Tucson native Carlie Scupin was Arizona softball's Senior Day hero in completing sweep over ASU (2024)

Aidan WohlSpecial to the Arizona Daily Star

Playing on Carlie Scupin’s right side through the ups and downs the past four seasons at Arizona, Allie Skaggs was also her right hand. Skaggs wouldn’t want success for anyone more than her longtime teammate.

It was this kind of sisterhood from the senior class that led to weeps on Senior Day Sunday at Hillenbrand Stadium on the UA campus.

Not every teardrop was caused by the video montage celebrating their memories as a Wildcat and hugging their parents following the contest; some of them were already used up by what transpired just minutes before in the game.

Down 8-7 in the bottom of the seventh inning Sunday, Scupin hit a two-run walk-off single to the left-center gap to lift No. 22 Arizona over rival Arizona State 9-8 at Hillenbrand Stadium to sweep the series. As soon as freshman Regan Shockey dove home to solidify the win, the emotion overcame Skaggs, who watched Scupin be lifted up by her teammates.

“I saw Scup and I just started tearing up,” Skaggs said. “You see someone that’s been through such a body of work like that. You see her day in and day out just living for moments like that.”

Scupin, a Tucson High alumna, who is now nearing the end of her playing career at Arizona, labeled the program that she grew up supporting as her “safe place.”

“I get to go out here and play softball like I’m a kid,” Scupin said. “I’m definitely going to miss that, I’m gonna miss my teammates and my coaches.”

Skaggs, who committed to play for legendary UA coach Mike Candrea when she was a sophom*ore in high school, has become one of the most decorated players in school history, earning the national Rawlings Gold Glove Award and being named the Pac-12 Defensive Player of the Year last season. The now-retired Candrea was on hand over the weekend to watch her and her teammates’ senior moment, which Skaggs said was “special.”

Skaggs said she was “grateful” for both her time as a Wildcat and for Candrea welcoming her to the program.

“It’s been an awesome journey and I would do it all again if I had the chance.”

Jasmine Perezchica, one of the three remaining players from that 2020 recruiting class, said both Candrea and Arizona coach Caitlin Lowe have been very impactful people in her life, with the senior outfielder not being able to say enough about them.

“(They’re) my family,” Perezchica said. “They’ll be my family forever.”

Watching the senior montage at the end of the game, the reality of her collegiate career coming to an end soon hit Perezchica, with her hands on her face while wiping away tears.

“It’s very emotional just knowing that you’re never gonna be an Arizona softball player again after your senior season,” she said.

In all five seniors — Scupin, Skaggs, Perezchica, Ali Blanchard and Cienega alumna Blaise Biringer — were honored Sunday.

Along with Sunday’s walk-off and emotional ceremony afterwards, the Wildcats’ weekend was jam-packed with special moments with Friday and Saturday being 2000s and 2010s decade celebrations, where UA softball alumni were honored before the games. There, Scupin and Skaggs were able to chat and catch up with former Wildcat Alyssa Denham, whom they were close with as teammates when they were freshmen.

“It’s just so cool to continue the legacy and get to play for something bigger than yourself,” Skaggs said about the generations of former Wildcats coming back to Hillenbrand.

Lowe added that she saw how proud Perezchica was of being part of the UA program to which Lowe told her “you’re gonna be one of those ladies on the field that we’re celebrating soon.”

Although UA softball’s Senior Day is typically its last home game of the season, the last two seasons have shown otherwise, giving the celebrating Wildcats a chance another chance to take the field at Hillenbrand, sans the Senior Day fanfare. Last season, the UA hosted the Pac-12 Tournament, giving the Wildcats two more home games; this season, the Wildcats (31-13-1, 12-9 Pac-12) have one last one-off nonconference game Tuesday, April 30, against Grand Canyon.

“I’m glad that we have an extra game here,” Scupin said. “It’s a little weird to do it after Senior Day, but I’m definitely looking forward to having one more game here. There’s nothing better than playing at home.”

Following Sunday’s win — the Wildcats’ ninth win in their last 10 games, and seventh in a row over rival ASU — Lowe thanked her seniors for everything they have given the program, which Skaggs also echoed back to her senior teammates.

“Thank you for sticking it out with the Arizona Wildcats,” Skaggs said. “I know we’ve had some ups and downs and bumpy roads and our class decided to stay or build what we have right now.

“You show up consistently every day and you get rewarded for the hard work you put in.”