The Wolfpacker: An Independent Magazine Covering NC State Sports
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"It was really frustrating because I have always played a million miles an hour," Davis said. "We did the same drill the next day and I could see everything so much clearer. "I was like, 'Oh, this makes sense.'" After committing an ACC-high 20 errors at short as a freshman, Davis went the first 21 games of the 2013 season without a miscue. She had only six in the entire regular season. "She was just playing so fast, rushing around everywhere and not taking her time," Rychcik said. "We just got her to slow down, take her time and see how things developed. She's definitely improved there." She's still quick out of the gates, though. Five times this season Davis has led off a game with a homer, developing into NC State's very own Rickey Henderson, who hit more homers (81) to start a game than any player in Major League Baseball history. "It's definitely a big boost when that happens," Davis said. "To walk out there and immediately shut the pitcher down in the first at-bat is a great feeling, not only for me, but for my teammates. They immediately know this pitcher is hittable. "Whenever it happens, I cross the plate thinking, 'We're taking this game.'" The Pack has won four of the five games in which Davis has led off with a homer. She has also hit multiple homers in four different games, against Troy, No. 10 Texas, Virginia and Boston College. And, in the final game of the regular season, Davis hit her first career grand slam, one of a record-shattering seven the Wolfpack offense has belted this season. That's more than double the previous school record of three in 2005. Davis insists she doesn't go to the plate swinging for the fences. "Most of her home runs are line drives that just keep going," Rychcik said. "We've talked to her and all of our players about hitting through the ball, driving it without getting it up in the air." For the most part, Davis doesn't dwell on her homers. She's hit so many this year, they have become nearly routine. "I don't hold on to them," Davis said. "If you truly 'leave it all on the field,' you have to let them go and move on to the next game." For the most part, she's done that this year — except for a truly special one in the Wolfpack's last home game of the season. State was hosting rival North Carolina in the final contest in a three-game series. The teams split Saturday's doubleheader, with the Heels winning the first on an unearned run in the seventh inning and the Pack winning the second on senior Caitlin Dent's walk-off three-run homer in the bottom of the eighth. Sunday's final game was a pitcher's duel between State sophomore Emily Weiman and North Carolina junior Lori Spingola. When Weiman gave up a solo homer in the top of the sixth, Rychcik told her not to worry, they'd get the run back. In the bottom half of the seventh, freshman Lana Van Dyken opened with a double. Catcher Kirsty Grant followed with an infield single, putting runners on second and third with no outs. Rychcik told Davis to go after the first pitch like it was a hit and run, and she went into the box swinging away. She immediately slapped Spingola's offering into the net over the left field wall for her first career walk-off homer, giving the Pack the series win against the Heels. "I'll definitely always remember that one," Davis said. "Definitely." ■ With A Strong Finish, The Wolfpack Easily Surpassed Early Expectations same day. She first did it on March 3 against Kansas Under first-year coach Shawn Rychcik, NC State and North Carolina A&T in the Wolfpack Chalsoftball has put up some incredible numbers this lenge and then again in a doubleheader sweep of season, and the team ended its regular season in Boston College on April 27. second place in the ACC standings. • Senior outfielder Caitlin Dent hit six home Heading into the ACC Tournament May 9-11 in runs in four days, matching Albertson's feat of Tallahassee, Fla., the Wolfpack had hit an astoundfour homers in a day in a doubleheader against ing 83 home runs, smashing the previous school Campbell and then hitting two more against North record of 66 set in 2007 and easily leading the Carolina three days later. ACC. • After losing the first game on an unearned run The Pack, picked to finish sixth in a preseason in the seventh inning, the Pack won the season poll of coaches, has far exceeded expectations, series against No. 24 North Carolina in dramatic even of Rychcik, who inherited a team that was fashion, with a pair of walk-off home runs. Dent 23‑31 overall and 5-15 in league play last season. hit the first in the bottom of the eighth on Senior On March 29, after losing its first two games at Day, and sophomore shortstop Renada Davis hit Georgia Tech, the Pack was 14-16 overall and 3‑5 the second in the bottom of the seventh. in the ACC. • The Pack has hit seven grand slams this season, After that, it won 16 of its final 18 regular-season more than doubling the previous school record contests, including nine in a row down the stretch. of three, set in 2005. Dent and Albertson have hit Here are just a few of the accomplishments of two each, while Davis, freshman designated player Rychcik's initial team: Hanna Sommer and junior catcher Kirsty Grant • On a trip to Fullerton, Calif., for the Judi Garhave hit one each. min Invitational, the Wolfpack played No. 1 Okla• Four different players have hit double-digit homa, No. 10 Texas and No. 15 Michigan. Even homers for the Wolfpack, the most in school histhough it lost all five games in the tournament, the Pack had the tying or go-ahead run at the plate in In his first year guiding the Wolfpack, head coach Shawn tory: Davis (24), Dent (13), Albertson (12) and each game against top-notch teams. Rychcik be- Rychcik led the team to a regular-season record of Sommer (10). • The Pack ended its regular season by hitting lieves that instilled confidence in his team heading 30‑18‑1, with NC State winning 16 of its final 18, includ19 home runs in a three-game sweep at Boston into the rest of ACC play.The Pack is 5-7 this year ing nine in a row down the stretch. photo courtesy nc state media relations College. In the Saturday doubleheader, the Pack against ranked teams. opened by matching its own ACC record of seven homers, set against North Carolina • In a doubleheader sweep of then-No. 19 Virginia Tech, the Pack run-ruled a ranked A&T earlier this season, then broke it with eight home runs in the second game for a team for the first time in the program's 10-year history. total of 15 on the day. The only better day in NCAA history was Texas-San Antonio's • Sophomore pitcher Emily Weiman posted six shutouts, including her first career 16 home runs on April 1, 2004, in a doubleheader against Texas Southern. no-hitter, among her school-record 28 wins. She broke the mark set by former ACC • Eight home runs in a single game ranks fourth in NCAA history. Pitcher of the Year Abbie Sims in 2007. — Tim Peeler • Twice this season, junior outfielder Scout Albertson hit four home runs on the 62 ■ the wolfpacker 60-62.Softball.indd 62 4/30/13 2:49 PM