Nick Kendall
Staff Writer
The bond that is created with a teammate can make it feel like you’ve known them your whole life, and for sophomores Lindsey Carroll and Abby Shoulders, that’s the case.
Carroll and Shoulders have been playing softball together since they were 9 years old. Shoulders remembers every team they’ve played for and why since they were little.
“Both of our dads were coaches when we were 9,” Shoulders said. “We started with the Paducah Lady Storm, the Kentucky Storm and then the Southern Force. We finished our travel days with the Force.”
Carroll was offered a scholarship to Murray State first. When she accepted, she knew she had to convince Shoulders to join her to keep their streak alive.
“I was like, ‘Abby, you gotta go,’” Carroll said. “‘You gotta choose Murray, like, please please please so we continue to play together.’ Then she did, so that was super exciting.”
The Paducah, Kentucky, natives played high school softball at McCracken County High School. They were on the team that won 59 consecutive games before finally losing to Ballard Memorial High School in the regional tournament in 2018.
Shoulders knows that she and Carroll can definitely keep that winning culture from the past and translate it to the collegiate level.
“I would say the theme throughout our travel ball games and in high school has been, like, we’re just gonna get gritty and find a way to win no matter what,” Shoulders said. “In travel ball we won four nationals in a row and then in high school we won a state tournament and we got second in a state tournament. We just find a way to win no matter what we have to do.”
The duo’s bond has gotten even stronger since they’ve swapped positions. Now Carroll is mostly an infielder and Shoulders spends most of her play time in the outfield.
“I’d only played one season of second base until I got here,” Carroll said. “It’s kind of funny because we’ve kind of been all over the place really.”
Shoulders sees the flip as a learning experience for both of them because they can always help each other out.
“It’s kind of cool though because we know what roles we have played,” Shoulders said. “I know where she’s supposed to be all the time because I played second for so long, so I know she’s going to be there.”
Even without playing each other’s old positions, Shoulders believes she and Carroll can always talk to one another about anything going on around the field.
“I just know where Lindsey’s gonna be on the field and I know where her head’s at,” Shoulders said. “We think the same way, softball-wise. I can ask her a question and she knows exactly what kind of answer I’m looking for and exactly what I’m talking about. The flow and the connection we have is pretty cool.”
Carroll, Shoulders and the rest of the Racer softball team head back to action starting at noon on Friday, March 6, to take on Missouri State University, beginning the OSU Mizuno Classic in Stillwater, Oklahoma.
