A playoff no-hitter !
Chaminade 1, St. Dominic 0
WP: John Carroll (6.2 IP, 0 H, 2 BB, 0 R)
S: James D’Alessandro (.1 IP)Chaminade will face Holy Trinity tomorrow at 4pm in the winner’s bracket pic.twitter.com/93SKLSAU4r
— Axcess Baseball LI (@axcessbaseball) May 21, 2023
When it comes to the hierarchy of baseball achievements – firing a no-hitter in the playoffs ranks right near the top. In Major League Baseball, only Don Larsen, Roy Halladay and the Houston Astros (combined no-hitter started by Cristian Javier) have accomplished the feats. While it certainly wasn’t a big league game, Chaminade junior southpaw John Carroll did his best impersonation of them on his May 30 start against St. Dominic.
Since that time, Carroll has continued to excel. He pitched 32 innings during summer ball – against some top competition with Next Level’s Scout team – and pitched to a 0.53 ERA with 0.70 WHIP and a ridiculous 34:6 K:BB ratio.
Carroll recently announced his commitment to the U.S. Naval Academy which fulfills a lifelong dream of his to serve in the military. He will likely be anchoring the Flyers’ rotation next season – a team that is loaded with college-bound talent.
I had a chance to speak with him and here’s what he had to say…
Can you explain your experience with the college recruiting process and why you chose the US Naval Academy?
Honestly, my recruiting process was somewhat delayed because I only even considered college baseball when I was around a sophomore in high school. My only real goal until then was making Chaminade’s varsity team. And even throughout my process, my only real goal was the ROTC and ac high academic Div-III. Eventually, I just realized that ROTC was an unlikely possibility along with baseball and knew one way or another I was going to end up in the Marines and locked in on Navy. From then, I took a little bit of a gamble and lost interest in order schools because, in my mind, it was Navy or nothing. And then with the help of Coach Manning, it honestly just worked out. The recruiting process is tough and was made much easier with great family, friends and coaches surrounding me.
Who are some individuals that helped you along the way?
First and foremost is my family.
My dad served in the Marines Corps and has been the biggest role model in my life. Honestly, there’s not enough good adjectives to say about him, but if I were to sum it up he is the most driven and family-oriented person I’ve ever met and gives me a great example of how to live and something to strive to live up to.
My mother is nothing short of my biggest fan and supporter. The amount of sacrifices she has made for me and my career is something I’ll always feel indebted to. And on top of it, if I have a bad game, she’s the first to not even talk about it in the car and just ask what I want for dinner. She always seems to know what to say and when, even if it’s not what I want to hear. Mom makes home a home.
My two sisters, Regan and Quinn, also help me and are constantly flexible with my schedule. They balance out my life and show me that baseball isn’t everything. Whether it be making an irrelevant inside joke or saying something sarcastic, they help get my mind off of the frustration and always are there to list. Frankly, my family is something I can’t do any justice to without writing a novel.
Second is the coaches. My greatest impact as a coach is Coach Leo Skorupski. He was my first real travel experience with the Long Island Landsharks, a small town travel team. Leo took a chance on me and saw more in me then I saw in myself, and I’m grateful for him. Another is Shaun Manning and the entire Next Level coaching staff. The exponential growth I experienced at Next Level is largely due to the coaching and training there. They also had a lot to do with my commitment in itself. Finally is my team. There’s nobody I’d rather spend my summers with than these guys, and the trust I have for them is hard to replicate. They don’t get enough credit for making me look good and any shutout is as much of them as it is me – if not more.
What was it like throwing a no-hitter in a playoff game?
It was incredible – the atmosphere was electric and that feeling was definitely special. Looking up in the stands and seeing all my school friends there was amazing. But that game was just a reflection of my team considering I only had four K’s, the defense was perfect. And I wasn’t surprised because I know my guys and that’s what they do.
I know Chaminade has a big name behind it and I feel like some of the reputation and expectation of excellence falls on me. But now I don’t have the luxury of being overlooked, and now I know teams look for me, but with that comes motivation to work harder, and now I’m not satisfied with just one.
Why did you choose to attend Chaminade and what has your time been like?
I chose Chaminade because it really is the whole package. Its reputation precedes it, and being there day in and day out makes me realize why that reputation exists. It’s competitive, fun to be at, the kids are great and most importantly, it values Catholicism deeply. I can’t write briefly about what my time at Chaminade has meant to me and do it any justice.
Who are your favorite players in Major League Baseball?
Although I can’t say I spend a ton of time following Major League Baseball, my three favorite players right now are:
James Karinchak and Jazz Chisholm because they bring energy and excitement that I feel the MLB needs right now.
Clayton Kershaw because I think he’s a great example of long-term success and that a moment is never too big for him.
Favorite app on your phone?
Probably TikTok, it just seems to know what I want to watch; whether it be good plyo ball drills or food videos or dog videos.
Best baseball trip you’ve been on?
2022 WWBA Championship in Georgia. That trip was one of the worst tournaments we played as a team, but I became a different kind of close with my teammates and it set us up mentally for a great end to our summer.
Favorite restaurant on Long Island?
Truth be told, I’ll take a home cooked meal by Chef Mom any day over eating out, but if I had to choose I’d say Burger Shack in Lynbrook. It’s a town favorite and everything there is good.
Favorite movie and TV Show?
My favorite movie is any Harry Potter movie because I completely nerd out with them and my favorite show is Parks and Recreation.
Favorite musical artist?
Luke Combs because I love country and think he’s a great writer.
Interests aside from baseball?
I love gold, anything from a 40-minute driving range run with my friends or a 4-hour, 18-hole course.
Favorite vacation spot?
Disney World and Universal Studios in Orlando.
I feel like a child every time I go and love rides. I’ve gone five times and every time there’s something new. Me and my mom have made it a tradition to go together every once in a while and just run around the parks and do every ride.
