The Seattle University Women’s Softball team ended their season last week in Las Cruces, N.M. at the Western Athletic Conference (WAC) tournament. The Redhawks took on the University of Missouri Kansas City and Grand Canyon, unfortunately losing both games.
Even though the team didn’t come away with positive results, there were still some victories to celebrate. In the game against Kansas City, sophomore Madison Cathcart came in hot to give the Redhawks a 2-0 advantage in the first inning.
Later in the same game, a new record was set when the ladies set the single-season record for bases stolen with 27. This consistent effort, even though the team may be losing, shows a spirit that made Head Coach Geoff Hirai proud.
“All year we have responded to tough losses with a good performance and this past weekend we just couldn’t get it done,” Hirai said. “I am proud of what this senior class has done for this program and left their legacy with the underclassman.”
There are eight seniors who will be graduating this year: Nicole Bolasky, Erika Rodgers, Savannah Loomis, Sara Dominguez, Maddy Kristjanson, Molly Campbell, Breanna Timmons and Susanne Morris.
“It is tough to lose anyone from your program, but this senior class is a special one because they have embraced the culture and left this program way better than it was when they first got here,” Hirai said.
Although a number of talented seniors will be leaving, the underclassmen have the potential to step up and fill those spots and Hirai feels that they have grown a great deal over the year.
“The underclassmen learned the most about what it takes to get through a year and what it is going to take next year to come back stronger and faster,” Hirai said.
The team can also be proud of the Division I program record they set this year with 33 wins in 2018. Additionally, seven Redhawks were put onto the All-WAC teams, which leads the conference. In addition to new records, new memories were made over the season. Coach Hirai fondly recalls one in particular.
“A great memory was the first weekend out on Saturday when we played back-to-back extra-inning games until one in the morning and won both of them,” Hirai said. “One with a walk off home run in extras and the other coming back from four runs in the last inning to tie it and winning it in with a big inning at 1 a.m.in the morning.”
After a successful season with records set, the team is looking forward to next season.
“My hopes every year is to get better than the year before and win the WAC tournament and get to regionals,” Hirai said.
Bailee may be reached at
[email protected]
