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06/07/2018 12:00 AMCarly Michaud knew that she wanted to be a pitcher ever since she was in middle school. For the last few years, Carly has shined in the circle with the Old Saybrook softball squad, while proving an integral figure in the Rams’ rise up the ranks.
Carly started playing softball in 5th grade and took an interest in pitching a few years later. When she started high school, Old Saybrook went through a rough patch that saw the team win just two games during Carly’s sophomore year. However, things started to look up for Carly and company last season, when the Rams won eight games and qualified for the Class S State Tournament.
As a senior captain this spring, Carly notched 12 wins on the mound for Old Saybrook, which not only returned to states, but won two games in the tournament to advance to quarterfinals. Carly, who totaled 134 strikeouts on the year, also sported a .400 batting average as the Rams’ cleanup hitter.
“As a pitcher, I love being in control and involved in every play. In the past few years, it was a head game for me, and it was hard for me to stay confident, but I did a better job with that this year,” says Carly. “My two-seam pitch, which has crazy movement to it, and my fastball have been my best pitches. When I am up at the plate, I always believe I can hit the ball.”
Carly is typically the center of attention as a pitcher, and she believes that having all eyes on her has boosted her confidence, whether she’s on the mound or at the plate. Carly also thinks that seeing both sides of the battle between pitcher and hitter helps her belt out those base hits for Old Saybrook.
“Pitching is also about being a strong leader, because everyone is looking at you, so you have to be confident in yourself and the team behind you,” Carly says. “We are a good hitting team, so when I get on base, I believe someone will drive me into home. As a pitcher, I have insight into what other pitchers will throw to me. You just can’t think too much and have to hit it to where there are no fielders.”
Rams’ Head Coach Katelyn Livingston says that Carly has progressed immensely during her tenure with the team. Livingston adds that Carly uses what she’s learned to mentor the underclass athletes on the squad.
“Carly has shown so much improvement throughout her four years. She is a captain and a true leader both on and off the field. She has a strong presence on the mound, which has been a huge benefit for our defense this season,” says Livingston. “Carly sets an example for our younger players, especially our freshmen pitchers. She knows what it’s like to be in their shoes. She is able to relate to them, help build up their confidence, and provide them with strategies to navigate through some of the tough situations. We would not be where we are this year without her presence on this team.”
In her role as captain, Carly likes making an impact on the younger Rams by helping them grow as both athletes on the field and teammates in the dugout. One of the things Carly enjoys the most is getting them hyped up for each practice and every game.
“I love all the players on this team, and we’ve really connected with each other this year,” says Carly. “This year, we took the younger players under our wing, and they are stepping up to the plate. As a captain, I also love getting the team excited all the time.”
After having a heavy hand in the Rams’ resurgence, Carly knows that she will always be able look back upon her time at Old Saybrook with pride. It means a lot to Carly that she helped Old Saybrook turn things around following the team’s struggles just a few seasons ago.
“It’s been so awesome to see how far we’ve come as a team. We only had two wins two years ago,” says Carly, who thanks her father, Michael, and Coach Livingston. “To get to [12 wins] my senior year, it really shows how hard we’ve tried and how well we’ve worked together to make it happen.”