Seniors honored for memorable careers

Kristy Mangos Arizona Daily Wildcat UA senior pitcher Nancy Evans receives hugs from the coaching staff during the Senior Ceremony following Sunday's game against California. Evans pitched five innings during the doubleheader, striking out three.

And they came to honor a friend one last time, a friend who should have been there to receive the applause herself were it not for life's tragic, sudden twists.

The senior class of the Arizona softball team said thank you to the 1,368 in attendance at Hillenbrand Stadium yesterday and in return, received the biggest ovations of the season as the fans expressed their sincerest gratitude for the efforts of this gritty group.

Leah Braatz, Nancy Evans, Tiana Hejduk, Alison McCutcheon and Lety Pineda received flowers and hugs from the coaching staff and they honored life-long teammate and friend Julie Reitan, who would have been a senior this year. Reitan passed away from hypoglycemia last summer.

"It is really hard to see all of this coming to an end," Evans said. "This was a great chance for us to not necessarily say goodbye, but say thank you for the support over the years.

"It has been a great ride."

They all received rousing applause for their commitment to one of the nation's greatest collegiate sports programs, right down to reserve first baseman Hejduk, who started just her eighth game of the year in game two of yesterday's double header.

"The applause for me just shows that everyone on this team has a role, right down to the people on the bench," Hejduk said. "It's cool to know they recognize all of our roles on this team."

Far too many fans these days recognize only the heavy hitters, those who swing for the fences on every delivery. So for the players who grind out hits and turn sure outs into rally-starting scoring streaks.

"The fans are always telling me to swing away instead of slapping the ball," McCutcheon said. "But I don't hit home runs so it is nice to receive an ovation like that from the fans."

They came to UA some years ago, raw and unpolished and they will leave having become one of the greatest groups of players to pass through the program.

"That is a helluva class of players right there when you think about it," Arizona head coach Mike Candrea said. "It was a nice tribute for a group of players who were not only great players, but great people as well.

"They came to play and when we needed them most they were there for us."