| Spring is here (sort of). College baseball is here. Jay Johnson is here. LSU is off and hitting. The Johnson era began Friday night at Alex Box Stadium, where the Tigers hammered the Maine Black Bears 13-1. Beat writer Leah Vann chronicled the first Friday night start for Blake Money, who cruised through his first test. The win may have come at a price, however: Designated hitter Cade Beloso suffered an injury before the first pitch of the season, and his status moving forward is not yet clear. Stick with us as the series moves on, and of course, all season long. ELSEWHERE … • The LSU gymnasts didn’t just take care of business with a win over Alabama on Friday night at the PMAC. They scored a season high, and Kiya Johnson notched a perfect 10 on beam. The Tigers have a three-team meet Sunday with Missouri and Arkansas. • Will Wade’s team heads off to Columbia, South Carolina, for yet another test. The Tigers are coming off a win — and better yet, their starting lineup is back intact. Also, famed bracketologist Sheldon Mickles takes a look at all the SEC men’s basketball teams and where they stand in the NCAA tournament picture. • The LSU women are rolling, too. Here’s a look at where they stack up in NCAA tournament projections. Part of the reason Kim Mulkey’s team is winning: She has learned to put trust in her players. • The LSU softball team opened a tough weekend in Clearwater, Florida, with a 10-2 run-rule win over No. 7 Oklahoma State. • And a bit of football news. The Los Angeles Rams have requested to interview new LSU passing game coordinator Cortez Hankton, the St. Aug grad who’s been on campus for less than two months. FINALLY: HERE’S A GREAT DEAL If you can’t tell from this newsletter, our sportswriters are the hardest-working folks in show business. They’ll keep you up to date on the latest news at LSU (and elsewhere). Support their work, and stay on top of everything. If you’re not a subscriber, come join us. Thank you for reading. | 