats, I could always count on these guys.

I always felt that if one of us was in contention to win, the rest of the house would help in any way we could. Finding guys like these is hard today with so many anglers fishing selfishly. 

To wrap this up, if you’re a young angler and getting into tournament bass fishing, choose who you travel with wisely. It will give great peace of mind knowing that if you have a problem, one of your guys will go out of their way to help you. 

The Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries (LDWF) reminds the public that increased water temperatures, storms, and extended cloudy weather can lead to fish kills in inland and nearshore waters across the state. These events are typically caused by low dissolved oxygen (hypoxia), which often occurs in warm water, since it has a lower carrying capacity for oxygen than cooler water.  Conditions such as stagnant water, heavy rainfall, decaying vegetation, or increased nutrient runoff contribute to hypoxic conditions—especially in shallow bayous, marshes, and ponds.

Fish kills may affect certain species or sizes more than others. For example, shad are sensitive to hypoxia, and are often the first or only fish that experience a fish kill, while some species, like gar, can breathe air and are resistant to hypoxic conditions. Other species have varying levels of tolerance to hypoxic conditions. 

While fish kills can temporarily impact recreational and commercial fishing, aquatic ecosystems in Louisiana are resilient and typically recover naturally. Even in large fish kills, some fish will find refuge from hypoxic conditions in the affected waterbody or connected waterbodies and survive. Scavengers and decomposers help break down fish remains, and most systems recover over time. If conditions remain favorable, fish populations often rebound after major kills within one to two years without the need for stocking, and young fish benefit from reduced competition and increased resources. However, fish kills caused by pollution or chemical spills can occur at any time and may require additional response.

Documenting fish kills in Louisiana, whether caused by natural or human-caused events, is important to responsibly manage fisheries resources. Please report any observed fish kill to LDWF so biologists can investigate and document the kill as soon as possible. For information on how to report a fish kill or more information about the causes of fish kills, go online to wlf.louisiana.gov/page/fish-kills.

May 6 stands out in history for its connections to political leadership, technological milestones, and cultural influence.

One of the most notable events associated with this date is the crash of the Hindenburg airship in 1937. The German passenger airship caught fire while attempting to land in New Jersey, killing 36 people. The disaster effectively ended the era of passenger airship travel and marked a turning point in aviation history.

May 6 is also recognized as the birthday of Sigmund Freud, born in 1856. Freud’s work in psychology introduced groundbreaking theories about the unconscious mind, influencing fields ranging from psychiatry to literature and art. While some of his ideas remain controversial, his impact on modern thought is significant.

In political history, May 6, 1994, marked the inauguration of Nelson Mandela as South Africa’s first Black president. His election followed the end of apartheid and symbolized a new era of reconciliation and democracy in the country. Mandela’s leadership became a global example of resilience and unity.

The date also carries cultural significance through various achievements in music, literature, and public life, reflecting the ongoing evolution of society.

Taken together, the events of May 6 highlight moments when innovation, leadership, and tragedy intersected to shape the course of history, leaving legacies that continue to influence the present day.

If you grew up in the 1960s, you probably remember a time when home appliances were built like tanks, weighed like tractors, and behaved like mischievous cousins who couldn’t be trusted. Ours certainly did. We had a refrigerator with only one big outer door, and inside that door—like a frosty little secret—was the freezer compartment. It was the kind of setup that made sense only to engineers who had never met actual children.

The top hinge of that refrigerator had screws that were, shall we say, “spiritually backslidden.” They were stripped, worn, and holding on by the power of prayer alone. If you opened the door too quickly or too wide, the hinge would give up entirely, leaving the entire refrigerator door hanging by the bottom hinge like a drunk uncle leaning on a lamppost.

And when that happened, it made a noise. A loud noise. A noise that said, “Someone is trying to sneak a popsicle.”

My mother, who possessed the hearing of a bat and the reflexes of a ninja, would shout from the other room, “Fix the door!” And we kids would scramble like we were disarming a bomb. Because in the 60s, you didn’t sneak snacks. You attempted them. And you were usually caught.

The tea pitcher lived in that refrigerator too, which meant that even the simple act of getting a drink of tea required the stealth of a Navy SEAL. The door could be opened quietly, but children in the 60s were not careful. We were loud, clumsy, sugarmotivated creatures who believed we were invisible as long as we whispered.

Looking back, that refrigerator door was more than a household hazard. It was a spiritual formation tool. It taught us patience, discipline, and the consequences of lukewarm commitment. Because if you approached that door casually—halfheartedly, carelessly—it betrayed you. Every time.

And isn’t that a picture of the Christian life?

Revelation talks about being hot or cold, but not lukewarm. Lukewarm is what happens when we try to follow Jesus casually, quietly, or only when we think no one is watching. Lukewarm faith is refrigeratordoor faith: it looks sturdy from the outside, but the hinges are loose, the screws are stripped, and the whole thing falls apart the moment life swings too wide.

But when we approach our faith with intention—with reverence, steadiness, and a little holy fear—we discover that the door holds. The hinges strengthen. The whole thing works the way it was meant to.

That old refrigerator is long gone, but the lesson remains: a life of faith can’t be sneaked into or stumbled through. It must be opened with purpose.

And if you ever doubt that, just remember: God hears everything. Even the sound of a kid trying to steal a popsicle.

Phonetic: /ig-ZASS-puh-rayt/

Part of Speech: Verb

Definition

• To exasperate someone is to cause them irritation or annoyance, or to make them angry.
  
  // We were all exasperated by the delays.

By DOUG IRELAND, Journal Sports

There was no practice Monday, no opponents to scout. But there was an important game for Calvary Baptist softball coach Tiffany Wood a day after her Lady Cavaliers won their record sixth straight state championship.

Her 7-year-old’s little league game. Talk about back to the basics. No doubt many parents in the stands were hoping their girls one day might wear the green and gold Calvary uniform and have a chance to be part of one of the state’s most remarkable high school softball dynasties.

No school has ever won seven straight. Of course, losing only two seniors, Wood and her program already have that in mind. But this week, this month, that’s not the focus.

There was a Calvary team meeting Monday, and Wood’s message to her champions was get caught in the moment. Bask in the glow.

“Enjoy this,” she said. “As kids, and as people, we’re always looking forward to the next thing, graduation, summer, so many things. Enjoy it. This is a really special moment. It’s something that they’ve spent a lot of time and hours preparing for, and then in a weekend, it’s over. My message today was simple:

“Enjoy your hard work. Appreciate your hard work and what you accomplished, and don’t get past it too soon.”

It was a near perfect season (37-1, smudged only by a 3-2 loss April 6 at Class 5A West Monroe) that has kept Calvary near or atop national polls all spring. Currently they’re as high as No. 2, and Wood is tantalized by the possibility of finishing first.

“The goal for every year is to win the state championship, to be holding up the trophy at the end of season. The national rankings, that’s really cool to see your program listed there,” she said. “I’d be lying if I didn’t say I’m hoping we get in that No. 1 spot as the seasons of other teams continue to play out. But it’s icing on the cake. It’s just more to an already made season.”

Calvary was the obvious favorite to win this year’s Select Division III crown. Last season also ended with a 37-1 record, and plenty of talent returned, led by Georgia commit Kynzee Anderson in the circle – last year’s LSWA Miss Softball among all of the state’s classifications.

Destined for her fourth first-team All-State honor in a couple weeks, she was even better this season, said Wood.

“She’s been able to add to her already great tool box of pitching. She perfected her off speed, and she also did a lot of core workouts. She worked out a ton on her own, not just with us, getting stronger, being able to have more stamina, being able to throw harder, but perfecting the pitches that were already good. She was also able to get them a little better and to add to that off speed.”

As a team, Calvary was better, too. In fact, Wood chuckled when asked the inevitable question – is the 2026 squad, known internally as “Team 22,” the program’s best ever?

“All the way around, I would have to say yes. We’ve had a lot of really great players come through the program through my 15 years. But as a whole, through depth, through the entire lineup, as a whole, it is the best team.”

As for “Team 22” label, that is part of Wood’s philosophy that has guided Calvary for years, and helps the players deal with pressure – from within and outside.

“We just want to be Team 22, the 22nd team that Calvary has had. And it’s different each year. 
We don’t try to replicate Team 2. Next year’s Team 23 is not going to try to be Team 22. It’s different people,” she said. “You can’t repeat the same thing. You can still have success, but it’s going to be in different ways. If we take care of us, that’s all that matters.

“We just worry about what we need to do for us to get better.”

They don’t worry about the pressure. They work through it and channel it into a positive force.

“A lot of work is the short answer, but we talk to them a lot. From the very beginning, we let them know that pressure is a privilege — the pressure to win again, the pressure to do good, to be at the top, it is a privilege. It means you’re doing something right,” said Wood.

“People are expecting you to win. That means they’re expecting you to be good. It’s not a bad thing. And so we try to use a lot of that as motivation. 


“We try to stay grounded and also let them know, you don’t have to be perfect. I think sometimes people expect Calvary softball to be perfect. Can’t give up any runs, no errors, no mistakes. But we do not have to be perfect. We just have to play as a team. And what’s cool about us is all of us together is a powerful thing. When you have to get past the entire team, that’s the hard part. 


“They want to be the best. They want to be at the top of their game. When they want it, and it’s not just me as a coach wanting it, it makes it a lot easier. There were definitely games that we won that we don’t feel like we performed at our best. Those were games to learn from. You don’t have to lose to learn. We tried to find take away something from each game to get better at and to help us towards the end of the season.

“We are always on to the next thing and the next grind and the next word, that’s how the world works,” she said. “We get back to work this summer with the plan being we’re going to win it next year and there’s going to be a lot of people that are disappointed because, with losing Kynzee, they think they got a shot at us.

“We’re not gonna stop working, and we’ve got a lot of kids who are ready to prove those people wrong,” Wood said.

“But this week, I’m gonna enjoy it. I’m gonna live in the moment. Winning six state championships in a row is a huge thing,” she said. “I’m just gonna soak that in.”

Contact Doug at sbjdoug@gmail.com

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.

Was the Fourth with you yesterday?

Will you be all about Cinco de Mayo today?

Star Wars Nation, led by Han Solo himself, Harrison Ford, loves to proclaim “May the Fourth Be With You” on, yes, May 4.

Locally, the afternoon KTBS/KPXJ News audience was treated Monday to a light sabre standoff between sports anchor Alex Anderson and weatherman/angler Patrick Dennis, who unlike Anderson, does not have his own Storm Trooper gear.

Alex is so into Star Wars that it’s his wedding anniversary. His lovely bride Mishka is all in, too.

Wonder if any local TV folks will sample some chips, salsa and margaritas on air this afternoon?

May is a fine month for festivities. The monster New Orleans Jazz Fest just wrapped up a two-week run Sunday. Alert: Mother’s Day is Sunday. Next weekend brings the Natchitoches Jazz Fest, and Mudbug Madness in Shreveport is on the horizon. Memorial Day is a national weekend celebration of bravery and patriotism.

We’ve just had the Run for the Roses. New Orleans columnist Jeff Duncan points out that the upset winner of the Kentucky Derby, 23-1 shot Golden Tempo, and the third-place finisher (Ocelli, which went off at 70-1), both trained and raced at the Fair Grounds in the Crescent City over the winter.

Next weekend: the PGA Championship at fabled Aronimink Golf Club near Philadelphia, with Shreveport native Sam Burns hoping to continue his recent string of impressive major championship performances.

There’s the playoffs in the NBA and NHL (KTBS’s Anderson is over the moon with his beloved Buffalo Sabres in the second round). College softball’s postseason is about to be  kicking into full gear.

LSU Shreveport baseball is back in the NAIA Tournament, with homefield advantage next week in the Opening Round and a berth in the World Series at stake.

The LHSAA is conducting its golf and track and field championships this week, after wrapping up softball on Sunday. Baseball is drifting into semifinal series this week with state titles on the line next weekend.

Recently described as a “sporty sport” guy by a new friend, who is not a “sporty sport” gal, I’m into nearly all of the above – and MLB, to see if Paul Skenes and my Pirates can stay competitive into the summer.

I believe there’s not much better than a margarita at Superior Grill, so Cinco de Mayo is among my favorite fake holidays. (And an excellent excuse, right?)

I’m old enough to treasure standing in line in Monroe in 1977 to see the original Star Wars – then driving back two nights later on a two-hour round trip to line up and see it again.

But of all the cool stuff unfolding, or just in the books, there’s one occasion that ought to get a lot more attention.

It’s Teacher Appreciation Week.

In sports, we put a lot of focus on coaches. Coaches are, typically speaking, really good teachers – not just when it comes to the sports they steer, but in reaching their players, and very often, the young people they teach in classrooms.

My cap tip today is not reserved just for those folks. It’s for the men and women who stand in front of kids of all ages and try to bring out their best.

There are professions that are vastly underrated. Teaching is in any top five.

Teaching from Pre-K to elementary to junior high to high school continues to get more challenging. Cultural changes, societal mores, educational policies and procedures, nothing stays the same. Or gets easier.

Past reading, writing and arithmetic, more kids get vital guidance from their teachers (and coaches) that we realize. Too many biological parents don’t step up and set the tone for their kids, and nearly every youngster wants and needs encouragement, help and positive reinforcement.

Not every teacher is a role model. But most of them are, to some kid. This week, more than usual, we all should show some respect and appreciation to people who are VIPs in countless lives.

Buy ‘em a margarita, even.

Contact Doug at sbjdoug@gmail.com

By DAVID ERSOFF, Journal Contributor 

When I first moved to Bossier City, from Boston, I took a job at one of the local food distributors, selling food directly to restaurants. I had the pleasure of selling food to Bodacious Bra-B-Q, 4706 Barksdale Blvd., Bossier City, as a newly-opened restaurant.

What I remember about that experience was that the owners were very picky about the food that they purchased. They had standards, and they would not compromise for any reason — it was the quality food or nothing. It is this standard that helps Bodacious BBQ keep its high level of food quality that has kept them in business for almost 30 years.

Earlier this week I was driving down Barksdale when I came upon Bodacious. I decided to see how their food was now. It has been more than a few years since I’ve been there, so I pulled in.

I ordered for myself, my daughter and my mother. I got the BoBurger, as I remember it was so good in years past. The burger was as good as I remembered, juicy and messy to eat, just the way I like my burgers. That’s why we have napkins! This is a half-pound burger patty that comes dressed with your choice of cheese, lettuce, tomato and mayonnaise. It also comes with fries. It’s been a while since I had a burger that big. I can see that being something to split for lunch one day.

My daughter went with a special that they had posted on a white board, a ¼ quarter chicken and ribs, that came with two sides and Texas toast. I was happy — I wanted to try the ribs anyway. The ribs were so tender and had such a nice barbeque dry rub, I could eat a couple of racks of them at any moment. The chicken was equally flavorful and very juicy.

The barbeque beans were well prepared and a nice complement to the chicken and ribs. My daughter said she liked the potato salad.

I got my mother a Sliced Brisket Po Boy. It came dressed in the same way the burger was;  she chose provolone cheese and kept the lettuce, tomato and mayo on the Po Boy. I, of course, had to taste-test it. I was skeptical of brisket in a Po Boy, even though many places offer it.

The brisket worked so well with the fresh French bread and cheese, with the lettuce, tomato and mayo keeping every bite juicy and flavorful. It’s also big, so even with my small share, there was enough left for lunch another day.

I regret not ordering the Authentic New Orleans Bread Pudding, but now I have something to look forward to when I stop by again.

Contact David at dersoff@bellsouth.net

By DOUG IRELAND, Journal Sports 

The hallmark of sustained excellence is consistency, so it figures that Calvary Baptist softball team would mirror last year’s state tournament success over the weekend as the Lady Cavaliers tied a state record with their sixth consecutive LHSAA championship.

Last year they run-ruled district rival D’Arbonne Woods (in the finals) after a hard-fought victory over Parkview Baptist. This time, the Lady Timberwolves were drubbed 12-2 Saturday in the semis and the Lady Eagles put up a good fight, but Calvary pushed away with three runs in the bottom of the sixth and posted a 5-2 title game triumph.

Only Vermilion Catholic, Hackberry and Linville – all in smaller classifications – had previously captured six straight state titles until Sunday. The victory was the eighth LHSAA crown starting in 2016 and 2017 captured by coach Tiffany Frazier Wood and her program, and no program has ever reached eight title games without a loss.

Another milestone: Sunday’s game was her 400^th career win. One more: Saturday was her birthday, and yes, the team serenaded her in the wake of the run-rule rout.

With the final two victories at their home-away-from-home in Sulphur at the North Frasch Softball Complex, the Lady Cavaliers capped a 37-1 season that has at times had them ranked No. 1 in various national polls. They’re currently as high as No. 2, but looking down at every other program in every division and classification in Louisiana.

Kynzee Anderson delivered both wins in the circle, firing a three-hitter Sunday with nine strikeouts.  Saturday, the Georgia commit was slightly bruised by two first-inning runs but locked down D’Arbonne Woods afterward, also striking out nine as Calvary put it away with a six-run sixth inning.

Sunday’s victory was a pitching duel most of the way. Calvary jumped up 2-0 in the bottom of the fourth when Baylor Bockhaus drilled a homer to left followed by doubles from Loren Sivils and Jaycee Sledge to pad the margin.

After a Parkview homer in the top half of the sixth, Sledge delivered another RBI double. She scored on a bunt single by Hallie Rinaudo resulting in a collision at first base that Sledge used to scamper into the dugout for a 4-1 edge. Carlie Guile ripped a double to right field to plate Rinaudo and lift Calvary ahead by four, an insurmountable margin for a team that hadn’t given up five runs in any game this season – and facing Anderson, the presumptive repeat Class 2A Player of the Year.

Saturday in the semifinals, the Lady Cavs shook off D’Arbonne Woods’ surprising start by answering in the bottom of the first with a five-spot, highlighted by Mallory Carver’s two-run double after a two-run single from eighth-grader Ellie Duran.

They erupted in the sixth, rolling in six runs to end the game, on RBI singles by Anderson, Reese Walker, Brynn Robinson and Sivils along with a sacrifice fly by Guile.

Contact Doug at sbjdoug@gmail.com

By RON HIGGINS, Journal Sports

BATON ROUGE – There’s a scene in the 1988 baseball movie “Bull Durham” in which the Kevin Costner character Crash Davis turns on the sprinkler system late at night in an opposing stadium to create an artificial rainout.

The cancellation of the next day’s game gave Davis’ team the mental and physical reset it needed to start a winning streak.

Here on Friday, Mother Nature provided an honest-to-goodness gully washer that postponed Friday’s SEC series opener between LSU and South Carolina.

Apparently, it was exactly what the struggling Tigers (along with playing a less-than-formidable opponent) needed.

Mired in a school-record nine-game SEC losing streak after being swept by Ole Miss, Texas A&M and Mississippi State, LSU (28-21 overall, 9-15 SEC) won more league games in 29 hours than it did in April by sweeping South Carolina (22-27, 7-17 SEC).

There was no magic in how the Tigers won Saturday’s doubleheader 6-1 in Game 1 and 7-3 in Game 2, as well as Sunday’s 7-0 shutout.

They did everything well that they hadn’t done all season. They had the best starting pitching, relief pitching, two-out hitting and fielding.

The complementary baseball that had eluded fifth-year LSU head coach Jay Johnson’s defending national champions finally showed up in the same place at the same time.

“It (complementary baseball) changes the course of your ability to win games that we had lost,” Johnson said. “We haven’t played great defense or pitched well at times. Our offense has really come along.

“I wish we could hit the reset button as they do on the video games that they (his players) play. You can’t do that, but you can learn and get better. They have permission to get better in this thing, and that’s happening.”

For the first time in SEC play, with just two weekends left in the regular season, Johnson started almost all of the same position players, including four freshmen (first baseman Mason Braun, catcher/designated hitter Oscar Serna Jr., second baseman Jack Ruckert, rightfielder William Patrick) and a sophomore (designated hitter/catcher Cade  Arrambide) – in every game of the South Carolina series.

There were few, if any, substitutions.

The continuity seemed to help. The Tigers batted .316 vs. the Gamecocks, including .324 (11 for 34) with two outs and .542  (13 for 24) in leadoff hitting.

Also, a week after 16 LSU pitchers (three starters lasting just 9.2 innings, 13 relievers handling 19.2 innings) had an 8.94 ERA in blowing leads in all three losses of the Mississippi State series, the Tigers needed just seven pitchers against South Carolina (three starters lasting 17 innings, four relievers for 10 innings) to combine for a minuscule 1.00 ERA.

Finally, ranked as the SEC’s worst fielding team, averaging 1.2 errors per game entering the weekend, LSU limited the bumble, and had just three errors in the series.

Arrambide, who’s forming a lethal duo with Serna Jr. as both players alternate starting at catcher and designated hitter, said the play of LSU’s four freshmen starters has been huge.

“All of those guys are ultra-talented, and it was only a matter of time before each of them got their opportunity to shine,” said Arrambide, who has combined with Serna Jr. in the last two SEC series to hit .451 (23 for 51) with 18 runs, 20 RBI, five doubles, and eight homers.

“They’ve really just owned their role, knowing there’s no pressure for them. No one is expecting them to hit two home runs a game and get four hits. They’re just going out there having fun and just trying to play winning baseball. And they’ve done a really good job of that.”

Here’s an LSU-South Carolina series recap:

GAME 1 LSU 6, SOUTH CAROLINA 1 – Sophomore right-hander William Schmidt gave up one run in six innings in the first game of Saturday’s doubleheader. Right-hander reliever Grant Fontenot recorded his third save of the season by shutting out South Carolina in the final three innings. Designated hitter Cade Arrambide, centerfielder Derek Curiel and shortstop Steven Milam each had two RBI to lead the Tigers’ offense.

GAME 2:  LSU 7, SOUTH CAROLINA 3 – The Tigers had 13 hits in Saturday’s nightcap, including a two-run homer by first baseman Mason Braun and a solo shot by catcher Arrambide, who also singled twice and scored three runs. Designated hitter Omar Serna Jr. was 3-for-4 at the plate with a double and an RBI. Freshman starting pitcher Marco Paz earned his first career collegiate victory, allowing one run on just one hit in five innings with three walks and eight strikeouts. Reliever Deven Sheerin gave up two unearned runs in the final four innings to earn his fourth save of the season.

GAME 3: LSU 7, SOUTH CAROLINA 0 – Senior starting pitcher Zac Cowan hurled six shutout innings in Sunday’s win. LSU opened the scoring in the bottom of the third inning when designated hitter Serna Jr. hit a two-run homer, his seventh dinger of the season. The Tigers extended the lead to 4-0 in the fifth on catcher Arrambide’s sacrifice fly and pinch hitter Tanner Reaves’ RBI single. LSU added two more runs in the sixth, as the Tigers capitalized on a South Carolina error. Second baseman Jack Ruckert’s RBI single in the seventh increased the lead to 7-0.

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JOURNAL SPORTS

LSU Shreveport evened the score when it mattered most Sunday, using timely hitting and a decisive eighth-inning outburst fueled by Spencer Sullivan and Carlos Sanchez to defeat regular-season Red River Athletic Conference champion Texas A&M-Victoria, 8-5.

The Jaguars (36-14) swept the regular-season three-game series with the visiting Pilots and won the RRAC championship by one game. But Sunday’s loss sidelined them from the tournament, although they will reach the NAIA Opening Round bracket next week.

Saturday, the Pilots (40-12) got a complete game five-hitter from Brock Lucas and topped Texas A&M-Texarkana 5-1. Those teams meet today at 1 at Pilot Field with Texarkana needing two wins to capture the tournament crown, while LSUS earns it with one victory.

The defending national champion Pilots already have been granted access to next weekend’s NAIA Opening Round as regional hosts.

Sunday, Texas A&M-Victoria struck first in the opening inning for a 1-0 lead. LSUS answered in the second inning when Quaterrion Walton delivered an RBI single up the middle.

The Pilots broke on top in the fourth with a four-run inning. Dorien Jackson delivered a two-run single to center. Carlos Sanchez followed with an RBI single to give LSUS a 5-1 advantage.

The Jaguars responded immediately with a four-run rally to tie the game.

In the bottom of the eighth, Sullivan broke the deadlock with a two-run single. Sanchez followed with another RBI to extend the lead to 8-5.

Camden Stephens earned the win after working in relief as the Pilots mounted their go-ahead rally.

JOURNAL SPORTS

Benton’s Tigers played a pair of tight contests with visiting Destrehan, sandwiched around a rainout on Friday, but were halted after a second straight 4-2 loss in their quarterfinal series Saturday.

The Fighting Wildcats (29-12), seeded 14^th in Non-Select Division, overtook a 1-0 lead by No. 6 Benton (29-8-2) with a three-run second inning Saturday, added another run in the third inning, and held off the Tigers.

Benton outhit Destry 8-5, but the Tigers committed three errors.

They were the last local team remaining in the LHSAA postseason.

Benton made its third quarterfinal trip in five seasons, a span in which the Tigers have an overall 116-42-2 (.725) record and have captured four district championships. Benton has twice reached the state semifinals this decade. 

Local score Saturday, LHSAA baseball quarterfinals 

Non-Select Division I 

Destrehan 4, Benton 2, Game 2, Destrehan wins series 2-0

BATON ROUGE, La. — Louisiana Secretary of State Nancy Landry announced Thursday that upcoming U.S. House of Representatives races have been suspended following a U.S. Supreme Court ruling.

The court ruled Wednesday that Louisiana’s current congressional district maps constitute an unconstitutional gerrymander, and using them in the upcoming elections would violate the law.

Landry has certified the emergency under state law, a mandatory step before the governor issues an executive order to officially suspend the House races.

Despite the suspension of the congressional contests, all other races on the ballot will proceed as scheduled. Early voting for those remaining races will take place as scheduled from May 2-9.

“Our office will post notices at each of the early voting sites to alert the public of this change,” Landry said. “While the U.S. House races will remain on voters’ ballots, any votes cast in those races will not be counted”.

The general election remains set for May 16.

JOURNAL SPORTS

Benton’s Tigers are the last Shreveport-Bossier baseball team alive in the LHSAA postseason, after Calvary and Loyola were knocked out in quarterfinal series Thursday.

Loyola dropped a pair of one-run decisions, leaving the tying run on base in both games, in a doubleheader at Lafayette against Acadiana Renaissance Charter in Select Division II. The bitter defeats ended a 21-16 season for the fifth-seeded Flyers, who made state quarterfinal appearances in back-to-back seasons for the first time since 1998-99.

Jake Black had a pair of hits in Game 1 and delivered three in the second game for Loyola.

Destrehan, seeded 14^th in Non-Select Division I, opened a 4-0 lead and held off No. 6 Benton (29-7-2) Thursday night in Game 1 of their best-of-3 series. The Tigers hope to even the series tonight, weather permitting, and play a decisive third game Saturday. Benton came back from a Game 1 loss to win its regional round series.

Calvary could not solve Dunham’s pitching in two Select Division III quarterfinal games and the Tigers advanced to the state semifinals Thursday with a 2-0 series win. The third-seeded Cavs scored only three times in the two games. 

Local scores Thursday, LHSAA baseball quarterfinals 

Non-Select Division I 

Destrehan 4, Benton 2, Game 1; Game 2 at Benton today (6:00), Game 3 if necessary, Saturday (noon)

Select Division II

Acadiana Renaissance Charter 2, Loyola 1 (Game 1)

Acadiana Renaissance Charter 6, Loyola 5 (Game 2), ARC wins series 2-0

Select Division III

Dunham 8, Calvary 1, Dunham wins series 2-0