The Top 10 Softball Stories of 2023: #9… Alexia Carrasquillo, Youngest Softball Commit Ever, Preaches “Knows Your Own Worth”

We continue our list of the Top 10 Softball Stories of 2023...  the list will run daily through Jan. 1, 2024, when we’ll present the top story of the year. The day after New Year’s Day 2024, we’ll recap the Top 10 one last time, as well as note others that were also considered for the list.

In order to compile this Top 10 list, we considered what were the most impactful and relevant stories of the year and which news headlines or feature-story or human interest spotlights pertaining to the world of fastpitch softball caught our attention.

Each day, you can also read in full one of the articles we originally published pertaining to that day’s story.

Previous Top 10 Softball Stories of 2023

• #10… Addisen Fisher, Why She’s No. 1 in the 2024 Class & A Future UCLA Bruin Star

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Today’s Story of the Year: #9: Alexia Carrasquillo… Once Committed in 6th Grade, She Finds Her College Dream In Committing to Dot Richardson & Liberty University

Back in June, we published an article titled The Redemptive Story of Alexia Carrasquillo… The Youngest Commit in Softball History & Her Subsequent Baptism by Fire & Water

This article mid-way through 2023 focused on her spiritual faith and how it gave her solace with Alexia not knowing her college softball future at that time. We described it “like the script of a Hollywood movie or a three-act theatrical play.”

• In Act 1, the scene is set in establishing how special, talented and successful the subject is and why he or she is likable (or at least of significant interest).
• In Act 2, comes the conflict… the trial or the obstacle that will test the protagonist to the core. The baptism by fire, if you will.
• In Act 3, we see the battles the hero goes through to get back to the top of the mountain and achieve the ultimate success… the crowning moment… the triumphant finale.

This was published when Alexia still hadn’t decided where she was going collegiately, following one of the most famous episodes in softball recruiting history.

In 2018, the catcher became the youngest softball verbal ever when she committed to the Univ. of Florida before she was even a teenager – at the tender age of 11. That offer, however, didn’t last and Alexia found herself back in the recruiting process.

And then came Act 3.

As our feature article below explains, everything came together less than two months later when Alexia committed to Liberty University coached by legendary softball figure Dot Richardson.

The successful three-act journey was over, at least as to Alexia’s college future. And what does she think today, knowing where she will compete at the college level after a one-time uncertain future?

“My softball journey has been a unique and crazy journey,” Alexia explains, “and it has been very different than other athletes out there. I can say that I am very proud of myself on how I never gave up, kept pressing on and stood faithful to Jesus. Making it to the college level is truly a blessing and I am so excited to start my college journey at Liberty and play for Coach Dot.”

And she’s starting at Liberty next year with a running start, after having an NIL deal focused on her quote: “Know Your Worth (Alexia 2.0).”

“This journey of mine has shown me what my worth is,” the high school senior adds. “This is when the phrase ‘Know Your Worth’ comes in, and the Alexia 2.0 because I had to start from the bottom again. My merch will be coming out shortly.”

“I am extremely proud of Alexia as her journey has been a unique story,” he recalls, “one that will never happen again in history: she gets committed, gets decommitted, then has to battle and stay focused, fight adversity and get recruited again.”

“Alexia’s story should be one of inspiration to others,” he concludes, “on how to never give up and to know your worth.“

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Originally published Aug. 27, 2023 

Alexia Carrasquillo – At One Time The Youngest Commit in Softball History – Commits to Liberty University to Play For Dot Richardson

The first thing you notice about Alexia Carrasquillo is the smile.

Unless she’s laser focused on the field where she’s determined to defeat her opponent, Alexia beams and her eyes sparkle when she talks to you. Those facial gestures also mirror her personality which is similarly bright and upbeat.

Today, the smile is even brighter and the eyes a bit more sparkly today as the 2024 catcher committed to Liberty University this weekend and is thrilled for the opportunity to get to play for softball legend Dot Richardson.

It’s a recruiting journey that has been over five years in the making; in January 2018 the talented catcher made news when she became the youngest commit ever in fastpitch softball–she was offered and gave her verbal to the Univ. of Florida in the 6th grade–at the tender young age of 12.

A lot has changed over the half decade as the Florida offer and commit fell through, Alexia changed club teams–ultimately playing for Jay Ross’ powerhouse Unity 16U team–and embraced her faith in God as the center of who she is.

In June, Extra Inning Softball spotlighted Alexia in an uplifting story titled The Redemptive Story of Alexia Carrasquillo… The Youngest Commit in Softball History & Her Subsequent Baptism by Fire & Water (see the complete article published below).

As the 2024 grad recalls, being the flashpoint of the Early Recruiting controversy, wasn’t easy.

“When this whole situation took place, it was very hard on me and on my family,” she admits.

“The news was very tough to hear,” she remembers. “I’m not going to lie, after that my performance was not the same. I was second guessing myself and not playing like I usually do. I was not myself on the field because of all the rumors about my mechanics. So, that right there, led up to me not really performing like my normal self.”

True to her personality and her faith, though, Alexia kept her head down, continued working on her game and this weekend it paid off big-time with the happy news that she knows where she will be playing in the Fall of 2024.

What did she learn from this long rollercoaster of an athletic ride?

“I didn’t lose hope in the process,” she explains. “I stood positive and true to God and He provided for me at the end.”

Her father, Raul, recalls a recent conversation he had with a coach who was impressed with the family’s faith.

“He asked me: ‘How are you staying positive when she is still not committed?’ I told the coach, ‘God is in charge and He will provide.”

The high schooler loved the coaching staff on her campus visit and that made it easy to commit.

“Coach Dot is a two-time Olympian and a UCLA legend,” Alexia continues, showing she knows her softball history. “(Assistant) Coaches Sami and Kasey Fagen are both pro athletes and had an amazing college run. And Coach (Emily) Kirby was also a pro athlete.”

This summer, playing for the powerhouse Unity – Johnson/Ross team which was loaded with future DI talent, Alexia batted .377 with a .477 on-base percentage and a slugging percentage of 1.080. At the Triple Crown Nationals in Georgia, the incoming high school senior smashed a two-run home run to help her team win the championship 6-1 over Arizona Storm.

This uncertain recruiting rollercoaster ride is over and Carrasquillo couldn’t be happier.

Alexia shares the three steps to success she held onto to fulfill her dreaming of playing at the NCAA Div. I level.

“Let it be inspirational,” she says of the process, “don’t give up on your dreams and stay positive.”

“It will all work out,” she assures as the twinkle in her eyes glows brighter than ever.

— Brentt Eads

Here are other articles covering Alexia’s year and others previously published that provide more context to Alexia’s journey:

• The Redemptive Story of Alexia Carrasquillo… The Youngest Commit in Softball History & Her Subsequent Baptism by Fire & Water (June 2, 2023, Brentt Eads)
• The Last Inning (May 16, 2022): Catching Up with 2024 Florida Catcher Alexia Carrasquillo, a Pitcher Hits 68 MPH and More Club News (2022, Brentt Eads)
• The Top 15 Softball Stories of 2018: #15… Alexia Carrasquillo: The Shot Heard Round the Recruiting World (2018, Brentt Eads)
• 6th Grader Alexia Carrasquillo Youngest Verbal Ever (2018, Brentt Eads)
  

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