01-22-2007, 12:41 PM
Hurling his way to the top
ASHLAND â Whether on the mound in Louisa or tossing shutouts against some of the countryâs elite, Steve Blevins feels right at home in baseball.
The former Lawrence County star turned Bearcat excelled in his freshman season at the University of Cincinnati and has gained lots of notoriety around the country heading into his sophomore season.
In addition to being named an all-Big East preseason selection at pitcher, Blevins has been named to the Wallace Watch List for the Brooks Wallace Award, handed out annually to the National Player of the Year.
Despite being nominated for the award, Blevins is keeping the same cool composure that notched him nine wins during his freshman campaign.
âThatâs obviously good to be recognized, but that is just preseason so you canât put much stock into it,â Blevins said. âYou have to prove what you did the year before.â
What Blevins did before was compile a 6-2 record in Big East play with a 3.90 earned run average.
His nine victories tied him for the most in the Big East and he led all pitchers in innings pitched with 101.
If that was not enough, Blevins also pitched a pair of shutouts in Big East play against Louisville and St. Johnâs, with both efforts earning him Big East Player of the Week honors.
Add up the success that Blevins has had on the mound and it is no surprise that the Lawrence County native was named a 2006 Louisville Slugger Freshman All-American in addition to the preseason honors going into this year.
âIt shows that it doesnât matter where you are from, if you are good, talent shows,â Blevins said. âJust because you are from somewhere small, it doesnt mean you canât go somewhere and do big things.â
And the sophomore to be who opens the season in less than three weeks has big things planned for his sophomore campaign.
The Bearcats, who finished 32-26 last season, were picked to finish seventh in the Big East preseason poll, a ranking that Blevins hopes he can help change.
âWe have a lot of nice talent coming back this year and a lot of guys that havenât played, but will be able to step in and fill the voids,â Blevins said. âWe think we can finish in the top of the league and possibly win it.â
Not only has Blevins set goals for the team, but goals for himself as well such as hitting the 12-to-15 win plateau on the season and having better outings against conference teams, Rutgers and West Virginia to be specific.
âI pitched pretty bad against them last year, so I want to show them what I can do,â Blevins said.
While the sophomore wants to show Big East teams what he can do, he has already shown enough to be chosen as one of 148 finalists for the Wallace Award, an honor normally reserved for juniors and seniors.
Blevins chose Cincinnati over Marshall and Kentucky among other schools due to facilities and the homely feeling he got while visiting.
Adam Yeager, a former Huntington player, was his roommate last season and the two talked of how Cincinnatiâs facilities were second to none.
âHe and I talked several times about how great a fit Marshall would be if they had a better complex,â Blevins said. âWe came into a great situation here. The field was $13 million. We came into brand new facilities. It is only three hours away so friends and family can come watch. Itâs definitely different from back home, but itâs nice.â
Blevins also said the down-home feel at UC really appealed to him in the choosing process before last season.
The pitcher relaxes by fishing with a teammate who lives in the Cincinnati area â that is when the business major gets time to do so.
After carrying a full-time load of classes and become a fixture in the rotation his freshman season, Blevins said he did not have time for much else, but the practice is necessary for him and the team to meet their goals.
Blevins looked to the hard work and determination of Cy Young Award winner Brandon Webb, an Ashland native, as an example of how the hard work pays off in the end.
âHe continued to get better and it shows that working hard, anything is possible,â Blevins said.
Webb and New York Mets pitcher Jon Adkins were among the professional pitchers from the area that have seen success at the next level, a level Blevins hopes to be at soon.
Blevins said those guys along with several guys who will reach the collegiate level in the next few years are among those that make the area an underappreciated hotbed for baseball talent.
âPeople outside do not see the talent that we all know is here, but if we keep working then guys will continue to be recognized on the national level,â Blevins said.
ASHLAND â Whether on the mound in Louisa or tossing shutouts against some of the countryâs elite, Steve Blevins feels right at home in baseball.
The former Lawrence County star turned Bearcat excelled in his freshman season at the University of Cincinnati and has gained lots of notoriety around the country heading into his sophomore season.
In addition to being named an all-Big East preseason selection at pitcher, Blevins has been named to the Wallace Watch List for the Brooks Wallace Award, handed out annually to the National Player of the Year.
Despite being nominated for the award, Blevins is keeping the same cool composure that notched him nine wins during his freshman campaign.
âThatâs obviously good to be recognized, but that is just preseason so you canât put much stock into it,â Blevins said. âYou have to prove what you did the year before.â
What Blevins did before was compile a 6-2 record in Big East play with a 3.90 earned run average.
His nine victories tied him for the most in the Big East and he led all pitchers in innings pitched with 101.
If that was not enough, Blevins also pitched a pair of shutouts in Big East play against Louisville and St. Johnâs, with both efforts earning him Big East Player of the Week honors.
Add up the success that Blevins has had on the mound and it is no surprise that the Lawrence County native was named a 2006 Louisville Slugger Freshman All-American in addition to the preseason honors going into this year.
âIt shows that it doesnât matter where you are from, if you are good, talent shows,â Blevins said. âJust because you are from somewhere small, it doesnt mean you canât go somewhere and do big things.â
And the sophomore to be who opens the season in less than three weeks has big things planned for his sophomore campaign.
The Bearcats, who finished 32-26 last season, were picked to finish seventh in the Big East preseason poll, a ranking that Blevins hopes he can help change.
âWe have a lot of nice talent coming back this year and a lot of guys that havenât played, but will be able to step in and fill the voids,â Blevins said. âWe think we can finish in the top of the league and possibly win it.â
Not only has Blevins set goals for the team, but goals for himself as well such as hitting the 12-to-15 win plateau on the season and having better outings against conference teams, Rutgers and West Virginia to be specific.
âI pitched pretty bad against them last year, so I want to show them what I can do,â Blevins said.
While the sophomore wants to show Big East teams what he can do, he has already shown enough to be chosen as one of 148 finalists for the Wallace Award, an honor normally reserved for juniors and seniors.
Blevins chose Cincinnati over Marshall and Kentucky among other schools due to facilities and the homely feeling he got while visiting.
Adam Yeager, a former Huntington player, was his roommate last season and the two talked of how Cincinnatiâs facilities were second to none.
âHe and I talked several times about how great a fit Marshall would be if they had a better complex,â Blevins said. âWe came into a great situation here. The field was $13 million. We came into brand new facilities. It is only three hours away so friends and family can come watch. Itâs definitely different from back home, but itâs nice.â
Blevins also said the down-home feel at UC really appealed to him in the choosing process before last season.
The pitcher relaxes by fishing with a teammate who lives in the Cincinnati area â that is when the business major gets time to do so.
After carrying a full-time load of classes and become a fixture in the rotation his freshman season, Blevins said he did not have time for much else, but the practice is necessary for him and the team to meet their goals.
Blevins looked to the hard work and determination of Cy Young Award winner Brandon Webb, an Ashland native, as an example of how the hard work pays off in the end.
âHe continued to get better and it shows that working hard, anything is possible,â Blevins said.
Webb and New York Mets pitcher Jon Adkins were among the professional pitchers from the area that have seen success at the next level, a level Blevins hopes to be at soon.
Blevins said those guys along with several guys who will reach the collegiate level in the next few years are among those that make the area an underappreciated hotbed for baseball talent.
âPeople outside do not see the talent that we all know is here, but if we keep working then guys will continue to be recognized on the national level,â Blevins said.