LSU landed one of the top prospects in the college baseball transfer portal in Notre Dame outfielder Bino Watters. The lefty batter hit .362 with 10 home runs and 18 doubles as a sophomore last season and was named First-Team All-ACC. He joins a transfer class with Gonzaga pitcher Landon Hood and Texas State infielder Dawson Park.

A little league team in the north suburbs of Pittsburgh got a surprise visit from the reigning National League Cy Young Award winner Monday evening. Paul Skenes was driving by Ingomar Franklin Park when he saw the lights on for a little league practice and decided to check it out. Eddie Dubis, a coach in the league and father of two of the kids, says it wasn’t long before 6-6 superstar was noticed. He says Skenes stayed to take pictures, sign autographs and play catch for two hours and made a lifelong memory for his kids.

Cut 4 (09) “…about it.”

Skenes followed the visit with a start against the Dodgers last night where he allowed just six hits and two runs in six innings and struck out seven in one of his best outings in nearly a month. The Pirates lost 12-3.

The Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries announced a new experimental black-bellied whistling duck season starting this year. LDWF Waterfowl Program Manager Jason Olszak says the season will run from October 3rd to the 11th and will offer hunters the opportunity to exclusively target the species.

Cut 13 (06) “…next four years.”

Shooting hours for the special season will be sunrise to sunset. The daily bag limit is four ducks with a possession limit of 12.

Loyola University in New Orleans is making the move from NAIA to Division Two in the fall of 2027. The Wolfpack will compete in the Gulf South Conference. Vice president of the GSC board Daniel Ennis says Loyola is joining the SEC of D-II.

Cut 17 (12) “…accomplish both.”)

Loyola men’s basketball won a national championship in 2022 and it’s baseball team was in the NAIA World Series last spring.