St. Mike’s Softball dedicated May 1 as “Senior Day,” celebrating the four seniors: LindsayB, KellyE, Heather, and Katelyn. Posters, balloons, t-shirts, verbal hoo haa, special printed insert, and even their numbers spelled in cups on the dugout screen marked the occasion. A brief ceremony was held prior to announcing the starting lineups to honor 12, 21, 3, and 7 – with their families on hand to share in the love. Simply a nicely done bit of heart-felt recognition.

LindsayB, the strong lefty from Maine, graduates with a degree in accounting while emerging as a defensive force at 1st base and a feared hitter in the SMC lineup. KellyE, the scrappy vocal leader from Mass, graduates with a degree in education and a proven prowess for diving plays at 2nd, tenacity at the plate, and true grit on the mound. Heather, the sweet Vermont catcher (who's been Kate's friend and teammate for 8 years), graduates with degrees in education and gender studies, having excelled as a four-year defensive star behind the plate and a reliable hitter at the plate. Her spirit, dedication and leadership earned her the 2010 SMC Softball Coach’s Award. Our Katelyn, the cannon-armed pitcher turned centerfielder turned shortstop from Vermont, graduates summa cum laude with a degree in chemistry and math. She weathered knee, shoulder, and ankle injuries while throwing out runners, stealing bases, and dropping bunts on her way to NE-10 conference all-star third team recognition, ESPN the Magazine’s second team all-district academic all-star honors, and the 2010 Keleher Award as SMC’s top female scholar athlete.

I’ve been blessed to see nearly every game these four have played for SMC. In that 27,500 mile pursuit of their exploits, they’ve never disappointed me. They love the game and play it with class, determination, and a relentless bit of joy. They’ve been blessed with wonderful teammates – and Camp Billings’ has shared the sidelines with wonderful families. It’s truly been a pleasure to see these four through the lens and know them through the years. Congratulations, class of 2010!

Game photos from the AIC doubleheader are now up over here and the Game photos from the Assumption doubleheader are over there.