Davis, the Cardinals’ first-round pick in the 2023 MLB Draft, hit a single into the gap between left and center field that scored Noah Mendlinger from third base with one out in the second inning. Stepping to the plate as the leadoff hitter of the eighth inning, Davis pulled an 0-2 changeup to right field and hit a massive 403-foot solo home run that cleared the right field wall and landed on the concourse at Dickey-Stephens Park in North Little Rock, Arkansas.

Davis’ home run gave Springfield a win that gave it a 1-0 lead over Arkansas. Springfield can clinch a series victory on Thursday when the best-of-three series moves to Hammons Field in Springfield, Missouri, for Game 2. A win in Game 2 would put the S-Cards in the Texas League Championship Series.

In addition to Davis’ home run, Springfield got RBI hits from Bryan Torres, who brought Davis home in the second inning, and Matt Lloyd, who led off with a home run in the ninth inning and contributed three total hits in the win. Springfield starter Brandon Komar allowed one run in six innings and struck out seven batters.

Davis’ solo home run was his 13th home run this year in the regular season and postseason. The 22-year-old outfielder hit 12 home runs in 112 games in three minor league baseball leagues — eight of them in Class Low-A Palm Beach. Davis hit three home runs and had a .301 batting average in 30 games for Class High-A Peoria before being promoted to Springfield on Sept. 6.

In eight games before the postseason began on Tuesday, the left-hander had a total of seven hits in 28 at-bats with a batting average of .250 and hit one home run.

A four-run fifth inning, capped by a three-run homer from 2024 draftee Josh Kross, catapulted Class Low-A Palm Beach to a Game 2 victory over Lakeland, evening the Florida State League Division Series against the Tigers’ Class Low-A affiliate.

With the home win in Game 2, Palm Beach and Lakeland now face a decisive third game on Wednesday at Roger Dean Stadium in Jupiter, Florida.

Palm Beach trailed 3-2 to Lakeland early in the fifth inning after Palm Beach starter Jose Davila allowed a run on a wild pitch. A two-out RBI single by 2024 draft pick Bryce Madron brought home Lizandro Espinoza and tied the game at 3-3.

Madron’s two-out hit was followed by a walk by 2024 first-round pick JJ Wetherholt. The first-round draftee managed two walks and went hitless in the win.

After working his way to a full count, Kross gave Palm Beach the biggest hit of the second game when he sent a slider deep and wide to left-center field for a 392-foot home run that scored three runs.

Kross’ home run was his first in minor league baseball. Kross, a 21-year-old switch-hitter first baseman selected in the sixth round of this year’s MLB draft, had not hit a home run in 23 regular-season games and appeared in the first three postseason games for Palm Beach.