USM Baseball finding closure in humanity: COVID-19 ‘bigger than baseball’

A Southern Miss baseball season with no baseball; the sad truth facing every Division I program around the country as a result of the Coronavirus pandemic.

- a southern miss baseball- season... with no baseball.

- the sad truth facing every- division i program around - the country... as a result of - the corona-virus pandemic.- there's comfort in knowing both- the n-c-double-a and conference- u-s-a will go down, on the righ- side of history... but- what about the side of- history... that never happens?- a schedule, with 39 games - left... an entire season, with- no- champion... and careers, with n- senior night.

- what about that side?

- - "once i clean my locker out - probably- tomorrow - is probably when it'- going to hit me for real.

But - yeah, it's just such a strange- way to end my last baseball - season.

I mean never would have- - - - i imagined."

To be fair... it's hard to imagine something that'- never happened- - - - before.

- starting with the n-c-double-a- canceling the college world - series, on thursday... to a - series of regular season- suspensions, by conference u-s-- a... culminating with the - league's- decision to finally pull the- plug altogether... on - monday.

- the aftermath... is a southern- miss baseball schedule... that- looks like this.- "the hardest part about the whole thing is not knowing- what's going on.

You just - want to have an answer soon - nowadays, and whenever nobody - knows what to tell you, it kind- of sucks."

The golden eagles were- presumably well on their way to- their fifth straight 40-win - season... with an overall recor- of 12-4... through 16 games.- that doesn't even include - potential runs through the c- - u-s-a tournament... an- n-c-double-a regional... and- perhaps beyond.

- "it really kind of hurts for th fact that we're not going to be- able to see the results of all- - - - the hard work that this team pu- in.

That really hurts.

I hate i- for all of our guys - cause coach berry said it - multiple times - this is one of- the hardest working - teams that he's ever had or - coached at southern miss, and - he's not lying about- - - - that.

It kind of sucks, but - we're not going to be able to - see what would have - happened."

What if's could be especially - painful, for u-s-m's nine - seniors...- led by team captains matthew- - - - guidry... and gulfport alum ale- nelms.- even with the n-c-double-a- granting relief, to all spring- athletes... the former admiral- says he's played his last - collegiate baseball game... to- pursue his new dream... of- becoming a doctor.- "what i've been reflecting on i just how lucky i've been to be - part of the two - programs that i was.

I mean - gulfport high, coach mac, all - the other coaches i had, i- mean i made lifelong friends, - developed as a player, as a - person.

And then got the- - - - incredible opportunity to come- here, and could not have asked- for a better place to - end up and play my college- career and end my baseball- career.

I mean it's just- southern miss, these are the- best four years of my life.

- that's what they say, and it's- true."

As for guidry... the fifth-year- senior says he's currently more- focused on family than- baseball... but will make that- call... when the appropriate- time comes.

- and if he is to hang it up, at- the hands of covid-19... here's- a - number the corona-virus can't - take away... a 72-game on-base- streak... to ride off into the- right field roost sunset.

- "that tweet that southern miss baseball had for the scott van- pelt, you - know what i'm talking about?- whenever they tweeted that, tha- kind of made it - real.

Only god knows what the - future holds, but there is a- - - - possibility that was my last- game.

So it's so crazy that one- tweet could really mean that- much to somebody."

At the end of the day... the- black and gold will still be- reigning- conference champions, heading - into 20-21... knowing all - parties involved did the right- thing... to maintain their- humanity... even at the - expense... of magic at the pete- "obviously baseball is baseball and i mean it sucks for sure, - but god has a plan for- everything.

Things happen for a- reason."

"it's not all about us.

It's no all about sports.

It's really - just about the greater- good, and it's a lot bigger tha- college baseball."

- nelms says he's attending the - university of mississippi - medical center, in jackson... -