Blake Brown: Man on a mission

Junior star first baseman Blake Brown hits the home runs and drives in runs for the Golden Eagle baseball team.

The 6-foot-5, 215-pound Brown has come a long way since his junior year in high school in small town Semmes, Ala. Brown, a tall, lanky high school senior was told by college coaches that he would never be able to play college baseball because he wasn’t good enough. After hearing this, Brown considered giving up baseball and not even playing his senior year in high school, but instead of quitting, Brown set out to prove his critics wrong. He did just that his senior year in high school, hitting over .400 with 10 home runs.

Brown accepted a scholarship to Pensacola State Junior College in Florida. There he was chosen as an all conference performer, hitting 24 home runs in two years.

Even after his junior college success, Brown was still shunned by colleges in his home state. Southern Miss coaches took a look at Brown and liked what they saw.

In his first season at Southern Miss, Brown is leading the team in home runs (six), and runs batted in (32). Brown credits his success to coming out to practice every day and working hard to improve his game.

“I just wanted to prove to myself that I could play at the Division I level, but I play for the love of the game,” Brown said. “I came here with a goal to start and play every day and do whatever I could to help continue the winning tradition at USM.”

His hard work is paying off, as Brown has already been named the C-USA hitter of the week twice thus far this season. These weeks included a three home run and nine RBI week, and another two home run and 11 RBI week in which he hit .438.

“Brown came out and had a great fall, filling the void left in the middle of our line-up from last year’s team and has continued doing a great job for us this spring,” head baseball coach Scott Berry said. “He is a great team player with a top notch work ethic and everything a coach could ask for in a player.”

Brown is well-liked off the field as well.

“Blake is the guy that you love playing with and hate playing against,” left fielder Joe Martin said.”   

The standout Golden Eagle first baseman went from not knowing if he would ever play another baseball game in his life to being told that he will have a chance to play the game the rest of his life.  

Brown is expected to be drafted in the top 20 rounds of the upcoming Major League Baseball draft in June, according to coaches on the Southern Miss staff.