Betts: Davalan helps driving Razorbacks' bus ... all the way to Omaha

ABC grad OF Charles Davalan (St-Bruno-De-Montarville, Que.) has been a force for the Arkansas Razorbacks. Photo: Arkansas Athletics

June 11, 2025

Davalan driving Arkansas offence all the way to Omaha

By Matt Betts

Canadian Baseball Network

The good folks at MLB Pipeline website have written Tennessee Volunteers left-hander Liam Doyle’s fastball “has been the most untouchable heater in college baseball this year.”

Apparently no one told Arkansas Razorbacks outfielder Charles Davalan.

Davalan (St-Bruno-De-Montarville, Que.) knew he would see that fastball when he headed to the plate after a leadoff walk in the top of the third in Game 2 of the Razorbacks Super Regional against the Volunteers on Sunday.

Doyle, who some have pegged going as high as No. 2 in the draft of collegians and high schoolers next month, delivered it after falling behind 2-0. Davalan turned it around off the side of the Razorbacks indoor facility beyond the right-field wall for a 2-0 lead.

The homer wasn’t the knockout blow but it was a gut punch that sparked an 11-4 win and series sweep.

“We were facing a great pitcher, a pitcher that pitches with a lot of emotion,” Davalan said. “He walked the hitter in front of me and then they took a mound visit. I knew I was going to get a heater in that 2-0 count.”

Davalan returned the emotion, pumping his fists in the air as he rounded first base, sending the 10,273 at Baum-Walker Stadium into a frenzy.

The win booked the Razorbacks ticket to their 12th College World Series in program history, which they will begin Saturday night against Southeastern Conference rival LSU at Charles Schwab Field.

Davalan’s path to Arkansas and now Omaha made a pit stop at Florida Gulf Coast University out of high school. During his lone season in Fort Myers, Fla. he hit .290 with 10 home runs in 56 games as a freshman.

It was a glimpse of what he knew he was capable of and wanting to play against the top competition he could, he decided to gamble and enter the transfer portal.

Arkansas Razorbacks outfielder Charles Davalan (St-Bruno-De-Montarville, Que.) slides safely into home in a game against Vanderbilt. Photo: Andrew Nelles, The Tennessean

That’s when Arkansas came calling.

“I wanted to play against the best,” Davalan said. “I’m a big believer when you surround yourself with better players and better competition, it brings out the best. I wanted to go to a school where I knew there would be competition for a spot. It keeps you on your toes to get better.”

Hogs head coach Dave Van Horn knows a thing or two about finding Canadians to help his teams.

During his time with the University of Nebraska Cornhuskers, outfielder Adam Stern (London, Ont.) and infielder John Cole (Kanata, Ont.) helped Van Horn’s Huskers to the 2001 College World Series.

While they went 0-2, losing to Cal State Fullerton and Tulane, Cole led the team by hitting .444 with a pair of home runs.

Now it’s Davalan’s turn to try and deliver Van Horn his first national championship. He’s been producing in big moments all season long. In 61 games, he’s second on the team with a .355 average. He’s also swatted 14 home runs and posted a 1.030 OPS.

The former Académie de Baseball du Québec standout credits the coaching staff for much of his success and for creating a culture of winning.

“What a lot of people see is our talent,” Davalan said. “We all came in this fall competing against each other and our coaches put us in an environment where we’re competing. As the season has gone on, our coaches did a great job of teaching us to be where our feet are.”

With the moments getting bigger and the lights getting brighter over the coming week, Davalan knows this is the moment he wanted to be in when he came to Fayetteville.

“It’s not easy playing for the Razorbacks because it’s such a good school,” he said. “I’m happy I get to have another week where I get to compete with my boys.”