Spieth, one of the best pure hitters Southwest Washington has seen this decade, tore her anterior cruciate ligament in her left knee two games into her senior season.
She will undergo surgery in May, then prepare for college at Sacramento State.
The home runs, the screaming line drives, they are no more for Spieth at the high school level.
Still, she remains a big part of the team. She is in the dugout during games, encouraging the Titans, still hoping they reach the state tournament.
Won’t be easy without Spieth, of course. She has been the co-player of the year in the Class 4A Greater St. Helens League the past two seasons.
In the first two non-league games this season, she went 5 for 5 with two home runs and was intentionally walked three times.
Then it was over. She had an awkward landing — not on the softball field — while playing with friends in the gym during a charity fundraiser for her school.
For a while, there was no word on the severity of the injury. Was it just a sprain? Could she return? It took a week for an MRI, then nearly another week before the diagnosis.
“In a weird way, it was a sigh of relief. We stopped playing the guessing game,” Spieth said. “We started planning for the steps that needed to be taken.”
Spieth does not want anyone feeling sorry for her. It is difficult to come to terms with the premature ending to something so important to her, but she also knows she has a lot going for her.
“This will not end me, and it will not end my career,” she said.
Even with the bad knee, she was able to help build a basketball court for children of a farming village in the northwest corner of Costa Rica. There were 21 high school students from Clark County on this particular journey, representing Union, Mountain View, and Ridgefield.
“It was a nice little trip from what was happening,” Spieth said. “It was nice to go somewhere … to get to focus my time and energy on something else, on helping someone else.”
She described her Spring Break trip as “life-changing.”
“I came home with a full heart, knowing I was part of something cool with amazing people,” Spieth said. “It’s nice to know that, outside of sports, cool things can happen in my life.”
Serving others will remain a priority.
As far as her athletic career, that’s on hold. Spieth said the plan is to be back on the field in time for next spring’s season at Sacramento State.
“Being injured is the end of a season, but it’s not the end of who I am,” she said.
Still, it hurts. The game means so much to her.
“My first great love story is softball,” Spieth said.
“I’m really blessed with where the sport has taken me, the opportunities I have been given.”
Spieth pushed herself to become the best. Inspired by an older sister who also played the game, and supported by parents who understand her passion, Spieth said she started thinking about a college scholarship when she was 8 years old.
“My earliest memories, I’m at the field 24/7,” Spieth said, noting her sister, McKenna, is 5 years older and started playing at a young age. “It was second nature to me. I lived there.”
Mo dreamed of being a pitcher back then. Through the years, though, it became apparent that she was going to be known for her bat.
In high school, her bat became too good for some. A pitcher who is now a Division I college athlete walked Spieth intentionally every at-bat of a game, when Spieth was a sophomore.
“I remember being so mad,” Spieth said. “Mo on the field and Mo off the field are very different beasts. Off the field, I’m making jokes. On the field, I’m out for blood.”
Last year, she earned more free passes. This year, she was expecting more of the same.
Now she realizes being walked is a whole lot better than not playing.
The joke, in fact, is that Spieth, even with her torn ACL, could play for the Titans. Stand in the batter’s box. Force a walk. Get replaced by a pinch runner.
Not going to happen. Still, even on one leg, Spieth could scare opposing coaches.
Instead, she will be stuck in the dugout.
“I’m doing good with it,” she said. “The rest of the season is me giving all that I can to the softball team, and being there for them. Everyone’s been so supportive of me and caring about how I’m doing.”
Support. Care. Serve.
Those things matter to Mo Spieth.
Her injury is temporary.
Her desire to serve others, well, that’s forever.
