Escambia softball's longtime head coach Mike Davis wins 500th career game

Typically after a softball game, players will meet their coach in the outfield after shaking hands with the other team.

The coach will huddle their players up, say what went right or wrong – especially dependent on how the game went – and then go over some housekeeping things such as the next practice, or who the next opponent is on the team's schedule.

But Friday wasn't typical for the Escambia softball team.

As soon as the Gators shook hands with Booker T. Washington, the squad immediately ran to the dugout and grabbed a few things. Longtime Escambia head coach Mike Davis, standing at second base to briefly speak with Booker T.'s head coach, was met by a shower of silly string and confetti instead of the normal postgame meeting.

Davis, with the Gators' 13-3 mercy-rule win over the Wildcats, won his 500th career game. The team had a banner ready to go, and posed for plenty of pictures afterward.

“No water. I stayed dry. They were smart. It’s not cold or anything, but I’m glad they didn’t go for the water," Davis said after the game. "I would’ve never thought about silly string, but that’s high school girls and their planning.”

All of his wins have been at Escambia, where he's coached since the 1990s. He's currently in the middle of his 33rd season with the Gators.

"It just tells you a lot about this place and the people that have been here. I haven’t wanted to leave. I’ve been through many things around here. I’ve coached other sports at Escambia. Now I’m doing all girls sports. I enjoy it. I really do," said Davis, who graduated from Escambia in 1987. "I enjoy this team that I’ve got this year. I like coming out to practice every day, just because of those kinds of things.”

Davis' 500th win came rather quickly in the run-rule win, propelled by a seven-run second inning. The game ended after five innings with the 10-run advantage.

Davis also noted some connections between his first game at Escambia, and now win No. 500. The Gators' winning pitcher on Friday, Abbie Freeman's – who struck out 11 batters in five innings in the win, while also tacking on two hits with a triple, and two RBIs and two runs – mother was part of Davis' first game as head coach.

“It’s crazy. That’s what this place is about. It’s about connections. There’s a lot of people here tonight that I hadn’t seen in awhile. I guess they just show up for this," Davis said. "I know I’ve been here a long time. I’ve got parents and kids and all that kinds of stuff. ... It’s special because I get the same people through and the same families coming through. It’s Escambia. I like Escambia.”

This article originally appeared on Pensacola News Journal: Escambia softball coach Mike Davis wins 500th career game with Gators

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Escambia softball's longtime head coach Mike Davis wins 500th career game

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