Brash Pettis comes into own

Some might view Eric Pettis’ primary weapons on a pitching mound as his fastball, slider and change-up.

But ask the UC Irvine sophomore closer for his assessment and he’ll reply: Cockiness, confidence and humility.

It’s hard, of course, to be humble when you lead the Big West Conference in saves (14), a total surpassed by only one team in the nine-team conference (UC Davis with 15). His save total also ranked third nationally, entering this week.

Fortunately for Pettis and the Anteaters, humility — like the change, which he has delivered only about a dozen times this season — is best utilized in moderation.

“I guess I’ve bordered on the side of cocky for my entire athletic career,” said Pettis, whose self-assurance last season helped him become the team’s Sunday starter for roughly the latter half of the campaign. “But I’ve been working on that. Now, I think I’ve been able to turn the cockiness into confidence. And I’ve tried to stay humble.”

After “requesting” the right to fill out the starting rotation last season — he brazenly asked/demanded the ball from then-coach Dave Serrano — Pettis went 4-0 with a 4.53 earned-run average in seven starts and 24 appearances.

But this season, with NCAA saves leader Blair Erickson now competing in the Minnesota Twins organization and other short-relief candidates slowed by off-season surgery, first-year pitching coach Ted Silva turned to Pettis to assume the closer role. It was a decision made as much for his mentality as his stuff, though his fastball-slider mix has proved more than ample to get the most precarious of outs: those coming in the ninth inning.

“He’s got the best mentality in our [bullpen],” UCI senior catcher Aaron Lowenstein said of Pettis, who is closing in on Erickson’s school single-season record of 17 saves as the No. 14-ranked Anteaters (36-15, 12-9 in the Big West) close out their season with home games today and Sunday against UC Santa Barbara. “He wants the ball in the ninth and he wants the ball in a one-run game. He’s going to go right after the hitters and he is not afraid of anyone.”

Pettis, 4-2 with a 1.83 ERA this season, with 43 strikeouts and just 30 hits allowed in 39 1/3 innings, said he was anything but reluctant to accept the challenge of replacing Erickson, his former roommate.

“I feel like I want the ball as much as possible and being the closer gives me the best shot to do that,” Pettis said. “I can go three innings one day, one inning the next, then two innings the day after that. I feel like that helps the team.”

A three-quarters sidearm delivery adds effectiveness to his slider, which dives away from right-handed hitters. A more natural motion for Pettis, instituted at the urging of Serrano, the delivery has also added to his resiliency.

“I threw more over the top in high school and I had to rehabilitate a shoulder injury for six months during my junior year,” Pettis said. “Since I dropped down, I haven’t had to ice my shoulder at all.”

Still, the wear and tear of being the Anteaters’ must trusted reliever has led to physical challenges that starting pitchers don’t face.

“As a pitcher, your arm is never going to feel 100% except for maybe at the start of the season,” Pettis said. “I’ve had some spots where my arm didn’t feel great, but you have to work through it. If you stay with your conditioning routine and do everything you can to keep your body strong, your arm will bounce back, and it has for me. My arm feels great right now.”

Pettis’ success has instilled a good feeling in his teammates and coaches whenever he is charged with protecting a lead.

“He has an uncommon confidence and determination,” UCI Coach Mike Gillespie said. “He has an uncommon belief that no situation is going to overmatch him. He relishes the opportunity to be in there not only when it’s important, but when it’s important and tough. When he’s in there with the bases loaded and a one-run lead, he doesn’t shrink from it. That’s not only uncommon, it’s extraordinary.”

Pettis said the biggest thing he learned from Erickson was to have a short memory.

“It doesn’t always work out well [for the closer], but you have to be ready to bounce back,” Pettis said. “That has been an adjustment for me, because I’m really hard on myself and I really scrutinize everything I do. But, for me, it all comes back to mentality. I feel like a closer’s third pitch is his mentality. I strive to be mentally tough in every situation.”

And by being confident, he can maintain that mental toughness, even during times of failure.

“I feel like I was born with my confidence,” he said. “If feel that if I throw my best stuff, then I’m going to get people out. You can’t throw while you’re afraid. You have to say ‘If I execute my pitch, I’m going to get an out.’ Good hitters are going to hit good pitches, but you can’t think that way. You’ve got to think that you can get any hitter out.”

BARRY FAULKNER may be reached at (714) 966-4615 or at barry.faulkner@latimes.com.