After a 24-28 season last year, the Davidson baseball team returned with a vengeance, ready to take the Atlantic 10 (A-10) by storm. The Wildcats began their season hosting Bryant University in a three-game series, ending in one win, one loss and one cancelled game due to poor field conditions. The series provided a glimpse into what to expect from the Davidson baseball team this season. “We pitched really well. We had clutch contributions from a variety of individuals,” said Head Coach Rucker Taylor, who is entering his seventh season leading the team. “I didn’t think we played great defense and we struck out too much offensively with runners on. We need to get better in those areas.” Taylor’s critique of the team’s performance against Bryant is evidence of the lofty expectations he has placed on them.
Shortstop Eli Putnam ‘25 expressed his excitement over the team’s start. “We have a really, really good offense this year, and it hasn’t quite clicked yet but I think without a doubt that will come with time.” Putnam takes the season game by game. “The areas where we were concerned have been better than expected and the areas that we were expecting to be really good have been worse than expected,” he said. As one of four captains, alongside Wilson Perkins ‘26, Landon Reeves ‘25 and Matt Weber ‘25, Putnam recognizes that the title is both a call to responsibility and a celebration of past efforts.
Weber echoed Putnam’s sentiments about their role. “Don’t try to become this person that you aren’t,” Weber said. Weber looks forward to helping the team in any way he can and seeing the ways the team adapts to challenges off the field and in the classroom.
“Being challenged in all facets at Davidson is something special,” Weber stated.
“It’s just getting in the ebbs and flows of baseball. Hitting and pitching are both going to come together later in the season,” Perkins, one of the ‘Cats’ pitchers, stated when reflecting on the two-game series against Bryant. “There’s no better group than what we have this year.” Perkins looks to replicate and grow from his performance last season. “I feel like this year is a good opportunity for me to really show what I’ve developed thus far.”
For first baseman Reeves, this season is about leading however he can, with the ultimate goal of winning games. Reeves expressed his optimism with the team’s pitching so far. “The most exciting thing so far has been our starting pitching and how much they’ve done. [They’re] putting us in good positions to win games and giving us good starts.” Regarding the lineup, Reeves expressed his excitement about the younger guys mixing in, giving credit to freshmen catcher Will Brooks ‘28 and outfielder Jamie Daly ‘28.
Taylor shared a similar sentiment, reinforcing that neither coaches nor the players are worried about their freshmen class. “We’ll have some new guys contribute immediately […] and we’ll have some that can use this year to prepare for bigger roles later in the season or next year.”
The more experienced players expressed their desire to help their younger teammates learn the game through experiences both in practice and in game. “There are able to be some younger guys that are actually leading at times, and that’s big when you’re trying to be a good team, to have guys that aren’t afraid and want to compete and win games,” Putnam stated, satisfied with the younger players’ performances and excited for them to flourish into well-rounded baseball players.
Under the leadership of Taylor and the four captains, the team is ready to flourish. “Our leadership this year has been tremendous. The group has taken ownership of this team, and [it] has been fulfilling to see growth from so many as a result,“ Taylor said.
Since the series tie against Bryant, the baseball team has lost a game to both Gardner-Webb University and Wofford College, lost a three-game series against Bucknell University 1-2 and won a three-game series against Lafayette College 2-1. On March 4, Davidson lost a game on the road against the University of South Carolina. The team heads into a three-game series against Clemson University 4-7 overall. The coaches and players work game by game—no opponent more important than another. As Perkins said, “the most important game is the next one or the one you’re currently playing.”
