HOUSTON – It doesn't seem that long ago when Bryan King and Grant Anderson were mowing down the opposition in the Southland Conference in helping their McNeese Cowboys to league titles and a NCAA Regional berth.
 
This weekend in Houston, the two reunited on the grandest baseball stage of them all, the Major Leagues, when King's Astros hosted Anderson's Brewers.
 
King and Anderson were teammates at McNeese from 2016-18, joining forces to help the Cowboys rack up nearly 100 wins in that three-year span, including a 2017 conference regular season title. King was a key figure in the success of the 2019 team that won the league tournament and played in the NCAA Nashville Regional. Anderson forwent his senior season in 2019 by entering the 2018 MLB Draft where he was selected in the 21^st round by the Seattle Mariners.
 
"I remember the days at McNeese and always thought of Grant as a warrior," said King, a 30^th round pick by the Chicago Cubs in the 2019 draft. "He was always a dude that was going to go out and give us everything he had. It's special to see him here."
 
"I think every guy in college talks about getting to the Majors," said Anderson. "But I don't think it ever crossed out minds to be playing against each other at this level."
 
Anderson is from nearby Beaumont, so this trip to Houston is a homecoming for he and his family.
 
"It's great to be back closer to home. It's special. I think I've gotten about 50 messages from family and friends."
 
And speaking of homecoming, Jace Peterson, a McNeese baseball and football standout, Hall of Famer, and 13-year MLB veteran, was in the building and is currently a player development consultant for the Brewers. And to top it off, Cowboys' head coach Justin Hill was on site, grinning ear-to-ear, to witness his guys live out their dreams.
 
"It's kind of like the first time you go do Disney World," said Hill about his excitement. "You really can't fully capture everything that's happening in the magnitude of it. So many things have to happen for these guys to get here, but they're here.
 
"It was surreal when you walk around the corner and you see BK and Grant chewing it up with Jace Peterson. It's just really cool and it's humbling in a lot of ways. It's an honor to be a part of it, a small part of it. I'm really happy for them."
 
Will Dion, a member of the 2019 and 2021 SLC tournament championship teams under Hill, was called up from Triple-A this past Tuesday to the Cleveland Guardians and made his debut that night. And earlier this month, Cameron Foster, who played at McNeese from 2020-22, got the call to the Baltimore Orioles from his Triple-A squad. Although his stay was limited, it marked the first time in school history for McNeese to have four former players reach the Major Leagues in the same season.
 
"There's no doubt that Coach Hill and everyone who helped at McNeese played a crucial role in developing us," said King. "The further we get from it, the more it's sneaking up on me how many years it's been."
 
Added Anderson: "I'm so grateful for Coach Hill and all the development he and his staff did for me."
 
And don't be surprised if you see a few more Cowboys get their call to The Show this year. Anderson's twin brother, Aidan, is in Triple-A with the Texas Rangers while Grant Rogers is in Triple-A for the Toronto Blue Jays. If or when Aidan gets the call, he and Grant will be only the 11^th set of twins to ever reach the Major Leagues, according to MLB.
 
"That would be the icing on the cake," said Grant. "Especially I know my mom and dad would be ecstatic just as much as I would be. I hope he gets the opportunity sometime soon."
 
Saturday was Star Wars Day in Daikin Park, but the Force was with McNeese baseball.
 
 "It's a blessing to be able to do it together on the biggest stage we can," said King.
 
Noteworthy:
• King and Anderson playing against each other is just the second time in school history for McNeese teammates to face-off in the Major Leagues. The first came in the 2023 World Series when Anderson (Texas Rangers) and Peterson (Arizona Diamondbacks) played.
• McNeese has three players currently in the Major Leagues. Other former Southland players in the league include Will Vest, SFA (Detroit Tigers), David Fry, NSU (Cleveland Guardians), Will Warren, Southeastern (New York Yankees).
• The McNeese baseball program has seen 12 players make the Major Leagues in program history: Ray Fontenot, Terry Burrows, Bobby Howry, B.J. Waszgis, Danny Ardoin, Ben Broussard, Clay Condrey, Jace Peterson, Grant Anderson, Bryan King, Cameron Foster, Will Dion.
• On the season, King has compiled a 0-1 record with six saves and a 2.84 ERA. He's appeared in 22 games in relief, throwing 25.1 innings.
• Anderson is 1-2 on the season with a 2.70 ERA, all in relief work. He's appeared in 23 games and has tossed 23.1 innings.
• Dion and the Guardians will visit Houston June 19-21 for another McNeese Baseball reunion.