MONTGOMERY, Ala. — Southern Miss baseball pitchers Niko Mazza and Justin Storm were counting sheep in their hotel room Saturday night when they decided how Sunday’s Sun Belt Conference Tournament final would go.
Mazza, everyone knew by then, would take the ball to start. And Storm would come out of the bullpen to finish it.
Less than 24 hours later, it’s clear those two have been presented with the gift of either extraordinary foresight or remarkable belief.
The Southern Miss pitching staff – stretched like every other group that makes it to this point in a postseason tournament – didn’t need to call upon anyone else. The roommates and childhood best friends from Madison, Mississippi, were enough to beat fourth-seeded Louisiana 6-2 and claim a title for the second-seeded Golden Eagles (41-17) in their first season in the Sun Belt.
“Before we went to sleep last night, we were talking about how I was gonna start the game and he was gonna finish the game,” Mazza said postgame. “That’s how it turned out.”
FULL UPDATES:Southern Miss baseball score vs. Louisiana: Live updates from Sun Belt Tournament title game
USM WINS SBC:Southern Miss baseball tops Louisiana to win Sun Belt Conference Tournament in first try
OSTRANDER:Christian Ostrander to succeed retiring Scott Berry as Southern Miss baseball coach
Mazza looked outstanding through three innings, but ran into a roadblock in the fourth, when he gave up a two-run single with one out at Riverwalk Stadium, briefly putting USM behind, 2-1, before its offense rallied.
Having pitched 2.1 innings against Troy three days prior, that marked the end of Mazza’s day. The plan looked like it was in danger.
“When I said it, (I believed it),” Mazza said. “But when I came out in the fourth inning, I was like, ‘I don’t know.’ Thank goodness for Justin.”
Storm proceeded to unleash 5.2 innings of three-hit ball on the Ragin’ Cajuns (39-22), striking out eight and walking two.
It could be described as an unbelievable performance by a reliever who hadn’t pitched more than 2.1 innings this season had there not been precedent for it.
Storm, who pitched only 9.2 innings in 2022, had produced five shutout innings in an elimination game against LSU at the Hattiesburg Regional.
“In my mind, I had the feeling of that moment against LSU that he gave us last year,” USM coach Scott Berry said. “I know he has that type of stuff. I know he has that makeup and that mentality to go out there and pound the zone and make hitters beat him, and certainly, that’s exactly what he did today.”
In many ways, that LSU contest served as a lifting-off point for Storm’s career. The 6-foot-7 southpaw has been an ace out of the bullpen for the Golden Eagles this season, pitching to a 2.52 ERA and striking out a whopping 59 batters in 35.2 innings of work. Berry touted him as a player who could hear his name called in the MLB Draft in July, which would leave the junior with a decision to make.
“(It sparked) confidence,” Storm said, minutes after a USM-heavy crowd finished chanting his name. “I always felt like I had confidence in myself. It was just a matter of going out there and doing it. Maybe the LSU outing showed that I could handle a little more pressure.”
Southern Miss had options if Storm faltered or fatigued. Starter Billy Oldham, who pitched Thursday, was warming in the bullpen at one point. In the ninth inning, Sun Belt Pitcher of the Year Tanner Hall started throwing, too.
Pitching coach Christian Ostrander went out to speak to Storm with two outs and two runners on. He left Storm in, to rousing applause ‒ including some from Hall, who took off his glove to clap.
Storm rewarded that faith by striking out Will Veillon to win the game and cue the dogpile.
He and Mazza’s prediction had come true.
David Eckert covers sports for the Clarion Ledger. Email him at deckert@gannett.com or reach him on Twitter @davideckert98.