Cooper, Lions make history

UAFS sports information Kasey Cooper of Pea Ridge, a senior first baseman for Arkansas-Fort Smith, helped the Lions earn the program’s first-ever trip to the NCAA Division II National Tournament. Cooper batted .282 with six home runs and 32 RBIs this season. The Lions lost to host Angelo State at noon Thursday in the South Central Regional in San Angelo, Texas; then beat St. Edward’s Friday and were set to take on Colorado Mesa Monday afternoon.
UAFS sports information Kasey Cooper of Pea Ridge, a senior first baseman for Arkansas-Fort Smith, helped the Lions earn the program’s first-ever trip to the NCAA Division II National Tournament. Cooper batted .282 with six home runs and 32 RBIs this season. The Lions lost to host Angelo State at noon Thursday in the South Central Regional in San Angelo, Texas; then beat St. Edward’s Friday and were set to take on Colorado Mesa Monday afternoon.

FORT SMITH -- It has been a long journey for Arkansas-Fort Smith sixth-year senior Kasey Cooper, but his final season has been more than worth the wait.

Cooper, a former Pea Ridge Blackhawk, has helped the Lions make their first-ever appearance in the NCAA Division II baseball tournament. No. 6 seed UAFS plays the No. 1 seed and host Angelo State at noon today in San Angelo, Texas.

South Central Regional at San Angelo, Texas — Host: Angelo State

1 May 18^No. 1 Angelo St. (41-13) vs. No. 6 Ark.-Fort Smith (33-20)^11-6, Angelo St.

2 May 18^No. 2 Colorado Mesa (44-10) vs. No. 5 St. Edward’s (33-18)^11-2, Colorado Mesa

3 May 18^No. 3 West Tex. A&M (35-16) vs. No. 4 Lubbock Christian (37-14)^2-1, Lubbock Christian

4 May 20^No. 1 Angelo St. vs. No. 3 West Tex. A&M^2-1, West Tex. A&M

5 May 20^No. 2 Colorado Mesa vs. No. 4 Lubbock Christian^3-2, Colorado Mesa

6 May 20^No. 6 Ark.-Fort Smith vs. No. 5 St. Edward’s^15-12, Ark.-Fort Smith

7 May 21^No. 1 Angelo St. vs. No. 4 Lubbock Christian^6-1, Angelo St.

8 May 21^No. 6 Ark.-Fort Smith vs. No. 3 West Tex. A&M^3-1, Ark.-Fort Smith

9 May 21^No. 1 Angelo St. vs. No. 2 Colorado Mesa^4-0, Colorado Mesa

10 May 22, 1 p.m. No. 6 Ark.-Fort Smith vs. No. 2 Colorado Mesa

11 May 22, 4:30 p.m. Winner Game 10 vs. Loser Game 10 *if necessary

The Lions didn't start the year like they hoped with a 5-10 record. But UAFS turned it around quickly after that to set the school record for most wins in a season. The Lions (33-18) now enter the tournament as one of the hottest teams, winning 28 of their last 38 games. And Cooper has played a big part in the success.

"This year has been really special for me," Cooper said. "I've been here for a while. It's been a long six years. Being a part of this season, with it being my last year, is the way I wanted to go out."

After battling injuries in his career that has allowed him to stick around for six years, Cooper is glad to be playing a big role of this program-best season.

Cooper didn't even think baseball would be the sport he would be playing at the college level when he was playing for the Blackhawks.

He earned two-time all-conference honors playing both basketball and baseball for Pea Ridge. He battled injuries his senior year but played through them to hit .537 and earn the team's MVP award.

"If you would've told me I would be playing college baseball when I was in high school, I would've told you to go fly a kite," Cooper said. "I didn't think there was any possible way for me to not be playing basketball. But it didn't work out. Baseball fell into place for me."

Cooper is thankful it did, as he has been a big part of the Lions' success, hitting near the top of the order his entire career.

The 6-foot-2, 212-pound first baseman is tied for the team lead in home runs with six and has the highest on-base percentage at .412 on the team. Cooper, who hits cleanup, also is second on the team in runs with 38 and tied for second in RBIs with 32.

"He has been here longer than I have," said UAFS coach Todd Holland, who is in his third season with the program. "He is a freak athlete. He is big and physical. Most people like that can't walk and chew gum at the same time. He can do it all."

The improved plate discipline for Cooper this season has helped the Lions after Cooper finished with a .380 on-base percentage a season ago, Holland said.

"That's the good thing about him this year is he has done a great job with his approach at the plate," Holland said. "I told him don't be afraid to walk. I felt like he was getting himself out rather than the pitcher doing it."

Holland said he couldn't ask for a better senior leader, who passes the ultimate assessment of character for him.

"He is just a great kid," Holland said. "There aren't too many kids that pass the 'they could marry my daughter' test. He is one of them. There haven't been many like him. What an unbelievable kid."

Cooper has come up clutch for the Lions throughout the year when he has been needed most.

He scored the go-ahead run to help the Lions advance to its second appearance in the Heartland Conference tournament championship game last week. He even had a walk-off single on opening day for the Lions.

"He has come up with some big hits for us this season," Holland said. "If there is a big spot, we'd be glad to have Cooper in it. He has provided us with plenty of momentum this season."

Cooper had never played anything but outfield in his career but was asked to move to first base entering his senior season. He took the challenge and has been steady for the Lions, making just five errors in 51 games.

"He gets a lot of action over there," Holland said. "A lot of first basemen are not as athletic and just hit for power. But he brings a little of both to the table. When we moved him there, we knew he'd figure it out because he is a good athlete."

Cooper is one of 18 players from Arkansas on the roster, including five of the team's starting nine. Senior starting pitcher Hayden Harvey, from Greenwood, freshman outfielder Logan Allen, from Bryant, and senior reliever Tyler Nelson, from Bryant, all earned all-conference honors for the Lions.

"It's been a good adventure for this team," Holland said. "We are mostly just a bunch of Arkansas kids. They just believe in themselves. I don't tell them this, but this is a team that has overachieved way over my expectations."

Injuries have unfortunately followed Cooper into his season year. A medical redshirt in his sophomore year gave him eligibility for this season, but he is currently playing with a separated shoulder that has cost him some playing time earlier this year.

"I worked hard with the training staff to come back maybe a little before I should've," Cooper said. "But this is my senior year. I want to be able to go out there and help the boys. It was really hard for me to miss any games."

Cooper has watched as the Lions have ended their seasons without making the NCAA tournament throughout the years while he has been on campus earning two degrees and a minor.

The Lions are grateful to have broken through the barrier of postseason play, but Cooper said the team is not content with just showing up to make a first-round appearance.

"I feel blessed to go out here and compete," Cooper said. "To go as far as we have this year, I couldn't be any happier. But we've never been here before. So let's get after this and see what can happen."

Sports on 05/24/2017