Haley Sue Harbison/Contributing Writer
When Samford pitcher Carson Cupo takes the mound, the Bulldogs rest, knowing they are in good hands. Constantly proving to be one of the most reliable arms in Samford’s bullpen, Cupo has the power to help his team win yet another Southern Conference Championship this season.
The sixth-year senior from Leeds, Alabama, has had a love for the game since he first started playing some 20 years ago when he was only 3 years of age. Cupo, being the humble player he is, didn’t realize, however, his skill until he made an NCAA Division 1 program. In the eighth grade, Bear Burnett, Cupo’s coach and an old Samford teammate of head coach Casey Dunn, saw what Cupo had to offer the baseball world. He is responsible for peaking Cupo’s interest and having it carry over to his college career.
The 6-foot-2-inch right-handed fireman spoke excitedly, acknowledging his team’s hard work during games which puts him in the right place to come in and close. He gives them the credit for their amazing skill and assigns them the glory for Bulldog victories.
“The guys do such a great job getting the games in situations we need to be in,” Cupo said. “They set it up so I can come in and finish things out for us.”
The energy and hype that the team has by the end of the game is what really gives him the ability to perform well. Cupo also said that Sonny Dichiara and Jesse McCord are both huge sources to get him fired up in games.
This has been the trend for Cupo since his first year with the Bulldogs back in 2017, until last year when the season was cut short due to COVID-19. After waiting around anxiously to hear if he would be granted another year of eligibility, he was relieved when he found out he would receive an opportunity to stay in Birmingham for another year.
“As excited as I was to have another year to play, I was even more excited to have more time with these guys,” Cupo said.
One of his favorite memories was when the team went to Baseball Country back in January of 2020. The team attended a camp of sorts at a 50-acre complex just outside of Tuscaloosa, where they trained with a Navy seal, held Bible studies and volunteered doing ministry for underprivileged children in the area. Doing things of that nature with the team, Cupo feels, brings them even closer together and gives them a chance to give back to the community.
As the season continues into its second half, Cupo is eager to take on SoCon competitors.
“These rivalries we have in the SoCon just make it that much more fun,” Cupo said.
Samford baseball’s next SoCon series will begin on March 19, as the Bulldogs will compete in a 3-game series against UNCG.
