Talent and brains might be a good way to describe Connors State freshman baseball player Chase Pair.
“He’s not only a good ball player but he’s an excellent student which is why he’s a good fit for us,” said veteran Hall of Fame Cowboy coach Perry Keith. “We have a pretty experienced team this year, so Chase is pitching middle relief for us right now. He’s got good stuff and we’re working on increasing his velocity. He’s also the recipient of a prestigious Regents Scholarship, which is the result of a high ACT score, and GPA. I think he’ll ending up pitching a lot of innings for us when it’s all said and done.”
Growing up with his dad coaching high school baseball, playing the sport was just a given for Chase.
“I started playing in the field but got into pitching later and I fell in love with it. I was just naturally pretty good at it, and it was fun to be the center of attention,” chuckled Chase.
He played most of his high school ball at Coweta but then made a move his final season which proved to be fortuitous.
“My dad was coaching at Red Oak, and I moved there my senior year to have a chance to win a state championship which we did. Probably the highlight of that run was in the quarterfinals against Pioneer in which I threw a one-hitter, and my brother was the catcher. I’ll always remember him coming out to hug me after that game and to have him catching and dad coaching was just unlike any other feeling.”
Chase revealed that Connors wasn’t his initial choice for college baseball.
“I originally committed to Carl Albert, but coach Keith got on me around spring break and going to Connors had always been a dream of mine since one my dad’s former players had had success there. I knew it would be tough because I didn’t think I was super talented but I’m glad I made that choice. One of the things I like best is that number 7 (Keith’s uniform number) doesn’t cheat anyone. If you’re the best player, you’ll play and if someone better comes along, he’ll go with the better guy. He’s just a straight shooter.”
As he hones his skills as a small fish in a big bowl this year, Chase Pair is another example of finding success the Cowboy Way.
