SV's Davies riding high
JACKSON TWP — Her softball talent is taking Lauren Davies places.
The senior outfielder at Seneca Valley High, who recently signed to play at Division I Rider University, was one of 60 players from the United States and Canada chosen to compete in the World Cup of Softball, to be held today through Saturday in Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
“There wasn't an actual tryout for the World Cup,” said Davies, 17, of Seven Fields. “I was asked to play after my performance at the Queen of Diamonds Showcase over a year ago.
“I didn't think they would ask me to play in it and was really excited when they did,” she added. “I want to see what I can learn from the international players.”
Receiving a scholarship from a Division I school and an invitation to compete on a world stage isn't bad for a player who didn't start playing until she was 12.
“I know that a lot of players don't get the opportunities that I've gotten,” said Davies. “Everything that's going on, it probably won't hit me for a while.”
Davies will be in her third year as a starter for SV this spring.
“Lauren is solid in the field and she has a really strong arm,” said Seneca Valley coach George Trew. “As a hitter, she is able to stay focused in the box and takes the pitch where it is thrown.”
A big reason for Davies' development has been her involvement with the Pittsburgh Power program.
“We've played very good teams from the Pittsburgh area, Philadelphia, New Jersey, Florida,” said Davies. “It helped me with the recruiting process because I got a lot of exposure and played against some great competition.”
Last season, Davies batted .305 for the Power.
“A lot of Division III schools were interested in me, but I wanted the challenge of playing Division I softball for the next four years,” said Davies.
Enter Rider, a New Jersey school that competes in the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference.
The Broncs went 16-31-1 last season, but the program has won 346 games in 16 seasons under head coach Tricia Carroll, who couldn't be reached for comment.
“I've always been good at hitting,” said Davies, who will major in business administration. “And I love contributing to a team.”
