2026 CENLA Baseball Season Previews
by Marshall Loeffler
ALEXANDRIA – The Menard Eagles are primed for a strong push in Division III Select baseball this 2026 season, armed with a wealth of returning experience and a battle-tested roster that is ready for a tough non-district slate. Holy Savior Menard head coach Jordan Marks has much to carry forward from last year’s campaign—a competitive year that had several bright spots for a relatively young squad but ended with a playoff loss to a strong St. Louis Catholic team. “Last year it was a fresh group,” Marks said. “We graduated nine seniors the year before that, all of whom were starters. And so with that group, I think we exceeded expectations. we weren’t really happy with the outcome last year overall, but we got beat in the playoffs by a good team.”
The Eagles return significant firepower: over 800 at-bats and more than 150 innings pitched from last season’s core. Marks is optimistic about building on that foundation to peak during district play, which leads to another playoff run in one of the state’s toughest divisions. “These guys got a lot of experience last year and are now looking to get us off to a great start this year.” Offensively, the lineup starts strong right at the top of the order.
- Junior shortstop Reeves Scroggs, who hit .420 batting leadoff in 2025, sets the table
- Sophomore catcher Austin Parra, who handled 150 innings behind the plate last year as a true freshman, hit nearly .350 in the 2-hole last year
- Peyton Procell provides gap power in the middle of the lineup and experience on the mound
- Senior Lane Evans anchors the cleanup spot
- James Tichenor can also get on base and drive others in
- JD Shelton is another experience member of the Eagles pitching staff
We rely on Scroggs and Parra to really set the tone for us in the games and also for the season. They can get on base a lot and move runners and drive runners in.” On the mound, the staff leans on a committee approach with proven arms. Payton Procell led the team with 55 innings last year, followed closely by JD Shelton’s 52 innings. Gus Sipowicz made a strong impression late in the season, including a standout outing against Kinder. James Tichenor, rehabbing an arm issue but boasting a live mid-to-upper-80s fastball, is a key piece once he is cleared—”I’ve told James… ‘Look, man, we’re going to go as far as you can take us.'”
Marks, like many coaches in Cenla, stressed defensive fundamentals as a cornerstone: “Defense wins championships… before we can get good offensively I want to make sure our defense is good. We want people that play us to say, ‘they’re not going to make many mistakes in the field.'” With no true power hitters, the Eagles will rely on speed and small-ball tactics. “We’re going to play like a bunch of ants, we’re going to be scrappy, put pressure on defenses with hit and runs, some drag bunts, whatever it takes.”
The schedule is deliberately grueling to expose weaknesses early and prepare for district battles. The Eagles open against Diocese rival St. Mary’s, followed by North DeSoto, a two-game series with Oak Grove, a series with ASH, and the Red River Classic featuring Tioga, Pineville, NCHS, Buckeye, and Grant. “That’s exactly what we try to do. We schedule tough early; the ultimate goal is to be peaking around district time… you never know what you’re actually good at until you battle test these guys,” Marks explained. “We really focus on how we play the game, not how our opponents play the game.” With experienced returners, a scrappy identity, and a no-excuses approach to preparation, the Menard Eagles look ready to make noise in Central Louisiana baseball this spring.
