CWU’s softball team recently celebrated its senior night, marking the end of an era for many its players. Senior infielder Myiah Seaton shared her reflections on the emotional roller coaster of striving to advance one moment and suddenly coming to a halt the next.

“It’s been really challenging transitioning from constantly trying to improve to going cold turkey,” Seaton said. “This is quite a weird sport in that the whole team determines the outcome, but you are left blaming yourself after a loss.”

The Wildcats kicked off the weekend on a high note with a 7-6 victory against the Saint Martin University (SMU) Saints.

“Harlee Carpenter was definitely a standout player that weekend,” senior pitcher Ashlee Laver said. “She did a really good job at the plate and pulled through with a walk-off hit after a 12-inning battle.”

However, the team was unable to maintain their momentum in the other matches of the four-game series, ultimately falling short.

“I don’t think the games went how we wanted them to go on the weekend of senior night, but I do feel like we played better as a team and had more fun on the field,” senior infielder Serena Perez said.

Despite the weekend’s outcome, Seaton greatly appreciated the warm weather that drew in a larger crowd of supportive students.

“It was really nice to have the sun be out so our fellow student-athletes could support us,” Seaton said. “We don’t get a lot of support, so hearing those cheers meant a lot to each and every one of us, especially the seniors.”

Seaton also shared how being a member of the softball team has impacted her college experience as a whole: “When you are an athlete, you miss out on so many things compared to regular students. There is far less time to do desirable things like hanging out with friends,” Seaton said. 

She further explained that the COVID-19 guidelines made things more challenging for her during her freshman year. The team was explicitly instructed that they risked being kicked off the team if they socialized with people outside of the team.

“To have the sport you love have those standards was extremely challenging with a huge people person like me,” Seaton said.  

While Seaton acknowledged some challenges that came with being a student-athlete, she also noted the rewards it offered. According to her, the most satisfying aspect of the experience was the grit she cultivated over her four-year career. 

“Throughout my four years, I played positions I was unfamiliar with for the betterment of the team,” Seaton said. “This attitude trickles into academics as well as jobs we are faced with as athletes. Being a student-athlete has shaped me into the hard worker that I am today.”

Looking back on her softball career at CWU, Seaton shared some of her favorite memories with the team: “One of my all-time favorite memories is my freshman year when the team did karaoke on the way home from MSUB,” Seaton said. 

Additionally, she mentioned a game last year when the team beat the Northwest Nazarene University (NNU) Nighthawks, who were the 1st seed in the GNAC tournament at the time: “That game had the most adrenaline I remember having,” Seaton said. 

Seaton had nothing but gratitude to express toward her parents for helping her get to where she is today. 

“I owe everything to my parents,” Seaton said. “They did everything they could, work-wise and practice-wise. I know I told my dad how annoyed I would get when he would correct me, but none of that matters now. I already miss hitting with him during the summers.” 

Moreover, she thanked head softball coach Joseph DiPietro for his dedicated efforts towards the team and for making necessary adjustments to their standards.

“I also want to thank our current coach, Joe,” Seaton said. “I have had my fair share of coaches, and Joe has worked harder for us than any coach I have ever had. We had very little as a program until he came in and readjusted our standards. He fought for us to have what we truly deserve and for that lam very thankful.”

Looking ahead to the 2024 season, Laver had nothing but enthusiasm to express about returning to CWU and stacking on a fifth year of play.

“We will continue to push for a good team culture like the seniors did for us,” Laver said. “I’m excited to have as much fun as I can for my last season and I can’t wait to see what this team does next year!”