Johnston County wins softball World Series with talent, teamwork and joy
Benjamin Catarozzoli, back row at right, says his World Series winners played
with a love for the game. Photo courtesy of Little League Baseball and Softball
If Johnston County’s Little League Softball All-Stars had one defining trait, their coach says it wasn’t pitching, defense or hitting.
It was joy.
“This team played with a love for the game unlike any other team I have coached,” said Benjamin Catarozzoli. “They are extremely talented, but they have a love for each other and the game unlike anything I have seen before.”
That combination helped Johnston County win the Little League Softball World Series, capping a four-year journey that began with a dream of simply reaching the tournament.
The team arrived at the World Series with plenty of talent. But Catarozzoli believes what separated the Johnston County girls from the other teams was how they played together.
“The greatest strength of our team was the team itself,” he said. “While our pitching was outstanding, we played fantastic defense, had clutch hitting, and very opportunistic base running.”
The television camera always gravitates to the pitcher, and Anna-Lynn Clark was incredible, Catarozzoli said. “But it truly was a team effort,” he said.
Becoming a team
The Johnston County squad was an all-star team, but the girls weren’t strangers when they came together.
“One thing that makes (Johnston County Little League) stand out is that we practice as a whole group, rather than individual teams,” Catarozzoli said. “This philosophy makes the league and girls a much closer-knit group.”
Also, the girls had played with and against each other for years in travel ball, rec programs and middle school, the coach noted. And this year’s team returned seven players from a talented and deep 2025 squad.
“The returning girls were extremely motivated and did a tremendous job leading this year's team,” Catarozzoli said.
“Getting this group to mesh was not a difficult task,” he added.
Instead, the coaches stressed something that had little to do with fundamentals and execution.
“The other coaches and I put an emphasis on having fun, playing for each other, and loving each other,” Catarozzoli said. “Being a great teammate was as important to the makeup of the team as talent.”
Defense was paramount too.
“Defense is something that is extremely important to me,” Catarozzoli said. “We spent a substantial amount of time practicing both individual defensive skills and team situational defense,” he said.
The championship game
Leading by a couple of runs in the top of the sixth inning, Johnston County needed just three outs to win the Series. But the coaches and players were taking nothing for granted.
“Nothing is over until it’s over,” Catarozzoli said. “We had a very slim margin in the last inning, only being up 2-0. That is not a lot of slack for a team made up of 12- and 13-year-olds.”
A self-described perfectionist and pessimist, Catarozzoli was hoping for the best but preparing for the worst. “I was still coaching and calling pitches to the very end,” he said.
And still relying on outstanding defense. “Abbey Robinson's diving catch in right field in the top of the first inning and Scarlett Cerda's double play at first base were both huge turning points,” Catarozzoli said.
But when his team recorded the third out, the moment wasn’t lost on Catarozzoli. “I will say there were a lot of emotions after that final out,” he said.
His players had done what the coaches asked of them, Catarozzoli said. “We coached the girls early on to trust the strength of the team,” he said. “They handled every pressure-filled moment so well. They never panicked and always trusted and believed in each other.”
“This is a very focused and confident group,” Catarozzoli added. “They are well aware of how talented their teammates are, and they play very hard for each other.”
What they will remember
Catarozzoli said the girls taught him something during the championship run. “The power of playing with joy,” he said.
He hopes the girls carry that lesson with them long after they stop playing Little League softball. He hopes for something else too.
“I hope they remember each other, the moments we shared, and how truly special this entire experience was,” Catarozzoli. “We began All-Star practices by telling them how rare it is to be the best in the world at something; they accomplished that.”
“It still feels very surreal that we actually did it,” he added. “It was a tremendous amount of work and stress, but it was very worth it. We all will have these memories for the rest of our lives.”
Catarozzoli will remember one thing in particular. “I will remember how close they were as teammates and the passion and joy they played with,” he said.
Page last updated on: September 14, 2026