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Blake Cooper charges ahead with his bulldog mentality
University of South Carolina's Blake Cooper delivers a pitch against Furman at Flour Field in Greenville.
PATRICK COLLARD/Greenville News
CommentsThe best way to describe what Blake Cooper means to the South Carolina baseball team would be to point to his performance in the third game of the Kentucky series.
The Gamecocks had lost their first two SEC series of the season, and with the Kentucky series hanging in the balance, the junior right-hander was all that stood between the team and irrelevance in the conference standings.
On a cold, wet, windy day in Lexington, Cooper displayed the grit and guile that has marked his career as a three-year starter with a complete-game effort in which he allowed two runs on eight hits.
When he got into trouble to start the ninth inning, USC coach Ray Tanner went to the mound and told Cooper to ignore the relievers warming up in the bullpen because the game was his to win or lose. And with that pep talk, Cooper reached down and showed what a bulldog he can be by retiring three consecutive Wildcats to seal the win and the series.
Cooper believes his success is a matter of not thinking too much on the mound.
“When I’m not going good, I’m picking at the corners and picking at the corners,” he said. “When I throw strikes and let my defense play behind me, I do pretty good. Throwing strikes is the key. Hits aren’t going to kill you, but walks will. Going right at people is the key to my success.”
USC pitching coach Mark Calvi loves Cooper’s quiet determination and his tenacity.
“This is my 15th year of coaching, and he’s one of the favorite pitchers I’ve had in my career,” Calvi said.
The stocky Cooper, a laid-back guy from rural Neeses who loves to fish, has become a fan favorite after compiling a 20-12 career record — 8-4 this season — over 231 innings.
“He’s not imposing, but don’t judge a book by its cover,” Calvi said.
Cooper is stronger than he appears, and his fighting spirit contributes to that strength. Calvi said it does not matter if the temperature is 100 degrees or 30 degrees. Or if Cooper is up three runs or down three runs.
“He’ll give you a great effort,” Calvi said.
Cooper has talent, too. He throws his fastball up to 92 mph and mixes in a curveball and changeup that keeps hitters off-balance. Recently, he has added his split-fingered fastball back into his repertoire.
“He’s got velocity. He can run it in on your hands or he can pitch away,” Calvi said. “He’s hard (for batters) to square up if he hits his spots. You’re not going to hit him consistently.”
After struggling in a few early outings, Cooper was moved out of the SEC weekend rotation. He had gone to a more over-the-top delivery to start the season instead of his normal three-quarters arm slot, in part to increase his velocity. But he was having more trouble getting outs.
Yet in true Cooper style, he just kept working. After strong mid-week outings against Furman and College of Charleston, he earned back his weekend starting spot for the Kentucky series.
He also refused to let a terrible start in late April against Florida derail him. A bullpen session helped him get right again, and he has pitched as well as anybody on the staff during USC’s stretch run.
His propensity for scuffling in the early innings holds true some days, though Calvi has attempted to remedy that by having him throw a pseudo first inning as he warms up before starts. Still, he refuses to let an early deficit — such as when he trailed Alabama 3-0 in an extra-inning win in the SEC tournament — faze him.
“In the first inning, I’m trying to find my stuff and what works. What helps me is minimizing damage. Instead of giving up five runs, you give up two runs,” Cooper said. “If you continue to compete, it’s going to rub off on your teammates.”
Calvi sees that mind-set in his pitcher every time out.
“If you get to Coop, it’ll be early. If he settles in, you’re in trouble,” he said.
Cooper, who said he is not worrying about the June draft at this point, will start the second game in Greenville. He hopes it is in the winners’ bracket. Naturally, he is not going to panic if it is in the losers’ bracket.
“I’d rather be on a team that wants to play together than on a team with more talent any day,” he said. “If we put it all together, we can make a run at it.”
Just like he does every time out.
Reach White at (803) 771-8643
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