For Spalding seniors, it’s a promise kept
Four years ago, Amaya Carroll and her fellow freshmen assured Archbishop Spalding coach Delaney Bell that she would beat her.
She took the first step in 2019 by collecting her first championship — one-third of Bell’s haul as a player. Coronavirus made four Spalding rings in four years impossible.
But there’s nothing wrong with matching your coach crown for crown. Especially if you can say you left every season on top.
On Tuesday, Carroll and the Cavaliers got their third Interscholastic Athletic Association A Conference title in as many seasons. Carroll, who started in both the 2019 and 2021 finals as well, had 13 strikeouts to lead Spalding to the three-peat, beating John Carroll 13-2, at Bachman Sports Complex.
“That’s something I’ll remember forever,” fellow senior Ashlyn Bishop said. “I’ll look back on high school and think, ‘We won every year we could.’”
Just before Carroll deployed her final strike, she gathered her teammates in. As they spoke encouragement, Carroll buckled over, smiling, soaking in her illustrious career and her friends one more time.
“I think [they] just did it to make me cry,” Carroll said.
Tears in her eyes — as they’d remain through the celebrations — Carroll ended things, signaling a forcefully loving dogpile.
“They told me before the game they were gonna dogpile me. It’s a tradition now,” Carroll said. “It’s nice to end that way.”
Bell, who won titles for Spalding in 2005, 2007 and 2008, is more than happy to welcome the players she began her coaching career at Spalding with to the three-titles club.
“I knew our freshman class was gonna be good the whole way through. So I gave them a challenge and they didn’t get to beat it, but at least got to my expectation,” Bell said. “I was a little worried they were gonna get to the four.”
Carroll was in typical form, striking out the first three batters she faced. The UMBC commit tossed a shutout one year ago and allowed only a run in her freshman debut.
“We’re gonna miss her. I know we’ve talkedaboutitbeforesheworksherbuttoff,” Bellsaid.“It’ssofuntowatch,callherpitches just because you know I know it’s mostly gonna go where it’s supposed to. Softball here,notthatitwasgoingdownbyanymeans — but she brought the excitement back.”
With their anchor in the circle, Spalding (18-3) only needed a few runs to prevail. But the team that piled up 21 runs in the semifinals was going to put their bodies on the line to score as many runs as they can.
Bishop (3-for-4) collided with John Carroll catcher Julia Wilkes on her way home scoring the first run. Spalding tallied another two hits and another run by the inning’s end.
In the second inning, third baseman Mya Lamp did the same, barreling physically into Wilkes to tally another Spalding run.
“They’re hyped all the time — sometimes too hyped — but we talked before the game about winning every inning,” Bell said. “And that’s what they did. They scored every inning.”