by Chris Girandola | Twitter: @crgrand | Instagram: @stpetesportsmag

CLEARWATER, Fla. - At one point during Carley Hoover’s controlled scrimmage outing, Wednesday for the 2019 USA Softball Women’s National Team (WNT) Selection Trials, a substitution behind home plate sent the LSU alumna into a time warp when Sahvanna Jaquish began the fourth frame in catcher’s gear. 

? | Coach Eriksen speaks on the competition at the 2019 #USASoftball Women's National Team ?? Selection Trials, where a team will be chosen to represent the U.S. this summer at the Pan American Games. » https://t.co/1gNM7Shk1G pic.twitter.com/Chwi0aF2FS

— USA Softball (@USASoftball) January 3, 2019

Hoover, who became legendary during her time with the Tigers while compiling a 45-17 overall record and a 35-4 record in Tiger Park, grinned from ear to ear, approached Jaquish a few steps from the mound on Field 2 at the Eddie C. Moore Complex, and laughed when her former battery at LSU said, “Feels like old times.”

Despite graduating a year later than Jaquish in 2018, Hoover credits the Highland, Calif. native with being a huge help in her maturation. The tall righthander finished her journey at LSU among the pitching elite with a career 1.67 ERA, 71 career wins, 742 strikeouts, and a .195 opponent batting average. 

“She is a comfort back there, for sure,” said Hoover, who holds National Fastpitch Coaches Association (NFCA) All-American honors for her 2015 and 2018 seasons, respectively. “She knows what pitches I like in certain situations and she’s able to read what I’m thinking.”

With legendary veterans, Monica Abbott and Cat Osterman in camp, the Clemson, S.C. native knows how important being relaxed is, especially with so many other elite athletes in attendance. 

“Two years ago when I got invited, I kind of let the moment get too big,” said Hoover, who ended up making the 2016 Women's Elite Team and had a 1.31 ERA with six strikeouts and five hits allowed in five and one-third innings pitched in the 2016 World Cup of Softball. “I put way too much on it, and then last year was injured and didn’t get invited. I had to go to open tryouts and the underdog feeling put things into perspective.”

Hoover, a theater major in college, thought back to her days playing travel ball and learning the fundamentals of the sport from a father who was an All American in track and field and a mother who competed for the 1985 USA Women’s Volleyball Olympic team. 

“I really learned how to have the mindset that everyone out here is good, including myself, but that you have to keep it simple and remember how fun and special this game is,” said Hoover, who made the USA squad that won the 2018 Japan Cup. “Recalling memories of hanging out with teammates when you’re 12 and the fun you have as a team helps balance it all. Of course, there’s times when you think for a split moment of the incredible players who are coming to the plate, but you just have to focus on taking care of the task at hand and completing the pitches and getting the job done.” 

Hoover, who tossed two scoreless innings with three strikeouts, one walk and two hits allowed in Team USA’s 9-4 win over Japan in the preliminary rounds at the 2018 Japan Cup, split time training with Team USA for most of the 2018 summer and Scrap Yard Fast Pitch, an independent women’s professional softball team.

“It’s huge having the experience of my previous tryout opportunities and my time with Team USA last year,” Hoover said. “I know the ropes a little more. There’s a different kind of confidence. I recognize that we all deserve to be here. I don’t get freaked out by the other names in camp and we all appreciate this tremendous opportunity to showcase our skill set, but it’s Team USA. We’re all in this together, helping our country get better, and it’s crucial to be supportive of each other because, at the end of the day, we’re here to do whatever we can to help Team USA win in 2020.”

Sahvanna Jaquish knows full well about the appreciation for Team USA.

Jaquish made the difficult choice to forego another opportunity to play for Puerto Rico, a national team she played for in the 2014 and 2016 editions of the world championship, as Puerto Rico improved from a winless effort to ninth place in a 31-team field two years later. Despite having been born and raised in California, Jaquish was invited to compete for Puerto Rico due to the connections with the territory through her paternal grandparents. 

Now, Jaquish, who was a mainstay as behind the plate and at third for Puerto Rico, knows her opportunity with Team USA is her ability to play multiple positions, especially with Aubree Munro firmly settled in as the national team’s catcher. Jaquish made the NFCA All-American team each year at LSU (First in 2017, Third in 2016, Second in 2015 and 2014) as a versatility infielder, earning multiple starts at catcher, first, short, and third.

At the last year’s trials, US coach Ken Eriksen compared Jaquish to Taira Flowers, who played catcher and first base during the national team’s gold medal performance at the 2004 Olympics in Athens and the silver medal performance at the 2008 Games in Beijing. 

“Versatility is my signature,” said Jaquish, who served as a volunteer coach last season with LSU. “I think it’s important to give the team options.”

Jaquish looked just as good behind the plate during Wednesday’s session as she did at third, easily throwing players out at first on short mis-hits in front of the plate and scooping up hard-hit balls at third. She also collected four hits during her time up at bat with a few other hard-hit balls to the outfield.

“It’s always a challenge going up against the best pitchers in the world,” Jaquish said. “I learned a lot as a coach last year in knowing how to approach things differently, though. I still get nervous and excited at the same time, but I know if I’m going to win or lose a battle, I know the most important part is the energy and intensity I put out there.”

Former Alabama star Haylie McCleney knows all about the energy it takes to succeed at this level, having already played an instrumental part in led the National Team winning its second-straight World Baseball Softball Confederation (WBSC) World Championship while securing a bid for the 2020 Olympics in the process.

McCleney started all 10 wins in center field for Team USA and led the offense at 13-for-26 (.500). She scored a run in all but one game and earned a hit in eight of the 10. She drove in four RBIs as part of a 3-for-4 day with two runs against the Philippines on Aug. 6, finishing a triple shy of hitting for the cycle. She also had multi-hit performances against the Netherlands (Aug. 4), South Africa (Aug. 7) and in the championship game against Japan (Aug. 12).

On Wednesday, she showcased her skill set, smacking several balls to the outfield while smashing a home run off right-handed power pitcher Jessica Moore deep over the right-field fence. 

“That felt pretty good,” said McCleney, who earned NFCA First Team honors in three of four seasons with the Crimson Tide. “It’s always nice to hit the ball hard, especially early on in camp.”

McCleney, who has spent most of her break since the World Championships in her full-time role as the strength and conditioning coach for the softball team at Florida A&M University, said she is excited to face Abbott and Osterman. 

“Everytime I face Monica, or Cat, the wow factor sets in and you think about how you dreamed about what it would be like to play alongside them and you’re actually doing it,” said McCleney, who grew up in Morris, Alabama. “But you have to keep it all in perspective and realize you’re just as good as everyone else. At the end of the day, we’re all competing for a roster spot and doing whatever we can to help Team USA.”