By Louisiana College sports information PINEVILLE – Louisiana College has found its next head softball coach and didn't have to look too far to find him. During a press conference Wednesday, July 5, LC President Rick Brewer and Athletic Director Reni Mason announced the hiring of former pitching and co-hitting coach Bobby Buchanan as the seventh head softball coach in school history. Buchanan most recently served as pitching and co-hitting coach at Southern University in Baton Rouge and has five year of experience as an assistant or volunteer coach at the University of North Dakota, Texas A&M – Corpus Christi, and Texas State University. "I am not only thrilled, but honored to be the new head coach of Louisiana College," Buchanan said. "We are in a power house conference  in our division where teams are in a battle nationally on the leader boards, and that means it will be a real challenge. A challenge I can't wait to experience." Primarily serving as a pitching coach, Buchanan has seen all-conference selections at both Southern and North Dakota under his tutelage, including North Dakota's first-ever All-Big Sky First Team honor. Just last season, Southern saw a 3.59 point drop in their team earned run average, … [Read more...]

By Brian Blackwell, Message Staff Writer PINEVILLE – Kayla Jordan had not one but two extraordinary reasons to celebrate God’s gift of life at Lake Buhlow, Sunday, June 4: She had recently learned she was pregnant with her first child, due in January, and, she was among 18 people participating in a lakeside baptism service sponsored by HIS Church, Pineville. Moments after coming up out of the water, Jordan told the Baptist Message that just a few months ago she had reached a low point and realized her need to be reborn in Christ. She confessed her sins and asked God’s forgiveness, and was anxious to also make a public profession of faith through baptism. So Jordan did not hesitate to sign up to be baptized during the lakeside service. “I’m terrified of the water but somehow it didn’t seem to matter on this day,” Jordan said. “To me, this day feels like I am starting a new life. Now, with my little one on the way in January, he or she will grow up understanding their mother has a relationship with Jesus.” For Morgan Feazell, seeing her six-year-old daughter Ariel’s baptism was one of the most cherished moments in her life. “Words don’t touch how I truly feel right now,” said a teary-eyed Morgan. “Since I had … [Read more...]

By Brian Blackwell, Message Staff Writer FLORIEN (LBM) – As he looked down the bore of a loaded gun, John Sparks felt he was barreling toward death on that fateful fall day. Wanted for first-degree murder, Sparks found himself surrounded by a SWAT team in a Salt Lake City restaurant, Aug. 17, 1977. Thankfully, the officer pointing his revolver at Sparks decided not to shoot, choosing instead to spare his life and take him into custody. Sparks eventually would land in prison, but having been reprieved from immediate death, he began a path that eventually would lead him to find eternal life in Christ. WINDING PATH “I told the guy I had taken a hostage. I told him I was going up the stairs and out the door to die,” said Sparks, now pastor of Antioch Baptist Church in Florien. “When you have nothing else left ‘good’ in life and are the bottom scum of the earth, death seems like the only option. But thanks to my grandmother who prayed I would not die until I came to Christ, I found hope in the prison cell.” Raised in church, Sparks participated in Vacation Bible School and other biblically-based activities as a young boy. However, his first sip of alcohol at age 12 (during a fishing trip) sent Sparks’ teetering down … [Read more...]