Southern Miss RHP wins 2018 Ferriss Trophy

It’s been a banner year for college baseball in the state of Mississippi and Nick Sandlin has been a big part of that. The Southern Miss pitcher has been absolutely dominant during his junior season and today he was recognized accordingly as the best college baseball player in the Magnolia State.

Sandlin takes home the 2018 C-Spire Ferriss Trophy on the heels of perhaps the best individual regular season by any USM hurler in the history of the program. The right-hander is 8-0 in 13 starts this season with 122 strikeouts to just 14 walks in 86 and a third innings.

What makes those numbers even more impressive is Sandlin’s off-season conversion from closer to Friday night starter. The end result is a pitcher that ranks top ten nationally in five different categories and the only Golden Eagle to ever record at least 20 wins and 20 saves in a career with the Black and Gold. “I felt pretty confident going into the year but then after, obviously, the first game of the year we had State at home and it was a big series for us and just to be able to pull off that sweep in the first weekend. But after that game just seeing how I matched up as a starter and being able to go through a lineup a few times, I knew I had a pretty good chance to be successful,” said Sandlin.

Southern Miss Head Baseball Coach Scott Berry said, “It defines his athletic ability. I mean in all honesty a true athlete, to be able to make those adjustments, you have to be a good athlete to do that. If you’re not, you probably don’t do it well and not as successful. So I think you sum it up by just being how athletic he is has allowed him to do those things.”

Sandlin is the Ferriss Trophy recipient over teammate Luke Reynolds as well as 2016 winner Jake Mangum out of Mississippi State, Ryan Olenek of Ole Miss, and Delta State’s Zach Shannon. He’s the first USM player to win the honor since James McMahon in 2015.

Sandlin also has been named to the Conference USA All-Academic Team and to the Golden Spikes award watch list as one of 25 semi-finalists in the running.