April 19, 2010

Columbia, S.C. – South Carolina senior right-hander Blake Cooper has earned SEC Pitcher of the Week honors, the second consecutive week that a Gamecock pitcher has earned the conference award. Cooper tossed a complete game shutout with a four-hitter in the 5-0 win vs. nationally ranked Ole Miss on Friday, April 16. He is only the second SEC pitcher to record a complete game shutout this year and the first this season to do it in SEC play. Cooper struck out a career-high 10 batters in the victory, his fifth complete game of his career but his first career complete game shutout. He allowed just four hits and one walk in the victory.

The complete game shutout was the first by a Gamecock pitcher since Aaron Rawl on May 13, 2005 in a 2-0 win at Ole Miss. It was the second consecutive shutout by the Gamecocks in SEC play (Carolina defeated Vanderbilt 2-0 last Sunday). With the win, Cooper also passed Jason Haynie (1993-96) for the 10th on the all-time career victory list at Carolina with 28 career wins.

Cooper leads the SEC in victories and owns a 7-0 record with a 2.44 ERA. He has hurled 62.2 innings and allowed just 40 hits while striking out 57 and walking 21. Opponents are batting just .185 against him.