Jason Munz/Hattiesburg American
Southern Miss had just beaten Florida Atlantic in walk-off fashion for the second day in a row.
It ran the 10th-ranked Golden Eagles’ winning streak to seven games and their record to 37-12. That’s when it clicked for the eventual Conference USA champions and Hattiesburg regional hosts.
“(Pitcher) Kirk (McCarty) made a good point in the huddle (afterward),” said Dylan Burdeaux, Southern Miss senior and C-USA Player of the Year. “He said, ‘Everybody continues to talk about the 2009 team. If you don’t believe it can be the 2017 team, you’re kind of crazy.