Team-First Mentality is What Drives Blake Jackson
Blake Jackson loved snowboarding while growing up. He was also a good football player in high school. Fortunately for South Carolina, the senior outfielder chose to focus on baseball in college where his gritty style is a good fit for the Gamecocks.
“I play pretty hard,” said Jackson, who is in his second year with the Gamecocks after starting his career at Missouri and then playing at McLennan Community College in Waco, Texas, before playing two years at Charlotte and finding his way to Columbia. “I try to play fast. I’m kind of a scrappy ball player. Whatever it takes to get the job done. I always wanted to play at the University of South Carolina. The previous coaching staff gave me a chance, and I couldn’t pass it up.”
Jackson batted .293 with five home runs, 27 RBI and a team-leading 16 stolen bases last year. He was also among the team leaders in on base percentage at .465 thanks to 32 walks and being hit by pitches 18 times.
“It just kind of happens,” Jackson said of his propensity to get plunked. He also set a Charlotte single season record by getting hit by a pitch 18 times in 2023. “I don’t really get out of the way. I know that if I can get on base, I can change the game and maybe steal some bases and score runs. I just have the mentality that I’m not going to move if you come close to hitting me. I regretted it once in my junior year at Charlotte when I broke my hand. That wasn’t ideal. Besides that, I kind of enjoy it actually.”
“However I can help, that’s what I want to do. I just want to go out knowing I gave my best to a group of guys.”
Perhaps some of that toughness comes from his other previous sports interests. He was born in Colorado and moved to Texas as a youngster before his family later moved back to Colorado after he went to college.
“I love to snowboard,” Jackson said. “I did a lot of that from the time I was four until I was 20. With college baseball, winter breaks are now for training. I used to do some tricks and some back flips. It’s like any other sport where you have to train year-round to stay good at it. That’s a full commitment.”
A talented wide receiver in high school while living in Texas, he had some verbal offers to stay on the gridiron in college. He briefly considered playing football and baseball at Texas Tech before deciding to focus solely on baseball.
“The biggest adjustment when I got here was for me was to find a routine,” said Jackson, who already has his undergraduate degree in business management and is working towards a master’s in sports administration. “My dad (Michael) has made a big impact on my life. He made a lot of sacrifices for me and inspired me to be better.”
As he prepares for his final season of collegiate baseball, he wants to make the most of it.
“It’s my last year so I have team-oriented goals,” Jackson said. “I want to win the SEC, go to Omaha, and win the national championship. That’s all I focus on. However I can help, that’s what I want to do. I just want to go out knowing I gave my best to a group of guys.
“I’m just excited to make memories and look forward to showing up at the field every day. I’m looking forward to being in the locker room for one more year. I’ve enjoyed the long career that I’ve had.”
