The Struthers softball team hosted their senior night against Niles on May 4.
This was the last home game of the season and last ever home game for the 2026 graduating seniors.
The Wildcats took a rough loss to Niles with the final score 6-5 at the end of the seventh. There were still a lot of good plays made by the Cats, like two fly ball catches by senior Kylie Schindel, a double-play made by junior Givianna Smiley and multiple strikeouts from junior Emily McDowell. The two teams were neck and neck the entire game; however, Niles took the lead and won by one run.
Junior player Livia Waback doesn’t care about the score but about seeing her teammates play their last home game.
“Very sad, my teammates like Sam and Kylie I’ve played with for my whole life, and it’s sad to see them leave so soon. On the other hand, my teammates like Addie and Ella I’ve recently made a connection with, and I’m sad I don’t have more time. I do appreciate all the time I’ve had with them though,” says Waback.
While the score didn’t reflect it, the game still was a win for the Ladycat seniors. They had four seniors. Samantha Minno who has been playing since T-ball walked her final walk from second to home with her fellow classmates. Ella Bailey made this season the best by far by hitting her first out of the park home run during the season. Addison Liptak continues to make her team proud even when she steps out of the home outfield for the very last time. Schindel took her last swing at the Wildcat home plate.
Waback has an emotional side for the senior class.
“I really hope so. It was very emotional for happy and sad reasons, but I hope they felt the love and care the rest of us feel for them,” says Waback.
Senior night isn’t just a sappy night for the seniors, but for the juniors who are about to be seniors in a week when the season comes to an end. The Wildcats only have two more games before their tournament game. It’s finally hitting the junior class that they will be in the position the seniors are in now that they will have to hit home plate for the very last time.
It’s hard to think that everything good has to come to an end.
“I’m not really scared, just kind of sad. I’m not playing softball in college, so I know now that I have to make it count one last time,” says Waback.
