HATTIESBURG — J.C. Keys and Matthew Guidry have had their share of shared highlights on the baseball diamond.

The duo were teammates on the two most recent Oak Grove High School baseball teams that made Mississippi’s Class 6A state championship series, including the 2014 band of Warriors’ who won the 2014 crown.

This past spring, the two were part of a Southern Miss team that won 40-plus games, secured a Conference USA Baseball Tournament title and advanced to a NCAA Regional for the first time in five seasons.

This summer, the pair landed slots on the Acadiana Cane Cutters of the Texas Collegiate League, and after compiling outstanding, first-half statistics, Keys and Guidry will suit up Tuesday night for the TCL All-Star Game at Fabacher Field in Youngsville, La.

Keys was selected as an all-star relief pitcher after posting a 2.48 earned run average in nine appearances for the Cutters. In 25 1/3 innings, Keys struck out 30 while walking 17. Of the 17 hits allowed, only one has gone for extra bases.

Guidry was tapped as a reserve infielder after hitting .324 (33 of 102) in 30 games for Acadiana, including seven doubles and two triples. He scored 15 runs and drove in 13.

Keys and Guidry have helped the Cane Cutters to a 23-15 first-half record, trailing the Brazos Valley Bombers by nine games at the break.

Keys appeared in 34 games for Southern Miss this spring as a true freshman, coming off the bench as a pinch-runner or late-inning defensive outfielder. Despite being hitless in four at bats, Keys scored nine runs.

Keys also made four appearances as a relief pitcher, allowing five earned runs in 1 2/3 innings with two strikeouts and nine walks.
Southern Miss redshirted Guidry during the 2016 season.