CROWLEY – When it comes to the Doughty family and baseball, the first thing that comes to mind is Louisiana College baseball.

That’s because three different generations of Doughty men have played for the Wildcats over the years.

So when the latest Doughty, Taylor, finished up his senior season just over a month ago, the general school of thought was that he would surely follow in the footsteps of his grandfather (Mike Doughty), father (Christian Doughty) three uncles (Griff Doughty, Ross Doughty and Scott Meche) and brother (Mike Doughty) and sign with LC.

On Thursday, however, Taylor bucked tradition.

The speedy utility player elected to go another route and, instead, he signed a scholarship to begin his collegiate baseball career at LSU-Shreveport beginning in the fall.

“LC was always an option for me,” said Taylor. “After we played Mamou over there (Pineville) this year they talked to me a little bit and sent word that I had a place if I wanted to go there.

“But I just never really had the want to go there so I decided to go to LSUS.”

The résumé that LSU-Shreveport has built over the last decade was a big factor Doughty’s decision. Since 2000, the Pilots have racked up an impressive record of 296-111, won three regular season conference championships and six conference tournament championships. They have been in postseason play the last 10 years and appeared in the NAIA World Series three times (2003, 2011 and 2012).

In 2011, the Pilots went 47-15 and advanced to the World Series where they finished fourth. This past season, they were 54-6, were ranked No. 1 in the country for seven straight weeks and went to the World Series as the No. 1 overall seed and finished third.

“BRCC (Baton Rouge Community College) had offered me and I had a few other offers,” said Doughty. “But over the last nine years, LSUS is the winningest program in Louisiana. So that was a big factor. You always want to go to a winning school.”

LSUS pitching coach Chris Bertrand has played an integral role in the Pilots success since joining the coaching staff in 2005 and he was the one who recruited Doughty as well as former CHS standout and the Gents’ current pitching coach Chad Cradeur.

“For me, it’s really a combination of about three things,” said Bertrand of what turned him onto Doughty. “One is that we like baseball IQ guys. Being a coaches’ son, coming from a baseball family, all of his siblings and uncles have played college baseball, you know that there is a good baseball IQ there and that’s an advantage right off the bat.

“I think No. 2 is the athleticism. He can run a little bit, he can play defense and he can play some small ball, which with the new BBCOR bats, that’s a big part of everybody’s game.

“And third is his versatility. I know he’s been an infielder for most of his life and he has the ability to play multiple infield spots but ultimately, we’re thinking about using his speed to our advantage and maybe moving him to the outfield.

“There’s some versatility there where anytime you’re going to sign a guy and he can play one of six positions, there’s a lot of value in that. So those three things kind of mixed together are really what attracted us.”

Doughty, who has played his entire prep career for his father, Christian, hit a team-leading .427 this year with five doubles, three triples and 15 RBI for the Gents. He is a two-time All-District and All-Acadia Parish team selection.

“Taylor had a great four-year career here,” said Christian Doughty. “When he was a sophomore, he had a major hip surgery and was able to overcome that. We didn’t really know where he would be following that surgery but he came on as a junior and then had a good senior year.

“I’m very happy for him and I think he’s going to a very good and successful program. I’m looking forward to him having an opportunity to go and play there. We’re just glad he’s staying in the state so we will have the opportunity to see him play some.”

Taylor, the son of Christian and Connie Doughty of Crowley, plans to keep one family tradition intact: He plans to major in education at LSUS.

“I plan to follow in my dad’s footsteps and become a special education teacher,” he said.