By CURTIS ROCKWELL/Sports Director

HATTIESBURG — A Baker’s Dozen of prep baseball senior standouts in the “Southern Six” were honored with selection to participate in one of the more prestigious all-star events in the Southeast.

And four of those players will be in action Wednesday night.

The 50th annual Crossroads Diamond Club All-Star Baseball Games started Tuesday in Petal because of rain, but the action now moves back here to Milton Wheeler Field in this Hub city on the campus of William Carey University for the The Class 5A/4A game which will take place at 6 p.m.

Four “Southern Six” stalwarts were selected to play for the South team in that game. East Central had half of that total, in Anthony Tanner and Jaxon Cripps, and Pass Christian’s Brendan Necaise plus Brock Shephard of Poplarville round out that list.

All of that quartet recently were also honored for their play during their final campaign with their respective teams as all garnered All-State status in some form or fashion.

Necaise and Sheppard both were named Class 4A First Team All-State and the Hornet duo were each selected to the Class 5A Second Team All-State status.

In all, 13 prep baseball senior standouts in the “Southern Six” were selected to participate in the first two games of the annual affair.

The South nipped the North 6-5 Tuesday night in the largest classification contest, the Class 7A/6A game which featured nine “Southern Six” products and two local head coaches

A trio of players from both Ocean Springs and George County each played for South team, as did a pair of players from Picayune and a Gulfport Admiral.

Pitcher Jack Jordan, infielder Cannon Hensarling and outfielder A.J. Arguello represented the Greyhounds as did outfielder Ben Davis, outfielder Tripp Lightsey and pitcher Preston McAdory for the Rebels who captured the past two Class 6A South State titles as well as the 2024 state championship.

Maroon Tide stalwarts Parker Helton and Cooper Moreaux, along with Gulfport’s Davis Ormes rounded out the large “Southern Six” contingent in the largest classification all-star game.

In addition, Brent Martin of D’Iberville and Ryne Long of Ocean Springs led the South squad in that game.The Class 3A/2A/1A game will end the proceedings on Thursday, May 29th at 6 p.m. This year, there were no representatives from the “Southern Six” selected for that contest.