“Second base is an open competition between juco transfer Jared Davis (who started the Liberty game) and returning sophomore Ethan Gibson, who played served as a utilityman last year. Davis looks like the front-runner; he hit in the 2-hole vs. the Flames and showed off a quick line-drive swing from the right side, barreling up a couple of singles to center. A compact 5-foot-9 athlete, Davis is also the best runner on the roster, capable of running the 60-yard dash in 6.5 or 6.6 seconds, Szefc said. Freshman Ryder Kirtley could also factor into the middle infield mix; Szefc calls him “uber-talented” but said he just has to get a feel for the speed of the college game and the caliber of pitchers he’ll face. Like French, Kirtley looks like a key building block for the future.”