Two more members from last year’s historic Beauregard baseball team signed on to continue their careers at the next level Monday.
Seniors Chandler Guy and Kyle Brown, both juniors on the Hornets team that advance to the Class 5A quarterfinals last year, the furthest they’ve ever gotten, will both continue their baseball careers in the state of Alabama next year.
Guy, who hit .294 with three home runs, 25 RBI and scored 36 runs, will play at Division II North Alabama.
Brown, who earned honorable mention All-State honors for hitting .339 with nine home runs, 46 RBI and going 7-2 record with a 2.06 ERA on the hill, will play at Troy.
Also an offensive lineman, Brown was getting offers to play football at schools such as Louisiana Tech.
Hayden Hillyer, who graduated from Beauregard last year, became the first baseball player in school history to sign with a Division-I program when he picked Troy last spring.
He didn’t have to wait long for company.
“It’s exciting that we can go two years in a row like that,” Hornets coach A.J. Kehoe said. “This is why we do what we do, to give these kids that opportunity to do that kind of stuff.”
North Alabama coach Mike Keehn, who has been with the program for more than 20 years, said seeing Guy’s speed at a tryout was what first got him interested, seeing as how his team led the Gulf Coast Conference in steals last year and was third in Division II.
When Keehn saw how Guy handled the bat — he had a .452 on-base percentage as a junior — that furthered his resolve.
“We’re a very speed-oriented team, and he really fits the style we play,” Keehn said. “He’s going to be a good addition to our program.”
With Brown and Guy signing and Cory Thompson committed to Central Alabama Community College — the JUCO early signing period is in January — that makes 10 Beauregard players in the past three seasons who have signed on to play college ball.
This year’s trio follows Hillyer, Cody Weems, Tyler Cofield, Caleb Cofield, Clay Parker, Michael Abernathy and Raley Vincent.
Kehoe said it’s more than good coaching.
“The kids are starting to recognize some of the things they need to do,” he said. “I like to think part of it’s what we’re doing as a program.”
Kehoe said he expects both Guy and Brown to be vital pieces for the Hornets this season, the former as a centerfielder and top-of-the-order guy and the latter as the team’s ace on the mound and cleanup guy at the plate.
“I’m so proud for both of them,” Kehoe said. “They’re both very deserving and extremely hard-working. They bring a lot to the table skillwise, but also just intangibles and leadership.”
dmorrison@oanow.com | 737-2568
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