The 2026 Louisiana high school baseball season officially gets rolling today, as teams across the state take the field with clean slates and championship aspirations. With every record sitting at 0–0, opening week always carries a sense of possibility—and here at Prep Baseball Louisiana, it’s easily one of our favorite times of the year. From now until the final out in May, our focus is simple: get to the ballpark, evaluate players in live-game settings, and deliver comprehensive, boots-on-the-ground coverage from around the state. With no events on the calendar during the season, it’s all about game action from start to finish.

That also means the return of our High School Game of the Week, a staple of our in-season coverage that has featured some of the Bayou State’s best matchups in recent years.

Last week's Game of the Week featured a District 3-5A battle between Sam Houston and Barbe with the Bucs coming out on top by a score of 4-2 to maintain their 25 game winning streak.

This week, we're heading east to Hammond, LA to see a really good non-district matchup between Northshore and Lutcher. The Panthers and Bulldogs both have aspirations of making deep playoff runs and the winner of Monday's matchup will come away with a lot of momentum heading into the home-stretch of district play.

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Northshore vs. Lutcher

-Date & Time: Monday March 30th @ 5:00 PM

-Location: Southeastern Louisiana University

-Northshore Record: 18-9

-Head Coach: Jay Hodges

-Lutcher Record: 20-5

-Head Coach: Ryan Jensen

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Game of the Week Preview

District play is heating up across the Bayou State, but this week we turn our attention to a marquee non-district showdown in Hammond, as two dangerous clubs collide under the lights at Southeastern Louisiana.

For our Week 8 Game of the Week, Northshore and Lutcher square off in a matchup featuring two teams with legitimate postseason aspirations—and one that could provide a major momentum boost heading into the final stretch of district play.

Northshore

The Panthers enter Week 8 at 18-9 overall and have experienced an up-and-down spring. After opening the season 5-0 and earning a Top-10 spot in our preseason Power 25, Northshore hit a rough patch that included a three-game sweep at the hands of Acadiana.

Still, this is a club with the pieces to make a deep postseason run—especially on the mound.

The Panthers’ pitching staff is anchored by a pair of experienced seniors in Connor Smith (Jones College) and Jacob Neely (Centenary College).

• Smith has been dominant, posting a 5-1 record with a save, a microscopic 0.64 ERA, and 77 strikeouts over 54.2 innings.
• Neely has been equally steady, going 3-2 with a 1.51 ERA and 51 strikeouts in 41.2 innings.
• Sophomore Cale Bricker brings significant upside with a fastball into the upper-80s and a high-spin breaking ball, while juniors Layton Fogg (29 K in 24 IP) and Derek Weilbaecher (1.47 ERA, 1 SV) provide valuable depth.

 

Offensively, Northshore has shown flashes of being a dangerous unit when clicking.

• Weilbaecher leads the way, hitting .341 with 3 home runs, 9 doubles, and 23 RBI.
• Smith adds impact with 7 extra-base hits, 17 RBI, and 12 stolen bases.
• Sophomore Gavin Powell (.321, 24 R) has been a consistent table-setter, while Kole Brackman (Nunez CC) provides a steady veteran presence behind the plate with strong on-base skills.
• Juniors Colton West and Jayden Hellmers, along with sophomore Savion Gray (.304, 8 SB), round out a lineup that has the ability to pressure defenses when in rhythm.

 

Lutcher

Lutcher rolls into Week 8 as one of the hottest teams in the state, winners of 14 of their last 15 games to sit at 20-5 overall. As expected from a Ryan Jensen-coached club, the Bulldogs thrive on throwing strikes, playing clean defense, and putting constant pressure on opponents.

On the mound, Lutcher features a deep and versatile staff.

• Dane Bodin (Nunez CC) leads the group at 4-0 with a 2.97 ERA over 35.1 innings.
• Cameron DeRoche (Nunez CC) has been electric, sporting a 1.09 ERA with 34 strikeouts in just 19.1 innings, powered by one of the better breaking balls in the state.
• Ethan Lebouef (3-1, 3.29 ERA) has been a reliable bullpen piece, while junior Dylan Delaneuville brings premium stuff with a fastball into the upper-80s and 37 strikeouts in 22.1 innings.
• Jayce Ferrygood adds even more flexibility with a 1.37 ERA while contributing as both a starter and reliever.

 

Offensively, the Bulldogs are relentless. They consistently put the ball in play, control the strike zone, and force opponents into mistakes.

• Eric St. Pierre has been the catalyst, hitting .421 with 2 home runs, 8 doubles, 24 RBI, and 30 runs scored.
• Bryson Keller (.373, 8 XBH) and Dalton St. Pierre (.347, 18 RBI) provide steady production, while Delaneuville, Bodin, DeRoche, and Ferrygood lengthen an already dangerous lineup.

 

Summary

These two teams enter Week 8 trending in different directions—Northshore searching for consistency, and Lutcher playing some of its best baseball of the season.

With just two weeks remaining in the regular season, the stakes are high. Both clubs are looking to build momentum, fine-tune their identities, and make a statement before the postseason begins.

Expect a competitive, high-energy matchup Monday night in Hammond—one that could feel like a playoff game atmosphere.

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