With the regular season nearing its end, senior designated hitter Colton Davis wanted to make a grand closing statement, especially while playing in his final home game for Shepard.
It gave him the perfect chance to sum up his high school career in one day.
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”I just try to do my best every time I go up there,” Davis said. “I’m not trying to hit home runs.
“I just do what I do best — hitting that ball right up the middle and starting the momentum.”
Davis got the momentum in high gear Tuesday afternoon, driving in four runs to spark the host Astros to a 14-7 South Suburban Red victory over Evergreen Park in Palos Heights.
Sophomore outfielder Ashton Hite added a three-run double and senior shortstop Cory Sheppard tallied two RBIs for Shepard (12-19, 9-9).
Junior infielder Noah Munoz produced a two-run homer and an RBI double for Evergreen Park (20-12, 13-5). Sophomore catcher Jake Bishop also went 2-for-4 and drove in two runs.
Davis, meanwhile, finished 2-for-4 and delivered a two-run double in the first inning. He also drilled a two-run single in the bottom of the fifth for the go-ahead run.
“As soon as he got runners on base in the first inning, Colton hit that ball hard and that set the tone for the rest of the game,” Sheppard said. “He’s so quick.
“He has that great left-handed bat and can put the ball anywhere, left field, right or center.”
Hite confirmed Davis has brought stability and leadership to the rest of the team.
“Colton’s a great guy, super funny, super nice,” Hite said. “He works with everyone, no matter who they are. Sometimes, I need a ride to practice and he picks me up. He’s a great teammate.”
Simplicity and directness are keys to Davis’ game.
”I knew I needed to come together for my team,” he said. “It was really important to set the right tone. I rarely strike out. I’m very much a singles or doubles guy who puts the ball in play.”
The moment crystallized the sacrifices he made to get to this point. He played midfielder in soccer his first three years at Shepard, giving up that sport as a senior to concentrate on baseball.
A freak injury last summer required him to stop playing catcher and move full time to DH.
“I got hit around my arm and the nerves never healed,” he said. “I wish I were out there with teammates. Now that I’m a senior, I’m able to pick up my teammates and have a big influence.
“I’m able to hype everybody up and pick them up when they’re down.”
His soccer background was the perfect backdrop for developing balance, speed and explosion. He combines excellent size with speed and quickness, and hitting left-handed hitter has advantages.
”I think left-handers have a sweeter and more natural swing than right-handed hitters,” Davis said. “I also think I’m just quicker out of the box.”
His father was the earliest influence who shaped his love of the game. Davis also was the type of kid who rarely stayed still.
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“I remember when I was very young, I was swinging a lightsaber like a baseball bat and hit something in the living room,” he said. “At that moment, my mom told me she was signing me up for baseball.”
While his future in the sport is open and uncertain, Davis pointed out that his time at Shepard has meant the world to him.
“I want to make my parents proud, my friends, and most importantly, myself,” he said. “I think everyone should believe in themselves. That should be the reason they come out to play.”
Patrick Z. McGavin is a freelance reporter for the Daily Southtown.