It’s Brentt from Line Drive Softball…

The response has been so great from the touching article we ran last week of two long-time friends reconnecting before an SEC-televised game that it begged to be published atop our site again so more people could be made aware of this beautiful story.

In a world of stress and uncertainty, it’s wonderful to see that friendship and love can still touch us to see the good in people. 

I encourage you to reread this article, even if you already have read it, and, if you haven’t come across it, enjoy and savor the goodness in these two wonderful athletes and the demonstration of love that we were are privileged to witness last week…

*****

Originally published Friday, April 11, 2025 on Line Drive Softball.

Every December, we at Line Drive Softball like to run a list of the Top 10 Softball Stories of the Year… and we have found one this week that will certainly make the cut.

Wednesday evening (April 9, 2025), the Univ. of Kentucky played Marshall at Cropp Stadium in Lexington, Ky. which won by the home team Wildcats by a score of 7-3.

But that wasn’t the story… at least it probably won’t be the one story long remembered after this week.

Instead, it will likely be an emotional experience that happened an hour before the mid-week game as two former club travel teammates reunited in an embrace on the field that, for anyone who say it, will likely long remember it!

Here’s a wonderful clip of the reunion as it was shot and aired by the SEC Network during Wednesday game’s telecast:

This is awesome! Travel ball builds relationships than can last a lifetime.
❤️🥎 @Karissala02 @PaigeMaynard99 @UKsoftball @HerdSB @MagicGoldSB @ExtraInningSB @LineDsoftball pic.twitter.com/P56TdFE8YE

— Indiana Magic Gold LaMar (@magicgoldlamar) April 10, 2025

*****

Battery Mates… & Best Friends Too

The backstory to this touching encounter is that these two athletes — Paige Maynard, a junior pitcher/third baseman for the Marshall Thundering Herd after transferring in this year from Penn State, and Karissa Hamilton, a junior catcher for Kentucky – were great friends in pre-college days, especially when playing club ball with the Indiana Magic Gold organization.

But the long-time friends, because of school and athletic commitments along with being, well, young people, kept them apart for way too long as both would quickly agree.

Their emotions were real, as Paige explained earlier today, as was the true sincerity of the athletes’ relationship leading up to this week’s strong tug on the heartstrings.

“We’ve been best friends since 7th grade,” she recalls, “and have shared highs and lows together, so it was extremely special to be able to see her right before we played her team. It was a full-circle moment since we used to do camps together at Kentucky with our travel ball team.”

Karissa, the player who is shown most in the clip (facing the camera), shares that the long-time friends were counting down the moments until they were once again together.

“Prior to seeing each other last night, it was about two years since the last time we really saw each other,” the Marshall starter said. “We did see each other for a split second in Clearwater in February (2025), but that was only for a brief moment.”

The Kentucky infielder remembers exactly how long they’ve been close friends.

“We played together for about seven years, starting around 14U,” Karissa continues, “and from the day that we met, our friendship has not changed. We immediately became battery mates and best friends too.”

Watch Karissa summarize her friendship… and emotional reunion… with Paige:

*****

An Oath to Stay Friends

The close friends and teammates decided that going off to different schools to play college softball wouldn’t impede their relationship.

“Right as travel ball ended,” Hamilton added, “we both made an oath to forever stay friends no matter the distance. From then on, we have cherished the moments that we get to see each other.”

The Wildcats starter says she and Paige knew this wasn’t just going to be another game.

“Prior to seeing each other Wednesday night,” she continued, “we were just so excited! We kept counting down the days and both of us said we were going to cry. Little did we know, we were crying a lot harder than we thought but it was so many tears of joy. It made my entire month!”

Paige, from Shady Spring, West Va., says she already treasures the moment that the SEC broadcasting crew beautifully captured the warm hug on film.

“I’m so happy that our hug was caught on camera; it’s now become one of my favorite videos! I think I’ve watched it easily 50 times since I saw it first.”

“It reminds me of how I was blessed being able to play with such an amazing travel ball organization with great coaches, people, and it’s ultimately the place where I found my best friend.”

*****

“The Bond Those Two Have… Will Last a Lifetime”

Kudos to the SEC broadcast team including Dave “Buzz” Baker, who eloquently described the encounter with “That was just such a neat, neat moment” and closed with the perfect line: “This world needs more of that right now.”

Baker teed up the emotional moment wonderfully with a great intro too: “Forgot about velo and all that stuff. Let’s talk relationships.”

And huge kudos, too, to Indy Magic Director Brian Green and 18U Head Coach John Lamar, who both helped build these two wonderful young student-athletes into the people they are today.

Coach Lamar, who was the athletes’ 18U coach their last year of club play, told Line Drive today that he connected with his former players about their pre-game get-together:

“Karissa and Paige said this was a totally organic reaction. They didn’t know the cameras were on them an hour before the game.”

“I only had them for their last year in 18U, but I did know them for several years prior practicing together for the winter workouts and playing against them. I know they played together for a long time within our organization and we’re close friends today.”

“They were an absolute joy to coach, and I was very fortunate to have high level players who worked hard with zero attitude.”

Lamar reveals that he loved his time with the two players on and off the fields.

“These two are high-energy, fun=loving type of players and are especially great teammates. I remember them as always being together on the weekends and they were throwing partners: Paige would throw to Karissa in warmups and in most games.”

“In the summer, they would often stay at the other’s house from one weekend to the next or ride home with one of the other’s parents (Paige is from West Virginia and Karissa grew up in Indiana)”

What, we asked Coach Lamar, does he remember of how the duo worked together?

“Both are competitive,” he concludes, “and when they would struggle, they would acknowledge and regroup, encouraging each other along the way.”

Green also fondly remembers his time with Paige and Karissa a few years ago:

“They played the game with a lot of passion, and they were all in when it came to the IMG name and their team and teammates.  The bond that those two have for each other and other members of that team will last them a lifetime.”

“These young ladies spend many weeks and weekends together, getting to know each other supporting each other having each other’s backs and the video you saw of these two are proof of that.”

The travel ball director points to Paige and Karissa’s friendship as an example of how wonderful being supportive teammates can be.

“This is the experience we want all our kids to have,” he continues. “I’m very big on our kids supporting each other and we talk a lot about being as happy for other players’ success as much as you are for your own.”

“When they do that and combine it with a number of years together, you get what you saw on that video.”

— Brentt Eads/Line Drive Softball

Email: brentt.eads@linedrivemedia.com