Ben Ethridge’s freshman season at Southern Miss had barely begun before it was over.

In 19 2/3 innings of work, the former West Lauderdale pitcher had pitched to a 2.29 earned run average while striking out 11.9 batters per nine innings, mostly in middle and long relief. His workload began increasing with the goal of eventually becoming a starter for the Golden Eagles by season’s end.

Now, with the COIVD-19 pandemic and the cancellation of springs sports among NCAA member institutions, Ethridge and Southern Miss’ season is over. He helped the Golden Eagles to a 12-4 record, but Southern Miss didn’t begin Conference USA play before the season was canceled.

“I wasn’t exactly sure how things would play out,” Ethridge said. “I was keeping my hopes up (that we’d resume baseball), but that didn’t happen obviously. Everything that has happened is about more than baseball, though, and everyone needs to stay away from each other. They’re just trying to keep everyone safe, and I get that.”

Ethridge made his college debut in the Golden Eagles’ 6-5 win against New Orleans Feb. 18. He pitched 2 2/3 scoreless innings, surrendering just one hit and one walk while striking out six. Naturally, there were nerves in that first game, but the thrill of competition eventually overtook those nerves.

“After my first pitch of my debut, it kind of went away because I got to see how it felt,” Ethridge explained. “I knew if I made a mistake they would make me pay for it, so being as relaxed as possible was the best thing.”

Like all other college freshmen, Ethridge said there was an adjustment period for him as he acclimated himself to college baseball.

“One of the adjustments was learning how the game changes,” Ethridge said. “It speeds up on you sometimes, so you have to learn how everyone plays differently and how things will play out.”

Thankfully, Ethridge said he was used to a lot of the drills Southern Miss coach Scott Berry runs, as they’re similar to what he did at West Lauderdale.

“I could tell Coach (Jerry) Boatner took a lot of what he did from watching baseball and watching other coaches at all levels of baseball,” Ethridge said. “It was very helpful, and I think it helped make the transition a lot faster for me.”

Outside of baseball, Ethridge said he’s enjoyed his college experience up to this point.

“I get to meet new people,” Ethridge said. “People are here from outside of the country, so you get exposed to different cultures and lifestyles. It’s unique and interesting to see.”

With baseball shut down for the time being, Ethridge said he’s been trying to stay in shape by tossing with his brother as well as with Golden Eagles teammate Tyler Lantz, a 2017 West Lauderdale graduate who played at Meridian Community College before transferring to Southern Miss this past fall. Ethridge hopes to play some version of summer ball if the COVID-19 pandemic slows down by then. Whenever baseball finally returns, Ethridge said he will have gained a new appreciation for the sport.

“I know I’m going to love it,” Ethridge said. “Whether it’s hanging out with friends or playing competitively, it’ll be a great time.”