Colorado State University

As the Fresno State series continued, Colorado State softball’s five seniors took the home sand for the final time in their college careers.

Though the Rams fought hard throughout the series, falling 8-3 in the second game and 10-2 in the decisive third, the day wasn’t defined by the loss. Instead, it became a celebration of five athletes whose commitment helped shape the program’s culture — a tribute to the countless hours, unseen struggles and quiet victories that built something far bigger than any one season.

The seniors — Jordan West, Morgan Crosby, Carolina Buffaloe, Morgan Coleman, and Fort Collins native Brooke Bohlender — were honored before the game, their careers marked by applause, flowers, and the embrace of a crowd of 937, which was made up of friends, families and longtime supporters.

For Bohlender, who marked her 150^th game of her career with the series, the emotion of the moment was undeniable.

“It’s crazy that four years later I finally played my last game here,” Bohlender said, pausing as the emotions caught up with her. “Obviously, it’s very emotional because I love playing here and this is my home. Playing four years in my hometown has been the biggest blessing. I’m sad it’s over, but I’ve had an amazing career. I met so many great people along the way. I’m just lucky I got the chance.”

The game itself opened with an early blow – a grand slam from Fresno State’s Kiara Sipe in the top of the first, setting a heavy tone. A five-run start from the Bulldogs made the hill steeper, especially in a crucial series where CSU’s postseason hopes are still faintly alive.

However, in the fourth inning, three of the seniors combined for a string of hits that plated two runs, giving the Rams a burst of life and giving the crowd a reason to roar in support. West followed it with a defensive gem in the fifth – a play at first base that drew cheers and cemented itself as one of those small but unforgettable moments that live on long after the final out.

It wasn’t enough to change the outcome, but it changed the meaning of the day.

For head coach Jen Fisher, the loss mattered less than the bigger picture – what her players had built together over years of practices, bus rides, early mornings and late nights.

“I think the relationships you see on this team are the things that are so special,” Fisher said. “It’s all the families supporting every player, not just their own, and it says so much about the friendships they’ve built. They’re confident, they’re well-rounded, and they played the game the right way. That’s what this is really about.”

The Rams now face steep odds to make the Mountain West Tournament. Only the top six teams qualify, and the gap between CSU and that threshold is wide. Still, Fisher isn’t ruling anything out.

“We obviously want to try and sweep Nevada and see if the softball gods will play the numbers out right for us,” Fisher said. “It’s not mathematically out of the question, so we’ll go and keep fighting. We’re playing for the moments now. Like Jordan’s play at first — that’s a memory that’s going to last a lifetime. That’s what matters.”

And in college sports, where four seasons are all that’s guaranteed, playing for moments is both natural and necessary. Seasons end, careers end, but the relationships and the memories — those live on.

West summed up the feeling many players shared as the reality of the day settled in.

“Today was so bittersweet,” West said. “But I’m just grateful for the opportunity to play here and be with all my best friends while I did it. Having a senior day to soak in every moment was really special. I wouldn’t trade it for anything.”

The postgame scene told its own story — long hugs, tearful smiles, seniors walking slowly around the field, taking one last look at the diamond which had been their home. It wasn’t sadness for what was lost, but gratitude for what was experienced.

Bohlender reflected on that gratitude, putting into words what so many athletes come to realize only when their careers end.

“What I’ve realized doing all of this senior stuff is that it really takes a village to get where you are,” Bohlender said. “It doesn’t happen without my parents, my teammates, my coaches, and everyone who’s ever supported us. It’s not just us out there — it’s our whole community. And we’re so lucky for that.”

In the end, the final score faded into the background, barely a footnote compared to the larger story unfolding. Because what these seniors leave behind can’t be captured in a box score or a record book.

And as the sun dipped lower and the tears flowed freely, it became clear: the best things about playing this game — the parts that last — aren’t measured in wins or trophies. They’re measured in laughter on bus rides and in the hugs that linger a little longer when it’s finally time to say goodbye. Because tears aren’t shed solely for endings. They are shed out of gratitude — for a journey so special, it’s almost too hard to leave behind.