Birds of a feather flock together ... at the ball field. These Major League Baseball names have connections to the softball diamond you may not know about.
Dodgers manager Dave Roberts' niece is a slugger for Oklahoma
Los Angeles Dodgers manager Dave Roberts wasn't the only person in his family to win a championship last year. His niece, Ella Parker, took home the title at the Women's College World Series with Oklahoma. Although a freshman, Parker was a fixture in the Sooners' success. Like her uncle, the lefty was at the top of the lineup and was named a top-three finalist for Freshman of the Year because of her stunning .415/.516/.722 slash line for a 1.238 OPS.
She's already made her presence known in this year's Women's College World Series with a walk-off home run.
Roberts may manage one of the most explosive offenses in baseball right now, but his niece also packs the power in the family.
Jazz Chisholm Jr.'s grandmother played for the Bahamian National Softball Team
As soon as Yankees infielder Jazz Chisholm Jr. could stand, his grandmother Pat Coakley toted him to the ballpark with her. Affectionately known by her grandson as "Grammy Pat," she played shortstop for the Bahamian national softball team in 1986. She was in her 40s when she began playing for the team, and didn’t retire until after her 60th birthday. She was Chisholm's first coach and still gives him tips now and then.
Bobby Witt Jr. was surrounded by 3 softball sisters growing up
Almost all Witt family relationships begin with or come back to baseball and softball. Bobby Witt Jr.’s three older sisters make up the "four moms" in his life: Nikki, Kianna (whom he calls “Kiki”), and Shaley.
The three Witt sisters each played softball growing up. Nikki, the oldest, is married to James Russell, who pitched in seven MLB seasons, primarily with the Chicago Cubs.
It doesn't end there. Bobby’s wife, Maggie Black, was also a college softball player. Black played shortstop and third base (Bobby’s two positions with the Royals) for Northwestern State University in Louisiana.
Gerrit Cole's wife was a national champion with the Bruins
Gerrit and Amy Cole, née Crawford, crossed paths in the UCLA Athletics weight room. Gerrit was on the baseball team, and Amy played for the Bruins softball team – both of which had the early-morning workout slot. (Amy’s brother, Brandon, also played for UCLA and for many years with the Giants.) In 2010, Gerrit helped the Bruins to the NCAA Men’s College World Series, while Amy won the NCAA Women’s College World Series with the blue and gold.
One of Amy’s coaches was Athletes Unlimited Softball League Talons general manager Lisa Fernandez; she was an assistant coach for UCLA at the time.
Brandon and Madison Lowe went from Terps to true love
Brandon Lowe and Madison (Martin) Lowe met while pursuing their collegiate careers at the University of Maryland. They both arrived on campus in 2012 and met in study hall.
Madison was a starter in the circle for the Terps since her freshman year and by her senior season, led the team with a 3.57 ERA. That year, she was voted the team’s Most Valuable Player. Brandon was on the squad at Maryland until 2015, when he was named a Second Team All-American by D1 Baseball. He was then drafted in the third round of the MLB Draft by the Tampa Bay Rays.
Now, Brandon is in his eighth MLB season with the Rays, while Madison is the owner of her bakery, Sweet and Lowe.
George Springer’s sister played and coached collegiate softball (and his wife was a player, too)
The Springer name is one cemented in baseball and softball circles in Connecticut. Not only was George Springer the 2011 Big East Player of the Year and All-American at the University of Connecticut before being drafted by the Houston Astros, but his sisters were tearing it up on diamonds across the state, too.
Nicole Springer was a four-year All-Conference performer at Central Connecticut State and became a pitching coach for Southern Connecticut State University. Lena Springer played at Ohio State and she returned home to take over as the head coach at Trinity College in Hartford.
Both sisters were members of the Puerto Rican national team, as was Springer’s wife, Charlise, who also starred at the University of Albany.
Garrett Mitchell and Haley Cruse Mitchell both achieved big league dreams
It only took two years after the Milwaukee Brewers drafted Garrett Mitchell for him to make “The Show,” but his wife, Haley Cruse, had her pro moment before he did.
Haley was a distinguished outfielder for the Oregon Ducks for four seasons and is the only player in program history to lead the team in hitting for four straight seasons. Her numbers in the box weren’t the only thing on the rise; Haley earned fame for her dancing videos on TikTok while at Oregon and has over 800,000 followers on the app.
After her collegiate career, Haley signed with the USSSA Pride, a former pro softball team, in 2021. She played two seasons with the team before retiring.
Savanna Collins is the Senior Reporter for the AUSL. You can follow her on X @savannaecollins.