Softball Senior Weekend
The weekend of April 10-11th was a big one for the Centenary softball team as they celebrated the nine graduating seniors on the team. To kick off the weekend, the Ladies beat McMurry University in the Friday night double header with a score of 9-6 in the first game. However, the real excitement came in the second game of the night, which was a true dog fight with the Ladies trailing 0-5 going into the 5th inning. The Ladies were able to tie the game in the bottom of the 7th inning after a 3-run RBI from Senior Abigail Hodgson. Senior pitcher Emma Crow shut down the bats for the Warhawks and allowed 0 hits in the top of the 8th inning, keeping the score 5-5. Senior Laine Sullivan got things going for the Ladies in the bottom of the 8th inning with a stand-up double. Junior Hilary Pillaro followed that up with another double to score Sullivan and win the game with a 6-5 victory over McMurry University.
Although the Ladies fell short in game three against the Warhawks on Saturday with a score of 4-6, the real focus was on the ceremony for the senior players, which included: Riley Myers, River Boultinghouse, Abigail Hodgson, Jaeden Thrasher, Alexis Roach, Morgan Dawson, Catherine Stokes, Emma Crow, and Laine Sullivan. The senior ladies were presented on the field alongside their families and Coaches Whitney Patterson, Heather Ivey, and Abby Touchet, who gifted them framed Centenary softball jerseys to remember their time with the program. With the series win against McMurry, the Ladies have set a new record for the program with 14 regular-season conference wins!
Though a great accomplishment, to many of the players, softball represents something far greater than athletic performance. Senior River Boultinghouse comments on what it means to be a senior on this team, “As a senior softball player, softball represents years of hard work paying off, while also reminding me to stay present and appreciate the journey. It's a chance to finish what I started and make every moment count with my great teammates this year.” It is aspects like this that set Centenary softball apart from all other programs in DIII. The true and genuine relationships made between players and coaches are something that is not only rare but irreplaceable. Although each graduate will move on to the next phase of their life, there is no question that the Centenary softball program made a huge impact on each of their lives and taught them lessons that they will continue to carry throughout their lifetime. Congratulations to our Centenary softball seniors!
The Ladies will conclude their regular season games in Clarksville, AR, against the University of the Ozarks, with the conference tournament following the very next weekend. Good luck to the Centenary Ladies on the completion of their season!