The Reveille 3-18-24

Savannah Bananas bring Banana Ball to the Box.

BANANAS AT THE BOX

BY MACKAY SUIRE @macthetiger

Picture

team’s shortstop just ripped a double into left field. They’re up 3-0 in the top of the fifth.

A food vendor walks through the stands and the wind wafts the smell of hotdogs through the crowd. “Centerfield” by John Fogerty is blasting through the stadium.

It’s nine straight innings of absolute bliss, especially if your favorite team is holding onto a lead.

Then, the first baseman walks onto the field with stilts, standing 10 feet tall; the center fielder catches a fly-ball mid-back flip; and the pitcher is wearing an astronaut helmet.

It’s America’s favorite pastime with a twist.

This is Banana Ball, and the Savannah Bananas took it all the way to Baton Rouge.

Banana Ball is everything fans know and love about baseball with a lively flare. Only 11 rules govern this game, making it the “fastest and most entertaining game of baseball,” according to the Bananas’ website.

The two-hour time limit on a Banana Ball game means that there’s always something to be entertained by. Fans are captivated by crazy trick plays, iconic scoring celebrations, smooth dance moves and catchy music.

The Savannah Bananas field two independent professional teams: the Bananas and their biggest rivals, the Party Animals.

Over 10,000 fans stormed into Alex Box Stadium to witness the Bananas and the Party Animals in all of their glory. It was a soldout show three days in a row, and fans matched the energy that the Bananas consistently strive to bring.

“The fans are always crazy, but I feel like they’re more into the game here,” Garrett Declue, a pitcher for the Animals, said about the fans at Alex Box Stadium. “Everytime I look up, I feel like the fans are actually focused

on the game, which is cool. Definitely feels like a baseball town for sure.”

The fans-first mentality that the organization strives for is evident from the very beginning.

Upon walking onto the grounds of Alex Box Stadium, fans were met with bright smiles and a jazz band. Attendees packed into the outside gates, awaiting the countdown to enter the stadium. Players stood outside with the fans, signing baseballs and jerseys and taking pictures.

Fan interactions didn’t stop when the game started. In fact, they just got even crazier. From fans being allowed to challenge a Banana Ball play, to “One Less Lonely Girl” by Justin Bieber blasting in the stadium while players walk through the stands handing out roses, those occupying the stands never feel left out.

Fans having a positive experience is priority No. 1 for the organization, and that’s why these players are so passionate about

what they do, and it’s most likely why they never seem nervous. Banana Ball isn’t necessarily about the outcome of the game. It’s about the joy that’s experienced throughout it.

“The more I can make it about the fans, the less nervous you actually get,” said Andy Archer, a pitcher for the Bananas. “You don’t really feel the pressure at that point, because it’s no longer about your performance. It’s about how you can serve the people that come.”

The Savannah Bananas pulled out all the stops in Baton Rouge, integrating Louisiana culture and passions into their performances.

“LSU has built such a rich baseball culture around Baton Rouge, and combining that energy with Banana Ball was the perfect storm,” said Drake Toll, the Party Animals’ broadcast entertainer.

Garrett Delano, a pitcher for the Animals, strutted out to the mound sporting the forever iconic “Burreaux” jersey. Just seconds before delivering a pitch, he sat down into a chair and puffed on a cigar, becoming the embodiment of Joe Burrow’s championship attitude after that last game in 2019.

LSU women’s basketball head coach Kim Mulkey graced the field as well. She threw out the first pitch of Saturday’s game, which counted in the Animals’ lead-off hitter’s pitch count.

The LSU Tiger Girls made an appearance, performing their viral UDA national championship hip-hop dance to “Smooth Criminal” by Michael Jackson. A few players had cameos in the performance, none of which missed a beat.

“Callin’ Baton Rouge” by

Garth Brooks played through the speakers, and like clockwork, the players watched every fan jump to their feet and sing along. Their voices serenaded a live violinist.

“It was the biggest crowd reaction of the year,” Archer said about the moment. “To get a reaction like that to that level, I got absolute chicken skin. It was one of the coolest things I had ever experienced, not just as a player but as someone who loves sports. I will never forget the way this crowd handled ‘Callin’ Baton Rouge.’”

The weekend before they landed in Baton Rouge, the Bananas were playing in Minute Maid stadium. Over 40,000 people were there to experience Banana Ball in a place that extraordinary.

But selling out an MLB stadium couldn’t even begin to compare to the energy that the organization was met with at Alex Box Stadium.

“From the Bananas to the Party Animals, this weekend was really special,” Toll said. “Selling out Minute Maid last weekend made me wonder how much juice a college venue could bring, but it topped anything I’ve seen.”

The Savannah Bananas are headed to the next stop in their 2024 World Tour, but they will undoubtedly always remember the magic that took place in Alex Box Stadium.

“This is the most energy we’ve seen, and it’s made the whole organization just embrace Louisiana,” Toll said. “Seeing fans tailgating at 8 a.m. for our show and getting to repay that with a live fiddle player nailing ‘Calling Baton Rouge,’ that mutual respect, that made the weekend feel deep.”

MORGAN COOK / The Reveille

Savannah Bananas pitcher DJ Roberts (91) dances March 14 during the Savannah Bananas 5-4 loss to the Party Animals during their world tour stop at Alex Box Stadium in Baton Rouge, La.

MORGAN COOK / The Reveille Savannah Bananas catcher Bill Leroy (1) leads pre-game festivities March 14 before the Savannah Bananas 5-4 loss to the Party Animals during their world tour stop at Alex Box Stadium in Baton Rouge, La.

NEWS FROM THE ASHES

Resilience and a response: The St. Luke’s community after the fire

BY SARAH WALTON @sarahrosewalton

In the early morning of Feb. 17, St. Luke’s Episcopal Church in Baton Rouge burned, damaging a longtime community staple. But while the church stands charred and broken, the St. Luke’s community’s spirit remains strong.

The fire, the cause of which remains undetermined, damaged only the church, leaving St. Luke’s Episcopal School unscathed. Now, Sunday church service and weekly chapel are held in the school gym.

Students of all ages have decorated the gym, painting colorful banners to help make it more fitting for worship services. Plates of teal, red, purple, pink, green and many other colored paints were provided for students to help with the decorations. The banners were lined with tape, creating triangles, trapezoids and more. Additionally, new faux stained glass windows were painted and installed to replace what was lost.

Dana Bannerman, a former St. Luke’s Middle School administrator, a member of the St. Luke’s board, head of the school’s grand-

BATON ROUGE LIFE

parents’ guild the Golden Sharks and a grandmother to a pair of St. Luke’s twins provided insight on how the church and school are faring after the fire.

The first person to tell her

what had happened that night was her friend. Bannerman said that “it was hard to believe.” Later that day, she and her husband went to visit the “surreal” scene: the burn site.

“Initially the students were in disbelief also, but the teachers and staff quickly moved in to try to make things as normal

LSU students on concealed carry laws

BY AIDAN ANTHAUME @aidanth04

Louisiana Gov. Jeff Landry signed a bill on March 5 allowing residents 18 and older to carry concealed handguns without a permit or training. With the legislation set to take effect July 4, many in the state have spoken out about the new law.

At LSU, freshmen students have mixed opinions.

Typically within the 18-19 age range, university freshmen would see their gun rights expanded under the law, which currently requires residents to be at least 21 to conceal carry in the state.

For music education freshman Konner Mullins, the law serves as a tool for self-defense in an increasingly uncertain world.

“Criminals are going to have a gun no matter what,” Mullins said. “It’s only smart that we have a means of defending ourselves.”

While the law gives citizens the opportunity to defend themselves,

see ST. LUKE’S, page 4 see CONCEALED, page 4

Colors of spring on display at the Baton Rouge Holi Festival

BY GRACELYN FARRAR @gracelynfarrar

Blue, yellow and red powder slipped through color-coated fingers as hundreds of people in downtown Baton Rouge’s Repentance Park created a massive circle and anxiously awaited the countdown.

On “one,” a collective shout rang out and a colorful cloud billowed into the air, raining down on young and old alike. Families and friends laughed and threw handfuls of color at one another, leaving the distinct dashes of bright powder across white clothes all throughout the park as the city celebrated the March 9 Holi Festival.

Holi, otherwise known as the Festival of Colors, rings in springtime with bright colors and a celebration of love. Traditionally observed by Hindus, the festival has recently grown in popularity and is inclusive to everyone. Holi in Baton Rouge was no different, welcoming people of every culture with dancers, food, DJs and colored powder for all.

Baton Rouge Mayor-President Sharon Weston Broome emphasized the themes of love and joy for the day, and said to “spread it to someone by throwing a little love on them in all different colors.”

Mona Reddy, new to Baton Rouge but not to Holi, danced around the park decorated with henna, speaking with dozens of people. She loved that the festival was more cultural than religious.

“How great is it that we can do a traditional Indian day here in Baton Rouge and celebrate with our generation and the next generation,” Reddy said as a smile stretched across her face, “and celebrate with people who are not necessarily Indian but ready to celebrate with us?”

Past Reddy, two young girls played tag with handfuls of colored powder, hurling red and blue when the other got close. One screamed after her friend tossed an entire bagful of blue onto her already color-covered shirt and immediately gave chase to the culprit, brandishing her own bag of powder.

Self-taught henna artist Mehwish Mahmood spent her third Holi in Baton Rouge this year. At her booth, she offered complimentary henna with a homemade brown paste. Families took turns sitting down while she created art for their hands. She said that Holi is all about “bringing in spring with all the fun colors.”

Mahmood traveled from New Orleans for the day and said that

she’d always loved Baton Rouge’s Holi Festival. She mentioned the music and dancing, but especially that it was celebrated out in the open.

Her henna booth overlooked the park at the base of the hill and

she gestured out, admiring the hundreds of people that were gathered at the stage watching dancers, lined up outside food tents or dancing in front of the DJ booth. A hazy fog of colors hung over the scene.

“This is the best thing,” Mahmood said.

Though Baton Rouge celebrated Holi on March 9, the holiday’s traditional date falls on the last full-moon day of the Hindu calendar — this year, March 25.

TARUN KAKARALA / The Reveille

Holi festival participants throw powder March 9 at the Holi Festival at Repentance Park in Baton Rouge La.

FRANCIS DINH / The Reveille

The burnt remains of St. Luke’s Episcopal Church sits March 8 on 8833 Goodwood Boulevard, Baton Rouge, La.

ST. LUKE’S, from page 3

as possible. Clergy and teachers were available to the students for counseling and discussion,” Bannerman said.

Recovering from the fire wasn’t without its challenges.

“Some of the classes have had to be moved due to a lack of electricity, but everyone is being as flexible as possible,” Bannerman said.

The return to a sense of normalcy would not have been possible if it weren’t for the 12 fire stations that responded to fire, which is why the Golden Sharks, the grandparents guild of the church, baked treats for the firefighters and delivered handmade cards from the students. Later, the student council collected treats for the fire stations and created gift baskets to donate. The community also paid for some meals for the first responders.

CONCEALED, from page 3

it also raises concerns about the potential safety risks associated with a lack of training. Many argue that without proper education and oversight, the legislation may contribute to a rise in firearm-related accidents and escalate confrontations.

“It’s a lose-lose situation,” said Cardaz Handy, a New Orleans native and biology freshman. “In all, I think it was rushed. There should have been more time to focus on the details.”

The absence of permit requirements may also complicate legal proceedings involving firearm-related incidents. Without clear docu-

“St. Luke’s community has a chance to feel good about providing this and to show our appreciation for all who put their lives on the line for us,” Bannerman said.

The fire hasn’t stopped the St. Luke’s community from practicing or from thriving. “I see the strength and resiliency of the entire St. Luke’s community and also the outpouring of help and love from the surrounding communities,” Bannerman said. “All of this gives me the desire to help as much as I can and the belief that St. Luke’s will come back stronger than ever.”

According to Bannerman, despite how “devastating and heartbreaking” the effects of the fire have been, the community and many others have come together in response to a tragedy.

“Sometimes it takes a disaster in order to renew your faith in your fellow human beings,” she said.

mentation of a permit, police may face challenges in determining the legality of a civilian’s firearm possession, potentially leading to legal disputes and increased liability for law enforcement agencies.

“It’ll be a mess for the police, a logistical nightmare,” Mullins said

In a country where statistics show an alarming trend of gun violence, the bill’s passage raises questions about the broader societal impact of increased firearm accessibility.

Petroleum engineering freshman Ryan Baker worries about the threat of increased school shootings.

“It happens way more than it should,” Baker said. About the law,

Baker said “it’s just concerning.”

Josie Messina, an interior design freshman, endured two shelter-inplace incidents during her high school years in New Orleans. In her eyes, the measure will do more harm than good.

“It’s only going to put more guns on the streets and cause more tensions,” Messina said.

Research efforts will closely follow the implementation of the law to assess its impact on gun violence rates, accidental shootings and overall public safety in Louisiana.

LSU’s campus remains a firearm free-zone, and those found in possession of one may be subject to arrest and university discipline, according to LSU Police.

A Louisiana lawmaker wants broader access to public records

BY PIPER HUTCHINSON Louisiana Illuminator

Lawyers for Louisiana State University often deny public records requests for investigations into employee wrongdoing by citing the court case McMakin v. LSU. Now, McMakin is fighting back.

Attorney and freshman state Rep. Dixon McMakin, R-Baton Rouge, has clashed with LSU in the courtroom over public records request denials. He’s filed legislation to make sure those looking into public employee misconduct can get the records they need.

McMakin’s House Bill 116 removes privacy protections for personnel records of public employees. The bill would undo case law that has put up significant roadblocks to those wanting to access records related to investigations into public employee misconduct.

One such precedent is McMakin v. LSU, a 2022 case in which McMakin sued for records related to Donald Abels, a former LSU Greek Life Official accused of setting up fake social media profiles to entrap fraternity recruits he allegedly solicited to

commit crimes.

“In that case, the court determined that after weighing of constitutional interests, the employee’s privacy interest outweighed the interest in public disclosure,” Tetyana Hoover, an LSU paralegal, wrote in a denial of a public records request the Illuminator submitted related to sexual misconduct allegations against LSU Linguistics Director Jeremy King.

McMakin believes shielding those records from public view is wrong.

“When you serve in a public role, you give up your rights to some of your privacy by being a public official,” McMakin said in an interview.

McMakin’s legislation faces an uphill battle. While the Legislature tightens Louisiana’s public records law regularly, expanding access is rare, even though experts say there is a significant public interest in these government records.

“The public has a right to access records of government busi-

ness and taxpayer expenditures. These records allow citizens to access information that is vital to accountability and oversight, both of which help prevent abuse of power and potential corruption,” said Melia Cerrato, Sunshine Legal Fellow at Tulane First Amendment Law Clinic. “Public records about employees’ conduct and the government’s response are matters of significant public importance.”

His proposal to expand access to personnel records is not the only way McMakin seeks to bring more sunshine to Louisiana.

He also filed House Bill 113, which prohibits Louisiana universities from charging studentfunded and operated media outlets affiliated with the school for public records requests.

Most universities already grant fee waivers to their affiliated student media outlets — if they charge for records at all. The Illuminator has submitted public records requests to every university in the state with student media. Only Southeastern Louisiana University has requested payment for fulfillment of those requests.

The notable exception is LSU.

In 2022, the university rescinded an agreement that had been in place for almost two decades between its administration and student media, which are funded by student fees, to waive fees for public records. At the time, Johanna Posada, LSU’s associate general counsel, cited the passage of a new law that made it clear public entities could charge for electronic copies of records.

Under Louisiana’s public records laws, custodians can only charge for the cost of producing records, such as the cost of paper and ink or a flash drive, but not the labor involved in fulfilling the request.

While records custodians could already lawfully charge for electronic copies of records, House Bill 473 by then Rep. Royce Duplessis, D-New Orleans, codified that ability to charge for PDFs or other digital records.

The bill was never meant to add a financial burden to small or student-run media outlets, Duplessis said.

“I believe Rep. McMakin’s bill makes total sense and I fully support it,” Duplessis said in an interview. “Student media outlets shouldn’t be charged by their universities.”

FRANCIS DINH / The Reveille

The burnt remains of St. Luke’s Episcopal Church sits March 8 on 8833 Goodwood Boulevard, Baton Rouge, La.

PHOTO COURTESY OF WIKIMEDIA

LOUISIANA

MATTHEW

The

ENTERTAINMENT

LSU Libraries exhibition highlights Black women’s storytelling

BY CATE EMMA WARREN @cateemmawarren

The LSU Main Library recently opened a new exhibition on the second floor that recreates a sitcom version of the Black living room. It’s based on mass communication professor Asha Winfield’s dissertation, “I Don’t See Myself”: Exploring Reception to Hollywood’s Construction of Memory Through Black Women’s Biopics. The Storytellers Lab, a research group founded by Winfield, is hosting a Black Women’s Biopics series to highlight the stories of Black Women.

“I wanted to create a space that celebrated all the things that we love about Black women,” Winfield said. “Our histories, our stories, our lived experiences, but also our media. Whether that’s our song or dance, our culture, the aesthetic, all of it. I wanted to recreate this sitcom version of a living room where people would feel invited to come into the space to talk about Black women in the media.”

Tiffany R. Smith is a media and public affairs doctored student at LSU and Winfield’s graduate assistant of two years. Now, Winfield is the chair for Smith’s disserta-

tion committee. Smith discussed the need for more representation and accurate portrayals of Black women’s lives in film and media.

“Biopics are so important because I think it’s an attempt to tell the real-life stories of women,” Smith said. “It is important for us to see Black stories in general. Black women’s stories particularly don’t get shown, especially when it comes to their real lives. I think that biopics have helped even those that are still living see how great they were even back then.”

Winfield hopes that everyone who visits the exhibit will be able to learn something from it.

“I just want them to sit and engage,” Winfield said. “I want them to think about their consumption, but I also want them to feel comfortable. I want them to feel welcome enough to sit on the sofa or pop something in the VCR and watch it on the big television that we have there. I want them to feel like they’re at home.”

Black women’s stories and histories are crucial to media representation, and accurate storytelling requires creative autonomy and engagement with lived experiences. Sanaa Dotson, a liberal arts master’s student, discussed her thoughts on the entertainment

industry’s representation.

“I think it’s an area where we’re seeing more people produce,” Dotson said. “But, I feel like Black women in particular, there aren’t a lot of stories that highlight them. Black women played such a big part in history and culture. So, giving them a chance to share their stories in a positive light and getting them more publicized is something that’s super important.”

The Black living room pedagogy started during conversations Winfield had during her Black

women focus groups during the COVID-19 lockdown. The women realized they were all watching Black biopics with their families.

“In every group, they talked about how they were intentionally watching Black biopics and historical dramas with their family,” Winfield said. “I would watch Black biopics with my parents to ask them questions because they had lived through it.”

Winfield said watching biopics in a family setting serves as an opportunity to learn more about

Black American history.

“There are also times, specifically with Black women’s biopics, that when we watch it, we also question our own identity,” she said. “‘How does this story impact how I live my life, how I lived my life?’”

As part of the series, the group will be hosting a screening of Aretha Franklin’s Respect with special guests, LSU faculty Meghan Sanders and Teairra Evans. It will be from 5:30 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. on Friday in Hill Memorial Library.

Local arts market hopes for improvement under new ownership

BY CAMILLE MILLIGAN @camillemill333

Every Saturday in downtown Baton Rouge, white tents line up on the corner of 5th and Main streets. Shoppers stream in and out of the Red Stick Farmers Market, carting tote bags filled with fresh produce. However, once a month, customers have the chance to fill their bags with different kinds of local goods.

Only a few feet away from the farmers market, artists fill their own white tents with unique, handcrafted products. From watercolor paintings to handmade pottery and jewelry, the Baton Rouge Arts Market offers its visitors a wide selection of artistry.

The market takes place on the first Saturday of each month from 8 a.m. to noon in partnership with the farmers market. It has been active in the Baton Rouge community for more than 20 years. But in February, Luke Lognion, co-owner of local antique store Circa 1857 and affiliated gift shop Brass by Circa 1857, took over the market as manager.

An avid promoter of the arts, Lognion hosts pop-up art markets at his shop, Brass, and runs the arts markets at the Baton Rouge Blues Festival and Live After Five in downtown Baton Rouge. He has a deep connection with this area of the city and feels that the arts market

contributes to Baton Rouge’s unique culture.

“I guess the biggest thing that actually drives me is my passion and love for Baton Rouge and my passion and love particularly for downtown Baton Rouge and everything it can become,” Lognion said. “It’s just one of the beautiful parts of the city where you just get to see Baton Rouge come to life.”

Lognion’s first priority is providing services that make the market more enjoyable for both shoppers and artists. One of his goals is to organize live music performances at each market. Already enacting his plans, Loignon arranged for the Northwestern State University Jazz Orchestra to perform live at the most

recent market on Saturday, March 2.

In the long term, Lognion hopes that by improving logistics and advertising for the market, artists who used to sell their work there will return, and new artists will be motivated to join. This in turn will attract more customers, possibly including those looking for bigger art purchases.

“I’m just giving it the attention that it needs right now, just getting the artists to want to come back,” Lognion said. “Eventually I do want to grow it to where designers and interior decorators can come in and find good, high-quality, local visual art for their clients.”

Holy Hart, a local artist who creates hand-knit fiber gar-

ments, has been selling her work at the arts market since 2006. She has noticed ignore the adjacent farmers market is where many of the customers at the arts market come from. Hart thinks more publicity for the arts market could help it bring in more customers who come particularly to buy art.

“People have sort of discovered us,” Hart says. “They’ve come here by chance and then found that we were here and they didn’t know about it and they’re long-time residents of Baton Rouge. Or I wear my fiber arts to the dentist’s office and they don’t know that the arts market exists.”

Hart and other artists are optimistic for the future of the arts market under Lognion’s leadership. Ana Maria Andricain, an artist who makes hand-made, custom jewelry, has been a vendor at the arts market for more than 10 years. Before selling jewelry, she worked as a performer on Broadway. Andricain recognizes similarities in the structure of a successful market and a Broadway show.

“It’s going to take buy-in from the media to put the word out, “ Andricain said. “It’s going to take buy-in from the community to support the artists, and it’s going to take buy-in from the artists to come back and support the market. It’s just like performing arts in New York. It takes all of these things working

together to support each other, and the more the three things support each other, the better and better it gets for everyone.”

When Andricain first joined the market, artists would come from Lafayette, New Orleans and even Mississippi to showcase their work. Art collectors and interior designers would frequent the market in search of artworks to fill their clients’ homes. Andricain was able to build relationships with customers and create a consistent clientele of her own. She feels that Lognion is taking the right steps to bring these qualities back to the market, and he is doing it quickly.

“He has such vision,” Andricain said. “Just the fact that he met with the artists and asked questions was a huge deal. Just in one month to see the difference of the look and feel and the attendance from getting it on calendars and reaching out to media. I am really excited to see it come back.”

Like Hart and Andricain, Lognion is optomistic about the future of the arts market and how it will impact the city’s art community.

“It is a creative center,” Lognion said. “I think the arts market shows that there is a creative culture here in Baton Rouge that is unique to Baton Rouge that is not only growing, but is currently starting to thrive.”

CAMILLE MILLIGAN / The Reveille

A local artist displays their stained glass work at the Baton Rouge Arts Market.

PHOTO COURTESY OF TIFFANY R. SMITH Students sit on the couch in the exhibit living room.

THE SAVANNAH BANANAS IN BATON ROUGE

The Savannah Bananas played the Party Animals during their world tour stop at Alex Box Stadium last week

PHOTOS BY MORGAN COOK

The Party Animals celebrate their win after the Savannah Bananas 5-4 loss to the Party Animals.

A man throws a pie at his wife’s face with his daughter after a friendly competition.

Party Animals catcher Taj Porter (26) makes a Louisiana-themed entrance.

Savannah Bananas pitcher Andy Archer (24) takes a selfie with an umpire and catcher Bill Leroy (1) mid-game.

Savannah BananascatcherBillLeroy(1) pretendstoplayguitar.

Matt “The Young Professor” Graifer emcees the game.

Princess Potassium guides young fans on the field.

Savannah Bananas runner Malachi “Flash Tha Kid” Mitchell celebrates a home run.

Savannah Bananas infielder Jackson Olson (8) performs “I’m Just Ken”.

Savannah Bananas infielders Ryan Cox (6) and Jackson Olson (8) lay at second base.

The Savannah Bananas and Party Animals compete in a push-up contest.

The Savannah Bananas worship a baby in a banana costume.

Savannah Bananas mascot Split removes his shirt.

Savannah Bananas utility Dakota Albritton (14) waves a flag while on stilts.

A Savannah Bananas fan flexes in a banana costume.

SPORTS

LSU baseball suffers first SEC series loss against Bulldogs

BY MARTIN SULLIVAN @marty_sulli

LSU played its first weekend of Southeastern Conference baseball, losing the series 2-1 against Mississippi State.

Friday, the Tigers weren’t able to keep up with the consistent runs they were allowing, losing 10-4. After a hot start on Saturday, LSU bent but didn’t break, winning 9-8. Sunday, LSU got run-ruled, 15-5.

Friday, LSU allowed 10 runs on 16 hits. The previously unstoppable starter, Luke Holman allowed 10 hits and five runs, two of them earned. He had five strikeouts.

The offense wasn’t much help, only producing one multi-hit inning all game.

Tommy White and Josh Pearson’s home runs in the third were the only productive hits for most of the night. The two accounted for every run batted in of the night.

Mississippi State reliever Nolan Stevens came in for the fourth inning after LSU put up three runs. He struck out eight and allowed just one hit in nearly six innings on the mound.

LSU relievers Justin Loer and Gavin Guidry allowed six hits and five runs between them, including a three-run home run allowed by Loer in the eighth.

BASKETBALL

Ultimately, bats gone cold and an inability to limit opposing offense amounted to the loss Friday night.

That cold streak ended the following day in a home run derby of an offensive showcase.

White and Jared Jones hit homeruns in the first inning to get things started with a 3-0 lead. Mac Bingham would homer in the second and Travinski in the third. LSU was up 9-1 entering the fourth.

Despite an underwhelming per-

formance from starter Gage Jump, Johnson was able to go into his bag of relievers and hold off the comeback. By the end of the night, seven pitchers had taken the mound for LSU.

Jump struggled with control walking three batters and hitting two with just three strikeouts. He allowed four runs.

Herring earned the win, despite a rocky start. He pitched 2.1 innings, striking out three and allowing just one run despite entering

the game with two runners on.

Between six relievers, LSU was able to maintain the lead, though not comfortably.

The third out of the seventh came at the plate in a throw from Steven Milam. The tag was the tying run and would’ve been the third run of the inning.

Sunday continued the trend of allowing many hits and many runs.

Thatcher Hurd got the start and allowed seven runs on seven hits through five innings.

Back-to-back doubles in the first put LSU behind early. Hurd had back-to-back-to-back hitless innings following, until consecutive home runs in the fifth got Mississippi State to seven runs.

In less than an inning, Christian Little allowed five runs, the Bulldogs reached 12 runs.

LSU scored its five runs in the fifth and sixth innings.

The three in the fifth were less earned and more given. Five walks and a Michael Braswell double scored the first runs of the game.

In the sixth, White hit a home run to score two. Ashton Larson had previously doubled.

Mississippi State added three more runs in the eighth inning to close out the run-rule win, LSU’s first run-rule loss of the season.

The series provided LSU its

toughest competition so far this season and allowed for a more informed perspective on the Tigers strengths and weaknesses.

A focus of the season thus far has been dominant starters and depth in the bullpen, a priority head coach Jay Johnson set in the offseason. This standard came down to earth over the weekend.

Across the series, LSU allowed 33 runs and 41 hits, including five home runs. All three starters underperformed expectations. The flexibility offered by a deep bullpen proved valuable but not unhittable.

Highlight performances over the weekend primarily come from hitting.

An expected name on that list is White. His series numbers were 5-for-13, three home runs, seven RBI and three walks. White homered in each game of the series.

After being limited by injury at times last season, White was finally able to prove his defensive ability, and did so numerous times against Mississippi State.

Pearson provided a constant offensive spark. He was 5-for-13 with a home run in the three games. He went 3-for-4 Sunday.

LSU out errored Mississippi State 6-1 through the wekend and finished the series with 24 runners left on base.

Three underclassmen are the future of LSU men’s basketball

BY JASON WILLIS @JasonWillis4

After Thursday’s Souheastern Conference Tournament exit, all that remains for LSU’s season is the National Invitation Tournament bid, which means some reflection is in order.

The Tigers finished 17-14 in the regular season and 9-9 in the SEC, showing incredible fight in almost every game and coming up with two marquee wins over South Carolina and Kentucky.

Without a doubt, LSU is on an ascending trajectory as a program. Next season, head coach Matt McMahon’s third with the Tigers, is an opportunity to take the next step.

The roadblock, though, is that LSU will be losing a fair amount of production. Leading scorers in Jordan Wright and Will Baker, a lateseason revelation at point guard in Trae Hannibal, and two valuable bench pieces in Hunter Dean and Mwani Wilkinson will all be gone.

Complicating things is the murky future of Jalen Cook, who, after being suspended for the back end of the season, isn’t guaranteed to come back for LSU. As inconsistent as his availability and performance on the court were, the subtraction of his scoring punch would leave a void.

Though LSU has two top-60 incoming freshmen and will hit the transfer portal when it opens on March 18, a lot of that slack will be

left to three former star recruits to pick up.

In LSU’s upcoming NIT run and for the next few years, these young players will have major roles and will be the core of the future.

Tyrell Ward

Ward is the early leader to be LSU’s No. 1 option offensively next year.

In his freshman year, Ward struggled to make an impact. This year, he took the next step as a lethal offensive weapon.

Though he averaged only 9.1 points, Ward scored in double digits in seven of the final nine games of the regular season. During that span, Ward averaged 13.1 points on 48.4% shooting.

Ward’s game-breaking skill is his 3-point shot, which is already NBA-level. Ward shoots at a high percentage both in catch-and-shoot situations and on the move. He finished the season shooting 41.7% from three, which was 46.5% during that aforementioned nine-game stretch.

For most of the season, Ward’s role was just to catch open shots and make them rather than make plays with the ball in his hands. Toward the end of the year, that changed, and LSU began to run plays for him.

In LSU’s upset win over Kentucky, Ward came up with several late plays as the ball handler. He pulled up for deep 3-pointers off of screens and showed decisiveness

driving to the net, both skills that will become increasingly important as he receives a bigger role going forward.

The fact that Ward’s efficiency went up, not down, when he was given more offensive responsibility bodes well. In his junior year next season, he could develop into one of the SEC’s premier scorers.

Jalen Reed

Reed is one of the most unique talents on LSU’s roster and has been a favorite of McMahon’s since his freshman year, when he was a starter from his very first game.

Reliability is what Reed’s been lacking at times. He’ll make a spattering of impact plays – a few buckets in a row, a couple standout defensive efforts – and then seemingly disappear for the rest of the game.

In the season, he averaged 7.9 points per game on 51.4% shooting to go along with 4.2 rebounds.

Reed is a tantalizing and uncommon player in the archetype known as a point forward, a big who has the capability to initiate the offense from the perimeter and make plays for himself and others.

He’s surprisingly quick and nimble for his 6-foot-10-inch frame, which allows him to start with the ball outside the 3-point arc and drive to the net rather than have to be set up by a pass like most bigs.

With Will Baker and others graduating, Reed will get more looks offensively in the post, where he’s had success with his soft touch

around the rim. He’ll also generally be more involved in the gameplan.

The problem is that as skilled as Reed is on the perimeter compared to most big men, he’s still not as refined as he’d have to be for that to be a significant part of a team’s offensive attack.

For one, Reed’s ball handling will need to improve. He often lost his dribble this season, and he finished second on the team with 58 turnovers despite a low usage rate.

Reed has also sometimes struggled to bring consistent physicality on the defensive end and on the boards, though that was something that improved as the season went along. He became an impactful defender, often coming over to help at the rim and coming up with 28 blocks on the season.

If he can put it all together, Reed can be a force on both ends with his unique set of skills and athleticism. Heading into his junior year, it’s time for him to take the next step.

Mike Williams III

No matter what LSU’s roster looks like next year, Williams is a player who is primed to make an impact from the guard spot.

As his role changed throughout the year, Williams adapted his game for the good of the team. When Cook was ineligible to begin the season, Williams was the point guard. When he was declared eligible, he went to an off-ball role, which he continued when Hannibal

became the team’s initiator.

That kind of maturity and malleability is uncommon in a freshman. With Hannibal gone, Williams will probably get the ball in his hands more in his sophomore year.

When he was the point guard this year, Williams displayed an ability to play fast and still stay in control with his decision-making. Though he frequently got downhill and made smart passes, those are both things he’ll need to do more consistently going forward.

A constant with Williams is his defense. He will undoubtedly be LSU’s ace defender going forward, the one who draws the best opposing perimeter player. He forced 1.2 steals per game this season with his hard-nosed defense and his ability to break on passes.

The most important development of Williams’ freshman season, though, was his 3-point shot. It wasn’t necessarily a hallmark of his game in high school, but as he transitioned to an off-ball role, he became a real threat from deep.

Beginning with a 20-point outburst against Northwestern State in which he made six 3-pointers, Williams shot 42.5% from 3-point range for the final three months of the regular season.

If Williams can combine that and his excellent defense with an improved on-ball game, he will be a difference-maker in his sophomore year. He’s already an outspoken oncourt leader.

MATTHEW PERSCHALL / The Reveille

The LSU baseball team meets at the mound March 10 during LSU’s 2-1 loss to Xavier in Alex Box Stadium.

Please stop assuming people are straight; it’s not the default

PELLITTIERI’S PERSPECTIVE MATTHEW PELLITTIERI

@m_pellittieri

Imagine you’re a young boy sitting in a fifth-grade classroom.

Two other boys at your table are discussing some TV show they watch, and they mention that there’s a character on the show who’s both attracted to women and a woman herself (what a concept!).

When your mom picks you up from school that day, you tell her about it. Her response is upset, and she explains how she had tried to “protect” you from the concept of men with men and women with women. She talks about religion. She talks about her boss who was “like that.”

She didn’t imagine that maybe you’d realize you belonged in the very group she was trying to protect you from.

And so you proceed into and through middle school knowing that the idea of being “gay” wouldn’t be something to share with mom. Or maybe with any-

one. Imagine now that you’re a closeted gay high school senior sitting in your organic chemistry class.

At the table across the room, one of your peers tells his friends about the horrifying situation he wants to avoid in his freshman year of college. He is of course talking about the repulsive prospect of having a gay guy in his dorm hall at LSU. His fear—his hate—was directed at some vague imaginary homosexual voyeur or predator whom he’d have to fend off in

Laville Hall’s showers.

Little did he know, his words didn’t just vanish into the ether after he spoke them. They didn’t just land on apathetic, bigoted or just generally unaffected straight ears. After all, you heard them. He just assumed you were straight. In his head, there was no homo around, so he could just say whatever he wanted about them.

Unknowingly, he was already in the room with at least one dreaded gay boy. Even more surprising, it’d be the very same homo who would end up sleeping

right on the other side of the wall from him just a few months later.

Imagine at last that you’re a semi-closeted gay sophomore in college looking for a new mental health provider.

You schedule an initial consultation with one. It goes well for most of the hour, but then he asks a question that sends shivers down your spine: “Have you ever had a girlfriend?”

You say no, but he asks a follow-up. It’s somehow worse, “Why? Don’t you like girls?” You try to weasel your way out of answering, saying that you’re just not looking for a romantic relationship.

You conceal the real answer, since the very question indicates that he expects his clients to be straight by default. The man who’s supposed to be helping you may have a prejudice that renders him harmful.

You get the feeling he considers “fag” to be a technical term.

As should be obvious, these scenarios aren’t hypotheticals. They’re the lived experiences of this columnist.

And they’re evidence of a substantial problem pervasive in our

society: expecting people to be straight—treating homosexuality as a deviation from the norm rather than just an alternative to the common.

When the misguided mother or the ignorant teenager or the stubborn social worker assumes they’re in good ol’ heterosexual company, they’ll talk differently than when they know there’s “one of them” around.

Some folks might be actively abrasive or even abusive to the out and proud gay person, but they inflict a passive, suffocating isolation onto the closeted one.

Their accidental and intentional hate isn’t played up as part of some cruel game they play with the little “fairy” they’ve trapped. It’s honest. It’s unfiltered. It’s exactly as they truly think and feel.

You can’t challenge them. You can’t visibly appear hurt. You can’t talk to anyone about it.

If you did, then you’d just be painting yourself a rainbow target for one of those cruel little games.

Matthew Pellittieri is a 19-yearold history and political science sophomore from Ponchatoula.

Diary of an out-of-state-student dealing with culture shock

TAYLOR’S TALKS

TAYLOR HAMILTON @taylorhami04

Unlike most LSU students, I’m not from Louisiana. I was born and raised in Florida, but I’ve spent the last two years in one of the most interesting states in the U.S.

I’ll never understand many things about Louisiana, including the fashion in humid temperatures, the overconsumption of alcohol and the obsession with crawfish.

For starters, Louisiana is much hotter than Florida, and every local I’ve talked to has been stunned by that notion. Nevertheless, Louisiana feels more humid than Florida.

According to Wise Voter, Louisiana is the second most humid state in the nation, while Florida is ranked fourth. Though there’s only a slight difference between the two, many parts of Florida get an ocean breeze. Unfortunately, Louisiana only has swamps nearby, which doesn’t do me any good.

As soon as I walk outside, I feel

like I’m about to start sweating.

Meanwhile, every Louisiana native looks like they’ve just stepped out of a spa with clear and glowing complexions.

Most people with those glowing complexions are the same ones wearing sweatshirts and sweatpants when it’s 80 degrees Fahrenheit outside, and they couldn’t be less bothered by the weather.

Yet I’m over here wearing a T-shirt and leggings, and I’m sweating my ass off.

How do you not overheat? Seriously, I’m both jealous and curious. I wish I could wear sweatpants and a sweatshirt daily without looking like I just ran a marathon.

But, one of the main culture shocks I faced when I first came to LSU was the overconsumption of alcohol. Any state can have varying levels of drinking; however, nowhere beats Louisiana when it comes to alcohol. And that’s not something to be proud of.

Every June, Rocco’s bar hosts the College World Series Jello Shot Challenge. Last year, LSU won the challenge by buying over 60,000 jello shots. Many LSU students,

football fans and challenge participants took pride in the victory.

To be fair, maybe not every single jello shot was consumed. But let’s be honest, every shot was probably consumed. I’ve never seen a state more addicted to alcohol than Louisiana.

This challenge furthers the perception that Louisiana is full of drunk lunatics, which might as well be the case when LSU gives students two and a half days off to party and get drunk every February (or March) for Mardi Gras.

I’m not trying to be a party pooper, but it’s astounding how the overconsumption of alcohol is so readily accepted in this state. The state motto might as well be changed from “Union, Justice, Confidence” to “Union, Justice, Alcohol.” Maybe that’s a bit of a stretch, but I’m sure some people would love the suggestion.

The last thing that always baffles me about this state is the admiration for crawfish. Ooh, a small crustacean that you barely get any meat from. How exciting.

I’ve always been a seafood lover; however, crawfish is not up

to par. I can barely get any flavor from the thing. The measly flavors that I do taste are either the butter it’s smothered in or the numerous spices dumped on it.

Why not just eat some lobster, crab or any other fish in the universe? The flavor is better, and you don’t have to eat 40 of them to feel slightly full. So, yeah, I don’t understand the hype.

But not everything about Louisiana is an absolute earthquake. During my time here, I’ve met some

of the most wonderful people who will make you feel at home and cook you wonderful food (outside of crawfish). And that’s probably the best thing about this state: the people.

They may differ from what you’d expect, but they have some of the biggest hearts to offer everyone they meet.

Taylor Hamilton is a 19-year-old mass communication sophomore from Tallahassee, Florida.

GRAPHIC BY JACOB CHASTANT

GRAPHIC BY JACOB CHASTANT