Brighton senior infielder Andrew Davis has been one of the best players on the team since his sophomore season when he nailed down the starting spot at third base.
But last year, something clicked.
“As a sophomore his hitting was pretty good and he had a good on-base percentage,” Brighton head coach Ryan Wood said. “Last year, though, his (batting) average jumped above .400 and it pretty much stayed there.”
That improved hitting, plus the rest of his skill set, drew the attention of the coaching staff at Northeast Mississippi Community College. On Tuesday afternoon, in front of family, coaches and teammates, Davis signed a baseball scholarship with Northeast Mississippi CC.
“The people on campus there, they were amazing,” Davis said Tuesday afternoon, moments after signing. “It was just perfect. They’re a good program and I feel like I fit in pretty good there … It just felt like home when I was there.”
Davis was a big reason why the Cardinals advanced to the state tournament last season for the firs time in school history. If they’re going to get back for a second straight season, a big season will be needed from Davis – at the plate and on the mound.
He pitched some last year, but will be expected to do more of that in 2022.
“He pitched quite a bit last year, but we’re going to need him to pitch a lot this year if we’re going to advance,” Wood said. “If we’re going far he’s going to have to be one of our best starters.”
While he will pitch this upcoming season for Brighton, his future appears to be as a shortstop in college.
“He’s a leadoff hitter who’s speedy and puts the ball in play at a high level,” Wood said. “His strengths are hitting and athleticism. He’s a great athlete. He can make all the throws and out-athlete just about anybody on the field.”
Leave a Reply