Blair for the dramatic

Barry Faulkner

Like all closers, UC Irvine freshman Blair Erickson is familiar with

the concept of crash landing.

But unlike nearly all of his bullpen brethren who strive for the

27th out, the 6-foot-1, 205-pound right-hander has yet to fall from

the lofty mound perch from which he has produced near-perfection.

Instead, his history with freefall stems from a disastrous descent

during a pickup basketball game the spring of his senior year at

Jesuit High near Sacramento.

“I went up for a shot and a guy pushed me while I was in the air,”

recalled Erickson, who, entering Thursday’s series opener against

visiting Minnesota is 8 for 8 in save chances for the No. 23-ranked

Anteaters. He needed just 16 games to eclipse the school

single-season save record held by two others. “When I came down, I

ruptured the ligaments in my left ankle and wound up missing the

whole (2003) baseball season.”

Ironically, the long, slow recovery from the injury, which

required the insertion of a surgical screw, led Erickson to the

pitching assignment for which he believes he was best suited. Still

battling tightness in the ankle, he fell behind fellow starting

candidates in the fall, making the bullpen his logical destination.

A heralded starter as a prep -- he won 11 of 15 varsity decisions

and posted an ERA of 1.40 and 1.69, respectively, as a sophomore and

junior -- Erickson said his competitive drive often left his tank

empty for the latter innings of his starting assignments.

“Believe it or not, I think I had the closer mentality as a

starter,” said Erickson, drafted in the 28th round by the

Philadelphia Phillies last spring. “I’ve always been one to go out

and attack and challenge hitters. As a starter, I had a tendency to

overdo it and I’d get tired. Now, I have one or two innings, so I can

give it all I have.”

With a fastball that has topped out at 94 mph, a hard slider and a

developing change-up, Erickson has had more than enough to stifle

opposing hitters thus far.

In 18 innings through March 15, he had fanned 25, fashioning a

3.00 ERA and limiting foes to a .231 batting average.

UCI Coach John Savage, who before coming to UCI tutored USC mound

superstars Mark Prior an Barry Zito, wasn’t shy about praising this

season’s surprising prodigy.

“There was confidence he’d be able to come back [from the injury],

but how he’d come back was the big question,” Savage said. “We knew

his ability was very good, but we thought he’d be rusty. We thought

it would take some time for him to get back into game shape, let

alone Division I shape, let alone being a Division I closer. But he’s

a great student of the game, who has watched and listened very well

and adapted to his role as well as any freshman I think I’ve ever

seen.”

Initially projected as a setup man, Erickson opened eyes in the

‘Eaters’ second game of the season, a home-opening win over Cal Feb.

13.

He started the eighth inning with UCI ahead, 9-7, and bracketed

strikeouts around a flyout for a 1-2-3 frame that prompted Savage to

send him out for ninth. After a strikeout and a single, Erickson

induced a 6-4-3 double play to earn his first save and, within days,

the title of full-time closer.

“The original plan was to have him set up, but he evolved before

our eyes that Friday night against Cal,” Savage said. “He was

remarkable in that eighth inning and we threw him out there for the

ninth. It was real evident to me that his role was as a closer. He

has told me he really loves that role and you don’t want to change

something that’s working.”

Savage believes Erickson, who saved all three games in a road

sweep of then-No. 25-ranked Baylor March 5-7, has the right blend of

stuff, composure and desire to nail down victories in the ninth.

“There’s a toughness to his game, but there is also a calmness.

When you’re trying to close out three straight games on the road

against Baylor, you better have some presence to you. He has

displayed that early on in his career, that’s for sure. He has a

bulldog presence, but he takes a really professional approach that

you like to see in a guy,” Savage said.

Erickson said he savors the challenge of having the game in his

hands.

“Being as competitive as I am, sometimes it’s tough for me to

watch the first seven innings, because I want to get into the game,”

Erickson said. “When your in the bullpen throwing to a catcher and

that phone rings [summoning a reliever into the game], it will get

you going. As a starter, you rarely get the chance to finish a game.

So, to be able to get the last out and have the catcher run out and

shake your hand is a good feeling. It’s awesome.”