A month ago UNCW’s athletics website proudly trumpeted that baseball senior relief pitcher Blake Cross earned Honorable Mention preseason All-America on collegebaseballinsider.com’s Web Site.

Cross may have been the last one on the team to know.

“Actually, a guy on the team told me that I was preseason All-American. They don’t let you know that kind of stuff,” Cross said during baseball’s media day on Jan. 28. “It was crazy. I just found out about it last night… It’s definitely flattering. I hope I live up to those standards. I think I will. It feels different.”

That’s Cross: Low-key, laid back and understanding the situation.

Those are key traits needed for a stopper-a pitcher who enters late in the game to diffuse tough situations. A person in that position needs to be in control and maintain his cool. Especially now that he’s the only senior pitcher on the Seahawks staff.

“I’m not one of those guys that talks a lot. I like to do my thing on the field and let it speak for itself,” Cross said. “On the pitching staff more so, I’ve become more vocal and assert myself as a leader more so than the past.”

Cross’ 2003 numbers send enough of a statement, 13 saves and a 2.04 ERA. UNCW coach Mark Scalf feels Cross’ performance and experience make the right formula for his leadership role

“Early in his career, he was a guy that kind of got overly excited and he got too excited to pitch and too ready at times. And that would get him in trouble. He’s learned to control his emotions a bit. Carry himself with a stone-faced approach and maintain his composure on the mound,” Scalf said. “He’s not afraid to speak when he feels he’s got something worthwhile to say, he’s going to say it, whether it’s to the coaching staff or to his teammates.”

Cross blossomed under the pressure of his role. A college closer faces higher tension then what most fans expect from a late-inning reliever.

“I think it’s a little different you could go in from the fourth inning on, while in the Big Leagues, your role is the eighth or ninth inning and that’s it,” Cross said. “Plus there’s 162 games in the regular season in the Major Leagues, and out here every game matters… So when you go out there, if you mess up, then you don’t do your job and it’s going to hurt the team more in proportion than if you have a 162-game schedule.” And that suits Cross just fine.

“I’d hope they’d see a competitor. I’m not blessed with the most talent in the world, but I give 110 percent when I go out there,” he said. “That’s what I pride myself on.”