The Wolfpacker

66 ■ THE WOLFPACKER Of course, she can recall it without a problem. "It was in the tournament in Kentucky because I had dove into third base at one of the games and hurt my finger," she said. "The next game I couldn't even hold a bat, so I sat that one game. "I was not happy about sitting, but when half of your hand isn't functioning, you can't do much about it." The shortstop takes great pride in her streak, and Rychcik has been able to count on Davis since he first took the helm before the team's ACC championship campaign in 2013. He noted that one of the first things that stood about Davis was her work ethic, and he continues to be impressed. "I've been playing softball since I was 4 years old," Davis explained. "It's my life, so taking days off isn't an option because that's another day that somebody is getting better than me. "If I can be out on the field practicing, I'm going to be there. I love practice, I love being on the field, I love hitting, I love tak- ing ground balls. It's like my peace times — it's what I can do without having to worry about anything else." Davis has not only been a mainstay in the Pack's lineup, but also among the ACC's award winners, as well as the school record books. In addition to being named ACC Rookie of the Year in 2012, she set program standards for batting average, with a clip that ranked second in the league, and on- base percentage. Last year, she earned a spot on the All- ACC first team, as well as the league's all- tournament squad. She started all 56 games in the Pack's historic campaign and led the ACC with a school-record .768 slugging percentage. She also shattered the previ- ous NCSU mark of 14 home runs with 26, which ranked third nationally, and her 146 total bases were another record for the Pack. Rychcik noted there was no major swing overhaul that led to the power increase; there was just some fine-tuning of an al- ready impressive hitter with great strength and an even better work ethic. "I'm not a big believer in changing a person's swing — she had already hit over .300 her freshman year, so I wasn't about to change that," he said. "We changed a little bit of the weight in her stance and got her behind the ball a little more, which got a little more lift in her swing. "She already had plenty of power, so we didn't have to worry about generating speed or power from her." After Davis' offensive outburst last year, she is now the first line of every opponent's scouting report. They handle her with great care and offer few hittable pitches. It was something the coach warned his star athlete about before the season began. Davis admits that as a freshman she did not have the same patience that she must show now, but that's part of maturing ac- cording to Rychcik. As a rookie, she hit .362 with five home runs, and last year she hit .305 with the 26 round-trippers. Through 47 games this year, she had blended the consistency and power to the tune of a career-best .364 average, which SETTING THE TONE Shortstop Renada Davis Is The Pack's Leader In The Leadoff Spot Through 47 games this year, Davis had posted a career-best .364 average, which ranked ninth in the ACC, and hit 16 homers, which was tied for second in the league and 12th nationally. PHOTO BY LARRY BLANKENSHIP BY RYAN TICE W hen NC State softball head coach Shawn Rychcik fills out his lineup card every game, there are two constants — junior Renada Davis will play shortstop and hit leadoff. "I just have to fill in the eight other spots," he said. "Every day, she's going to be out there. She doesn't need days off, and she doesn't take days off. "Batting in the leadoff spot, she sets the tone for the team, and that's kind of her leadership role." Davis has started all 156 games she has appeared in at shortstop and missed just one during her Wolfpack career, which came after an injury her freshman year. 66-67.Softball.indd 66 4/29/14 12:33 PM

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