Tim Fletcher Show: Spring Games Tomorrow + Haughton Athlete Sets School Record

LHSAA Softball Brackets Released

The LHSAA Girls Softball Playoff brackets were unveiled Thursday.  North DeSoto, at 24-1, is the number one seed in Class 4A and will be at home in the post-season opener Monday against Riverdale.  A Lady Griffin win ensures a home game in the second round as well. Calvary has been tabbed the number one seed in Class 2A. The Lady Cavs sports a 26-4 mark and will host Sterlington Tuesday evening.  A win on Linwood Avenue will guarantee a second home game for Tiffany Frazier’s squad as well. North Webster, Evangel Cedar Creek and Florien also earned home openers in the playoffs, while Byrd, Haughton, Ruston, Parkway and Lakeside will hit the road.

LSU hopes to get off to a good start in their SEC series at Georgia. To bolster their chances of taking game one of the three game set, Paul Mainieri is sending the SEC earned run average leader to the hill this evening.  Freshman Alex Lange (6-0, 1.39 ERA) gets the nod over traditional Friday starter, Jared Poche. Poche could be used as a short-term reliever tonight, which would be a first in his career. If he’s used minimally tonight, he will start Sunday’s game. If Poche remains in the dugout tonight, he will start Saturday’s game.

Game time 6pm tonight, pregame 530 on 1130 The Tiger.

Haughton pole vaulter Chase Grimsley raised the bar during the Haughton Invitational track meet Thursday and rewrote the Bucs record book in the process.  Grimsley cleared 13’-3” to set a new mark for pole vaulting at Haughton.  Grimsley told The Shreveport Times, “It was unbelievable. I had so much energy, and I felt so amazing and it was a spark in my life.” Pocket this name away: Haynesville’s Jamarceon Jackson.  The Golden Tors freshman won the 400 meter run, slipping past the Bucs’ O’Shun Smith at the tape.

If you know a Cubs fan, they are probably smiling today. Not only are they in first place, today is the Kris Bryant Call-up Friday.  Big league baseball’s best minor league prospect has received the call-up and will join the Cubs today.  Bryant has hit 55 home runs in 181 career minor league games and popped 9 homers in spring training.  The Cubs kept Bryant at AAA Iowa to prevent his major league clock ticking toward free agency. By storing him in Iowa the first 10 days of the season, Byrant can’t become a free agent until 2021. If he had been on the opening day roster he would be a free agent in 2020.

Spring games dominate Saturday in north and south Louisiana.  In Ruston, Louisiana Tech will go through their paces at 1pm in Joe Aillet Stadium.  Head coach Skip Holtz said the Bulldogs have endured a physical spring thus far in their fourteen previous practices, so he is encouraging his team to have fun Saturday.  All eyes will be on Florida Gators transfer, Jeff Driskel who is challenging to become the Dogs starting quarterback.

Quarterback is a position in the spotlight in Baton Rouge as well. Parkway alum, Brandon Harris is battling Anthony Jennings for the starting gig. Last year, as a true freshman, Harris outplayed Jennings in the spring game but couldn’t unseat Jennings as the starter until a rough outing at Auburn.  Both QB’s are expected to receive similar snaps in the Spring Game, which kicks off at 1pm in Tiger Stadium on Saturday. offensive coordinator Cam Cameron said the quarterback spot is a “leadership position. Lead your group. Get your group in the end zone.”