In high school, they donned the same uniform and led their team to four straight CIF championships.
This weekend they returned to the softball field together. This time as rivals.
ASU freshman outfielder Alix Johnson and UCLA freshman shortstop Kellie Fox were teammates together at Mt. Carmel High School in San Diego, Calif.
For the first time in their softball careers, the two competed against each other this weekend.
“I played with her on the same team since I was six years old,” Fox said. “It was weird, definitely weird, but I was so excited to see her tonight.”
Both Fox and Johnson are in the midst of successful debut seasons in collegiate softball.
Fox is currently hitting .383 for the Bruins, and provided UCLA’s only offense of the series with her first inning grand slam on Friday.
Johnson has also hit well in the collegiate ranks with a .390 batting average.
She has seen significant playing time in left field and at designated player. Not having Fox in front of her at shortstop has taken some getting used to this season.
“She is the only shortstop that I’ve ever played with in travel ball and in high school,” Johnson said. “So I was so used to her being right there and turning around and saying one out, two outs. “
A season ago, the duo led the Mt. Carmel Sundevils to their fourth straight CIF Championship.
After standout high school careers, both Johnson’s and Fox’s names are etched in the school’s record books.
In 2009, Johnson notched the highest single season batting average in school history with a .524 mark. The left-handed hitter also set the school record of most hits in a season with 57 in 2010. Johnson’s 18 doubles last season is also a Mt. Carmel record.
Then there’s Fox, who holds school single-season records in slugging percentage, base percentage, home runs and RBI.
“We had a very good team,” Fox said. “Alix is a stud. So it was just awesome playing with her all that high-school time.”
Reach the reporter at greg.dillard@asu.edu
