Barbe pitcher Landon Victorian was named National Sophomore of the Year by MaxPreps.

Victorian went 10-1 with a 1.04 ERA last season, striking out 94 batters in 74 innings pitched.

Victorian was the lone Louisiana player to be listed on MaxPreps’s three Underclassmen All-American lists. Each list honored the country’s top 31 freshman, sophomore and junior players from the 2022 season.

MaxPreps lists the Bucs at No. 16 on its Top 25 for 2023 poll. West Monroe, the reigning Class 5A champion, is picked fourth.

Making the Cut: Sulphur left-handed pitcher Jake Brown is one step away from making the final roster of the USA 18U national team. On July 12, he was named to the 40-man roster that will train at the Lee County Sports Complex in Fort Meyers, Fla. from Aug. 29-Sept. 2.

The 20-man roster will be announced on Sept. 2 and will compete in the World Baseball Softball Confederation U-18 World Cup Sept. 9-18 in Bradenton and Sarasota, Fla.

Brown led the Tors to the Class 5A semifinals in May. He went 8-3 with a 1.73 earned run average with 131 strikeouts in 73 innings. He batted .477 with 28 RBI, 6 doubles, 7 triples, and 2 home runs.

Relief help: Former Sam Houston standout reliever Marcus Moss committed to McNeese last week after two seasons at Temple Junior College in Texas.

In two seasons at Temple College, he made 15 appearances on the mound with 30 strikeouts in 20 innings.

As a junior in 2019, he helped take Sam Houston to the Class 5A state championship game, an 8-2 loss to Barbe.

Tors Moving On: Two Sulphur Tors committed to Southland Conference baseball programs recently. First baseman Dillion Bird committed to Southeastern Louisiana and catcher/designated hitter Cooper Devall committed to McNeese State. The pair were part of a strong junior class that led the Tors to the semifinals this season. Bird hit .391 with 10 doubles, 3 home runs and 33 RBI, while Devall batted .301 with 22 RBI.

Twice as nice: St. Louis cross country coach Johnny Giordano was honored as Louisiana girls coach of the year for the second straight year by the United States Track and Field Cross Country Coaches Association. Giordano has led the Saints to five consecutive state championships, winning the last three indoor and last two outdoor titles.