Davis pitches Mustangs to Class B State title

SHAWNEE—Over the years pitching has evolved with words like “velo” and “spin rate” being the language of pitching coaches> However, when Fort Cobb-Broxton’s Blaine Davis takes the mound the words used to describe his delivery are “side-arm” and “submarine” and Saturday the senior allowed Calumet just three hits and one unearned run as the Mustangs earned the Class B State title with a 2-1 victory.

The Mustangs finished the season with a 24-6 record and earned their third straight spring title.

FCB Coach Dale Bellamy gives Davis and his father Bryce a good deal of credit for perfecting his style of pitching that leaves many an opponent shaking their head while walking back to the dugout.

“Blaine had some arm trouble when he was playing youth ball and so they started learning more about the side-arm delivery and they also went to some camps where that is the focus,” Bellamy said. “He can throw out of three different angles. He throws a fastball that runs into the right-handed hitters.

“Then he has two breaking balls and they run in different directions which is really tough on batters. When you get to the playoffs there isn’t a great deal of time to prepare for something like that and it gives us an edge because there aren’t many guys who throw with that delivery.”

Davis has done well enough to bring college recruiters to watch him throw.

“He’s committed to Seminole which has a good junior college baseball program,” Bellamy said. “They get him up there into their weight program and he will get a chance to keep improving.”

Others are learning about the different delivery as well, mainly Coach Bellamy and freshman catcher Kaleb Gray.

“Yes, I’ve had to learn some of the basics of his delivery,” Coach Bellamy said. “I have learned the specifics like his release point and how his delivery changes how we will change some of the things we might do on defense. Kaleb had to learn some of the things he had to watch for when Blaine throws certain pitches from different angles. We’ve all learned during the year.”

The Mustangs got all the runs they would need in the first inning as leadoff batter Eli Willits was hit by a pitch and he raced all the way to third on a throwing error and scored on a passed ball. After another walk, Caleb Crowell hit a single over the Chieftains’ shortstop and Blaine Bellamy raced home with what proved to be the winning run.

Calumet added its run in the top of the sixth but Davis got out of further trouble with a ground ball out.

Coach Bellamy said his young club may very well make another title run next season.

“I have three seniors, two juniors, two sophomores and two freshmen starting for me,” he said. “Before the State Tournament I talked to them about the tradition that our previous teams have established and how they can continue to live up to the high standard these past players have built.”

Bellamy knows about the tradition because he grew up in the Caddo County community and played on three state championship teams. He took over the baseball job in 2012 and has coached the Mustangs to three titles and he’s led them to five runner-up finishes.