Back in the fall, I made a few mentions about the ineptitude of my high school football team. Yet somehow – our baseball team was worse. In retrospect I think, on both occasions, our town considered it a victory just to have me and my friends all in one spot, all at the same time, right there in front of them. The parents might have even considered our games mini-vacations for all I know.
Anyway, my baseball team was awful. As in, we won…once. And, in the strangest twist of fate, our lone victory was over the number one team in the region. We won 1-0. Northern Kentucky takes it’s high school sports very seriously, and is large enough to fill the fields with solid talent. That was not the case for us. Some teams goof around, and some are for real.
A big weekend of baseball has arrived for our All-Louisiana Top 12 teams. It’s getting real and we’re about to start separating the real players from the just-happy-to-be here’s. Let’s go.
All-Louisiana Top 12
#1 Southeastern Louisiana Lions (23-7)
Separating…and how! The Lions travelled to New Orleans and snatched a 7-6 victory from Tulane. Southeastern had their 14-game winning streak snapped by Nicholls State but took the series from the Colonels as well. The boys from Hammond get on the road this weekend to play Northwestern State for a matchup between the top two teams in the Southland preseason coach’s poll. The Lions’ offensive attack is led by Jameson Fisher – who is putting up video game stats (.510 BA, 8 HR, 39 RBI).
#2 Tulane Green Wave (19-9)
Tulane has to feel like they gave the Southeastern game away – a game in which they staged two comebacks and then lost a two-run lead. The recurring theme of errors in big games came back to haunt. Time to move on though! The Green Wave has the No. 16 East Carolina Pirates visiting this weekend in a big-time AAC matchup. Tulane and ECU were picked second and third, respectively, in the AAC preseason coach’s poll. Tulane needs some victories, as they will travel to UL-Lafayette next week to take on a Ragin Cajun team looking for revenge.
#3 LSU Tigers (19-9)
The Tigers woke back up after losing to the Auburn Tigers in the first game of their series, 8-5. That loss marked a LSU three-game losing streak. LSU would bounce back to take the series, and then knock off Southern mid-week. Vanderbilt (24-5), No. 2 in the nation, is in town for the first of many big clashes for the Tigers. SEC baseball is a beast, y’all.
#4 UL-Lafayette Ragin’ Cajuns (19-10)
Evidently the Cajuns read about my disappointment in them last week, and thought, “Hey guys. He’s right. Let’s start winning.” Maybe – you don’t know. The Ragin’ Cajuns pitching staff is coming to life – even with the weekend loss by ace Gunner Leger – as Wyatt Marks and freshman Nick Lee posted victories. Then sophomore Evan Guillory threw a one-hit shutout victory over Northwestern State. UL-Lafayette will travel to Georgia Southern (17-12) this weekend, and then take on New Orleans and Tulane next week in non-conference clashes. Louisiana, picked to finish first in the Sun Belt, currently sits third in the standings and need to start dropping some body blows on conference competition.
#5 Northwestern State Demons (16-13)
The Dark Lords check in with their highest ranking of the season, even after getting blanked 4-0 by the Ragin’ Cajuns (whose name actually sounds like some sort of minor demon, if you think about it). Nick Heath paced the weekend-series victory over McNeese State with 7 RBI. Northwestern hosts Southeastern this weekend. Which way will it go? That was a directional joke. Carry on.
#6 New Orleans Privateers (18-11)
The second rough week in a row for the Privateers, as some cracks begin to show in UNO’s pitching staff. UNO gave up nine runs in two straight games against Troy, and then 12 runs against South Alabama – all losses. The Privateers have dropped six of eight games. However, the bats are still dinging, and hope is still alive! UNO takes on McNeese State this weekend before hosting UL-Lafayette next Wednesday out on the Lakefront.
Do you remember the arcade game called, “Punch Out"? Writing about the Ragin’ Cajuns reminded me of it. The announcer would call out the punches you were throwing, and then would yell, “Go for the knockout!” I still imitate that announcer every once in awhile, to see if anyone standing around me is cool. Anyway, let’s knock this out.
#7 Louisiana Tech Bulldogs (16-9)
I almost wrote Bullgods – which is probably another sort of demon, and definitely a Kid Rock song. Tech travels to Western Kentucky (17-11) to face the Hilltoppers – which might be the least-intimidating nickname of all time.
#8 McNeese State Cowboys (15-11)
The Pokes lost a series to Northwestern State, but then came back to upset the No. 24 Houston Cougars, 4-1, on “Greek Night” – which I think means everyone had to have their collars popped up, and someone shouted, “Do you even play video games, bro?!?”
#9 Nicholls State Colonels (12-19)
You sort of have to feel bad for these guys – not many teams have to play a team on a 10-game winning streak (Lamar), right after playing a team on a 14-game winning streak (Southeastern). The Colonels got a victory against the Lions, but not Lamar. Next up is Incarnate Word (opposite of Demons).
#10 Grambling State Tigers (12-16)
Yes, I make fun of them for not updating their schedule, but I don’t mean the team. I’m making fun of that one kid, who says, “Got it, boss.” Then when the boss asks him about it later he says, “Whaaa?” Anyway, congrats to Grambling for getting up off the mat and going 8-4 in the SWAC so far.
#11 UL-Monroe Warhawks (11-18)
You see, when I said, “Punch Out,” you probably thought of “Mike Tyson’s Punch Out” on Nintendo. Which I would play for hours until I lost and decided something was wrong with the game. The Warhawks beat Jackson State, after getting outscored 35-6 in a series versus South Alabama – which is a football score.
#12 Southern University Jaguars (8-18)
You show me another baseball rankings that has overtones of hilarious devilry and video games from the ‘80s. Show me! Does Baseball America do that? D1Baseball.com? I didn’t think so. You’re welcome. The Jags are on a five-game losing streak.
We live in a day and age where folks think that computers will start writing the articles we read. Well, I think it’s safe to say that you, my friends, realize that this article was written by a man…just a man…a man made of flesh and blood and…those other things that are in our bodies.
And, to that, I say, “Thank you, New Orleans. And, thank you, America.”
*Additional photos from www.unoprivateers.com and www.ulmwarhawks.com
