Softball News: Indiana High School & Beverly Bandits Coach Nick Carver Died Monday, Father of Louisville Freshman Lexi Carver

Extra Inning Softball learned Tuesday night that Nick Carver, the successful head and assistant coach with the Beverly Bandits and a head softball coach at Indiana high schools including Owen Valley High and Martinsville High, died Monday. His death was a shock to many, according to several sources.

Many close to Carver say they saw no signs of pending problems and his death came as a “shock that we didn’t see it coming,” according to one parent.

“Nick was optimistic about coaching with the Bandits this summer,” said another source close to the coach and the club organization.

I have lost my world! Sorry everyone pic.twitter.com/gznEcaYgZk

— Nick Carver (@Banditdad2) March 2, 2020

Carver was also a softball instructor at Tier Ten Sports in Spencer, Indiana, a workout facility and had been a head coach for the Bandits at the 16U division.

Last year, he was an assistant on Bill Conroy’s Bandits 16U team that won PGF Nationals. In September the coaches on that team were named as the NFCA Travel Ball Regional Coaching Staff of the Year for the North Region. The Bandits 16U squad also took 1^st place at the PGF Labor Day Tournament, King of the Hill, PGF Shootout and DeMarini Invitational.

Nick’s daughter, Lexi Carver, is a freshman catcher and infielder at the University of Louisville. She was originally a Pitt commit, but switched to the Cardinals during the PGF Nationals in August of 2018.

We wrote on the site at the time regarding the Spencer, Indiana player:

“Lexi Carver–a 2019 catcher/utility player who plays for the Beverly Bandits 18U Dorsey team–flipped from Pitt to Louisville while sitting at a Dodgers game the week of PGF Nationals in early August. According to her father, Nick Carver, “(Louisville Head Coach) Holly (Aprile) called prior to the DeMarini Invite and let us know that she had accepted the Louisville job and was interested in Lexi following her there, but had to figure everything out once she got to Louisville. She called with the offer on the Monday of PGF Nationals and Lexi committed.”

Extra Inning Softball did an Extra Star Power profile on Lexi in June of 2018 titled All-American Candidate Lexi Carver: Perfectly Defensive and she was named an Extra Inning Softball 1^st Team High School All-American as a junior when she hit .653 and made committed no errors all season. She was a 2^nd Team All-American in 2019 and was also listed in the 2019 Extra Elite 100.

Nick Carver leaves behind his wife, Samantha, a son, Zack, and two daughters, Hayden and Lexi.

“This is a very sad time,” one top Midwest club coach said Tuesday evening. “Lexi and the family are devastated.”

Already, many of Carver’s former players and fellow coaches are expressing their sadness and great love for all the contributions the long-time coach made to his players, teams and to the sport overall.

Here is one from 2022 Extra Elite 100 infielder Taylor Pannell:

One of the most respected coaches in softball. He has coached some of the best players in the country. When I would play for him he pushed me to be a better player. Rest in peace coach Nick you will be missed. pic.twitter.com/DegawZWb8X

— Taylor Pannell (@taylor__pannell) March 4, 2020

The Bandits organization released the following on Twitter Tuesday night:

It is with great sadness that we inform you we have lost one of our own. Nick Carver, one of our assistant Coaches passed away yesterday. Our thoughts and prayers are with his wife, children, family, friends and all the athletes he coached over the years.

— Beverly Bandits (@BanditsDemarini) March 4, 2020

— Brentt Eads, Extra Inning Softball