Davis' Career Coming Full Circle
May 29, 2024 | Baseball
STARKVILLE – On June 4, 2021, Tyler Davis toed the rubber at Dudy Noble Field for the first time.
Davis, then a freshman at VCU, pitched two innings of relief against Campbell during the Starkville Regional that season. Little did he know at the time, but those two outings that weekend would be far from his last time on that particular mound.
The southpaw spent one more year pitching for the Rams before entering the transfer portal and eventually landing at Mississippi State, a spot that left such a positive impression on him as an opposing player.
"That was my decision, it was clear cut," Davis said. "As soon as I played in that regional, I remember telling myself how special it would be to play there. Going into the transfer portal, I had no idea what I was going to get or what options I would have. I knew after a week of being in the transfer portal, my home was calling me to come down South."
Davis is one of only a select few that has experience in both dugouts at Dudy Noble Field. He remembers feeling a little overwhelmed when he suited up for the Diamond Dawgs for the first time in the 2023 season opener and seeing the sea of Maroon and White clad supporters the program has.
"It's just a surreal experience, especially the first time you walk out of the hitting tunnel to the dugout and see 15,000 people cheering for you," Davis said. "That's a big part. Being in the opposing dugout, it's really nerve-wracking honestly. But having been on both sides, I can tell you that this side is way more fun."
However, Davis' introductory season at MSU was far from fun and didn't go the way that either parties planned. The three-time Atlantic 10 champion and A10 All-Rookie selection made 14 appearances out of the bullpen for the Bulldogs in 2023 but saw his ERA inflate to 9.13 while walking just as many batters (21) as he struck out (21) across 22 2/3 innings.
"My first two years, I had some success at a mid-major level," Davis said. "Coming here, I thought everything was going to be sunshine and rainbows. That got shot down real quick and I got humbled a little bit. But without that experience, I don't think I'd be having the year that I'm having so far."
Davis was determined to turn things around for his senior campaign. That motivation, along with tutelage from new pitching coach Justin Parker, proved to be the right recipe for success. Davis and Parker adjusted some of his mechanics back to what allowed him to rack up 13 wins and five saves during his time at VCU.
"We've been on the same page since Day 1," Davis said of his time working with Parker. "We've also tweaked some of my mechanics to back to where they were before last season and that's been huge."
With his delivery kinks ironed back out, Davis' three-pitch arsenal consisting of a four-seam fastball, slider and change-up have been nearly unhittable this spring. He is currently 5-1 with a 1.35 ERA and five saves and has fanned 40 in 33 1/3 innings while opposing hitters batting only .190 off him.
"Honestly, it was just trusting and believing in myself and knowing what I've done got me to this stage," Davis said. "I've had success in the past and just went back to it, believed in it, had confidence in it and trusted coach Parker."
His head coach, Chris Lemonis, agreed that Davis' bounce-back year has just as much to do with his mentality as it does with his mechanics.
"Sometimes confidence goes a long way in this game," Lemonis said. "His confidence built up as the season went on and he's been really good for us."
Davis has held down just about every job there is to do on a pitching staff during his college career. He's been a starter, long-reliever, a lefty specialist and even closed out some games earlier on his career at VCU.
The 6-foot-2, 210-pounder from Newport News, Virginia began this season trying to earn innings however he could out of the Bulldogs' bullpen. He surrendered just two runs through his first 10 appearances and assumed the closer's job by late April, earning all five of his saves in a span of 29 days.
"That's my dream role and has been my goal," Davis said. "I did it at VCU. I've kind of done all the roles at the D-I level, but my heart's always been in that closing role. I came here trying to get that role and to finally get it and being pretty dominant in that role has been a lot of fun."
Davis earned his undergraduate degree in psychology last year and will finish up his master's in leadership this summer and wants to get into college coaching whenever he hangs up his spikes.
But there's still some unfinished business for Davis and his teammates before his time at State runs out and he moves on to the next stage of life. He and the Diamond Dawgs are heading to Virginia this weekend to compete in the NCAA Charlottesville Regional to start chasing another championship.
"The first two times I made the postseason came off of winning championships," Davis said. "Obviously, this time we've yet to win a championship so I feel like there's still work to be done and a championship to be won before the season is over with."
