This story was excerpted from Jessica Camerato’s Nationals Beat newsletter. To read the full newsletter, click here. And subscribe to get it regularly in your inbox.

When he stepped onto the mound for his Major League debut on Aug. 14, all eyes at Nationals Park were on Cade Cavalli. Three months later, the right-hander reversed roles, swapping the focus of the spotlight for a seat as a spectator in the stands.

The University of Tulsa women’s basketball season got underway in November, and Cavalli caught as many games as he could this offseason to cheer on his favorite player: starting guard -- and since this fall, his fiancée -- Maddie Bittle.

“She makes me better every single day,” Cavalli said.

Cavalli and Bittle had been best friends since they went to middle school in Oklahoma before they began dating about three years ago. Bittle was at Nationals Park when Cavalli made his first big league start, and before reporting to Spring Training, Cavalli didn’t want to miss a moment of Bittle’s fifth-year senior season as she nears the 1,000-point milestone.

“It’s really cool, and I’m also really sad because I know the work that she’s put in. And I’ve seen it firsthand, and I love watching her go compete,” Cavalli said. “I’m just sad that it’s ending, I really am, because she’s so good at what she does. But she’s going to carry it into whatever she does next.”

Two standout athletes, the couple has pushed one another in their respective sports while also growing together away from the game. Cavalli credits Bittle with teaching him about time management (she’s working toward her MBA), boosting his mental sharpness and showing him examples of leadership he can share with a young Nationals team that is establishing its foundation for the future.

“She’s getting to the gym an hour and a half before practice, and she’s just next-level locked in,” Cavalli said. “I got to watch the person that I love most go do it, and it’s inspiring. I’m like, 'I’m going to work just as hard, and we can do this together.'”

Bittle and Cavalli share the same competitive drive and unwavering focus, which leads to a mutual perspective on how they spend their time together and stay connected while apart.

“It’s funny because we’re both athletes, so it’s not like a typical, chill-in-the-house night for us most times,” Cavalli said. “We’re talking about our sport and stretching, trying to get our bodies right, meditating together. … She understands what it takes and the commitment level, and I also understand that.

“When we get into season and we’re away from each other, it’s so good because we both understand that there might not be a whole lot of time to talk to each other, but we know what each other’s doing and the way we’re getting after it. We’re supporting each other through that.”

When the 2022 baseball season ended, Cavalli put a monumental event on his calendar before the basketball season began. He wanted to propose to Bittle “as soon as [he] got home and really catch her by surprise.” Family and friends were on hand to celebrate the special moment.

“It’s so good,” Cavalli said. “We’re growing together every day. It’s mainly about holding each other accountable and doing it through love.”