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Tyler Davis finding his confidence and becoming important piece to Diamond Dawg bullpen

3rupauk8_400x400by: Robbie Faulk03/07/24RobbieFaulkOn3

Following a disappointing 2022 season, Chris Lemonis and his staff set out to find some players that could help them win ball games last year and fix some issues on the mound.

Those issues weren’t fixed so easily for Mississippi State. In fact, the troubles were compounded and spiraled to the point that Lemonis would move on from pitching coach Scott Foxhall.

One of the players that Lemonis and Foxhall were excited to get on the mound last season was LHP Tyler Davis. The Virginia Commonwealth transfer had a solid career at his previous stop but, like many Bulldog hurlers last season, it didn’t translate last season.

Davis pitched in 14 games but could never find his confidence in what led to a 9.13 ERA in 22.2 innings with 31 hits, 26 runs, 21 walks and 21 strikeouts. Lemonis never lost faith in Davis and new pitching coach Justin Parker is now helping bring his swagger back.

“Coach Parker came in here and has done a really good job with us. He reeks of confidence and that’s where ours comes from,” Davis said. “Just being able to be trusted by the other guys is a big part.

“I developed a little different arsenal. I worked on things here and there but in all it was go out there and be yourself. Do what you do.”

In 14 appearances last season, Davis walked at least one batter 13 times. He gave up at least a run in eight of the 14 appearances. This season, Davis is becoming one of the more trusted members of the bullpen. He’s thrown in six appearances through 13 games with a 1-0 mark, 3.00 ERA, 6.0 IP, eight hits, two runs, two walks and nine strikeouts.

His work on Tuesday night against Southern Miss was some of his best as a Bulldog. Davis came in with a 5-4 lead and he held it as he pitched 2.0 perfect innings with two strikeouts. His coach never had a doubt he would get it done.

“I think TD is just a little more confidence,” Lemonis said of Davis. “He lost confidence last year and fell behind. Now, you’re seeing a kid where… those 2.0 innings tonight was dominant. The SEC is lefthanded hitters everywhere and our lefties have to help us out of those jams.”

Davis isn’t the only one that’s begun to find himself again under Parker. The Diamond Dawgs have had several players that have found confidence in themselves after waiting for something to go wrong the last two years.

State’s bullpen as a whole pitched a gem of a ball game on Tuesday against the Golden Eagles as they inherited a 4-0 deficit and threw 8.0 scoreless innings with three hits, one walk and eight strikeouts. The team has walked just 38 batters through 13 innings this year and has struck out 153 batters as they’ve already made a major jump from being the worst pitching staff in the league a year ago.

If it keeps up, Davis and the State pitching staff is going to help turn things around in Starkville.

“We trust everybody in the bullpen. We trust our starters. Karson (Ligon) has really good stuff. He might not have had it (Tuesday), but it’s the next-guy-up mentality. We knew it was going to be a bullpen game and we came out there and dominated.

“You know you’re going to get in. You don’t know when you’re going to get in, but you’ve got to stay locked in. I thought we did an unbelievable job. You can name off everybody and everybody did their part. It was just a big win not only for the pitchers but this team.”

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