As we get ready to launch our updated 2017 Hot 100 list this week, FloSoftball continues spotlighting top candidates with a great chance to make the list.

Today we learn more about a talented infielder who also can pitch as shown this season with a five-inning run rule perfect game and a 3-2 win this week against the FAB 50 High School rankings top team, Los Alamitos (Calif.).

That player is Ivy Davis, a middle infielder/pitcher who committed to the Univ. of Arizona as a freshman and is having a strong season at Huntington Beach (Calif.) High, just a few miles from the Pacific Ocean.

Ivy plays second base for her high school team and her club squad, Firecrackers-Rico, after lining up at shortstop for her 14U and 12U teams. Prior to that, the So Cal star, who hits from both sides was coached by her father Eric from 6U through 14U.

Says her dad and former coach, “I would say Ivy’s biggest strengths are her game IQ and competitiveness to go with her athleticism.”

Here’s a closer look at this fast-rising national talent:

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Tell us about your softball background, you're a middle infielder who pitches so did you start off in the circle?
I pitched from when I was eight to when I was about 13. I had always thought that I was going to go to college for pitching and hoped to be in the circle in the College World Series, but that dream kind of went away once I started getting more work in in the middle infield. I really did not know if I was going to pitch at all in high school and I didn't have to in the past because we have had strong pitching, but it has been nice to be able to contribute to our team's season by getting back in the circle.

Will you pitch at all at Arizona or this is just for high school?
I never really planned on pitching at Arizona and the coaches have not talked to me about being in that position. I enjoy pitching for the high school team and it's a lot of fun to play with this group of girls, but I think in the future I will be more focused on playing middle infield.

Do you work on your pitching a lot or are you focusing on your fielding and hitting primarily?
I try to work on pitching three or four days a week because I know that it is one way that I can contribute to the team's success. Whether it's a light bullpen or live situations, we use pitching work often to really nail down our goals and skills. I like being able to work on pitching along with fielding and hitting because it gives me a chance to play from multiple perspectives on the field rather than just one.

Speaking of Arizona, you committed your freshman year so you must have done a lot of recruiting work early! Walk us through the process and how you came to commit to the Cats?
The recruiting process is tough. I started seriously looking at colleges around eighth grade. I had always been one to sort of follow the bandwagons, I guess, with the big schools that were always winning and getting publicity. In eighth grade I did a few OnDeck Softball camps and those were a major part of my recruitment process simply due to the fact that dozens of college coaches could watch all in one place at the same time. After the camps and the summer travel ball season, I started getting noticed by some schools and it all seemed so surreal. By the beginning of freshman year, I started to narrow down my list of schools and visited my top three. Arizona was a major interest of mine after growing up idolizing Jennie Finch and watching Coach (Mike) Candrea with Team USA. When I stepped foot on the campus, I fell even more in love. I did a camp at Arizona and I think that it was all just too perfect. The weather, the school, and especially the players and coaching staff got me hooked on being a Wildcat. I have never felt more confident with a decision in my life than taking the opportunity to play for the University of Arizona.

Do you go to Tucson now and then to visit with the coaches and players?
I have gone back to Tucson and done the softball camp twice since I committed. I would really like to get a chance to go out there just to watch the team play now!

You're known as a gifted athletic player...what would you say your strengths are as a player?
I would say that my knowledge of the game has been my biggest strength. I grew up in a baseball family and with an older brother that plays collegiate baseball now and there has been a baseball game or MLB Network playing on my TV ever since I can remember. The greatest influence on my style of play has definitely been major league baseball players, and even now I still find myself modeling my actions after baseball players, whether they be professionals or even people I see playing with my brother.

And what are some areas you want to improve before heading to the Pac-12?
I know that I can definitely improve both my batting and fielding. The Pac-12 is an extremely competitive conference and I need to be at the top of my game. I hope to improve my hitting from both the left and right sides and I know that there is a lot of room for improvement in my fielding, but I'm looking forward to seeing how this next year and the beginning of my college career change my abilities for the better.

What has been your favorite softball experience so far?
I think that high school softball is definitely one of my favorite experiences so far. We have such an amazing group of girls that are so talented and fun to be around. I think being friends with these girls at school, outside of a softball setting, and then getting to be on the field with them every day makes the experience even better.

What's something unusual or different about you that few people know?
Something not a lot of people know about me is that I have been training in Muay Thai for a while now and am working towards getting my first belt. I don't have a lot of time to work on this during season, but it is a goal of mine to accomplish as soon as I have more free time.

If you were at a party and somebody asked you to sing, dance or tell a joke in front of the crowd, what would you feel more comfortable with?
I would definitely be most comfortable with dancing. I'm always dancing around the softball field at practice and before games, so I would probably be dancing around the party before I even got asked!

Favorite food/meal:
Pasta. Angel hair pasta with butter or meat sauce has always been my go-to.

Favorite item you own:
I would have to say my blanket. I think that when I have it I can fall asleep pretty much anywhere and I really look forward to seeing it every night when I come home from practice.

Thing you won't be caught dead doing...
Chewing gum. I don't know why, but I have never liked it and just won't do it.

Favorite and least favorite characteristic in a person...
A good sense of humor is the best quality I think a person can have. People who make others laugh are so enjoyable to be around. My least favorite characteristic is dishonesty because I really believe that it is better to be straight-up with people all of the time, rather than causing problems with lies.

Any superstitions or rituals you have to do on the field?
I used to be insanely superstitious, but I guess I grew out of that and now I just kind of go with the flow and play every game as it comes.

Best advice you've been given…
Slow down. Being told this over and over again has finally impacted me and calmed me down, which I think has helped me a lot as the game speeds up and gets more competitive.

Other than family, who's your role model/hero or someone you greatly admire?
Derek Jeter is one of my hugest role models. Like I said, baseball players have greatly influenced my style of play and since I'm a middle infielder, Jeter is someone I have been able to look up to for my whole life. Not only the way he played and all of his accomplishments, but the way he carried himself and made a name as a respectable player has always stood out to me as a goal to reach.

What do you think you'll study at Arizona?
I have no idea. There are so many subjects that I haven't been introduced to yet, but I think that I would enjoy either something in the field of physiology/kinesiology or English Language and try to become a teacher of some sort.

Where would you like to be in life in 10 years?
Hopefully traveling. After college, I want to gain as many life experiences as I can before settling down in one single place. If I could find a job that allows me to travel all over the world, I would be living a dream.

If you have the power to make one change in softball, what would it be to improve the game?
I would put softball back in the Olympics. I think that doing that would give the sport more international recognition and would also increase the competition of the game, all while allowing players to see the different play styles that are practiced all over the world.

Finally, describe yourself in one word on the field... and off the field:
On the field: competitive. Off the field: mellow.

Photos by Terry Jack