He’s always Blaze’n around the basepaths

“Blaze” is not just a moniker, it’s a way of life.

If the name doesn’t immediately catch your attention in the starting lineup, then Blaze O’Saben’s speed on the basepaths certainly will.

When the senior outfielder swiped second in the opening inning of Georgia Gwinnett’s 7-6 victory over Faulkner in the title game of the Lawrenceville Bracket of the NAIA Opening Round, he etched his name in the history books.

At first glance, it may seem like a relatively unassuming stat line — 16 doubles, 12 triples, 14 home runs and 50 stolen bases. But according to Grizzlies sports information director Dale Long, it marks the first time a player at any level in college baseball has posted a 10-10-10-50 line over the course of a season.

“I’m just honestly trying to do what I can to help us win, whatever I can do to create an advantage on the base paths,” O’Saben said. “When you put pressure on the opposing team and can be in scoring position within three pitches, that’s a huge dagger.”

While O’Saben would prefer to downplay his accomplishments, his offensive fireworks have turned heads and earned him the coveted designation of Continental Athletic Conference player of the year. Putting aside the accolades, Georgia Gwinnett coach Jeremy Sheetinger said he is more impressed with the personal growth he has seen from his senior outfielder this season.

“When he first got here, I think he was still trying to find his way,” Sheetinger said. “From the first practice this year, he set a tone. You can’t accomplish something like that without playing the game hard every single day.

It is often said that speed never slumps, so perhaps the most impressive aspect of O’Saben’s senior campaign has been his consistency at the plate. Not only does he lead his squad with a .451 batting average, but he has also tallied 83 RBI.

“He’s the definition of grit,” senior pitcher Kaleb Hall said. “He’s a hard player and one of the fastest in the country. Every at-bat, he won’t go down unless he’s swinging. He’s always going to lead by example and use his voice in a positive way.

This marks the second straight year a Georgia Gwinnett player has entered the NAIA World Series with a historic stat line. Just last year, outfielder Ajay Sczepkowski became only the second player in college baseball history, and the first at the NAIA level, to post 30 home runs and 30 stolen bases in the same season.

Despite the significance of his recent achievement, O’Saben has set his sights on another goal.

“The stats are something that’s been brought to my attention, but at the end of the day, it doesn’t really mean all that much unless you’re playing at Harris Field,” O’Saben said. “In 20 years, I would much rather have the memory of raising a trophy with the great teammates I have around me.”