OSCAR ALVAREZ Senior Crissy Buck (center) has been hit 15
times by pitches, which puts her atop the Pac-10 in the
category.
By Michael Sneag
Daily Bruin Contributor
Timing is everything.
The UCLA softball team has five seniors on the team this year.
While Stacey Nuveman and Amanda Freed usually grab all the
headlines, Crissy Buck, Erin Rahn and Casey Hiraiwa have been all
been solid contributors and have proven their value by doing the
little things at the right time.
They have all managed to stick it out, through all the bumps and
bruises, because they love playing softball for UCLA. It’s as
simple as that.
Buck has been a solid contributor throughout her four years. She
started every game at shortstop during her freshman year as the
Bruins won their ninth NCAA Championship. After making room for
All-American Natasha Watley, she has played almost every position
on the field while serving as the perfect utility player. Buck has
never had the incredible numbers, but that is not what her game is
about.
“I have never seen anybody with as much passion for the
game,” head coach Sue Enquist said. “Crissy never gets
too big for the game. She’s constantly working on her game.
She’s the consummate player.”
Even though she has only hit five career home runs, she has
always found a way to hit them when it counts. As a freshman, she
chose the opening game of the College World Series to hit one when
UCLA defeated DePaul 3-2.
Since then she has only hit three more home runs, but they came
in clutch situations. Two years ago she hit her only homer in the
Regional Playoffs and last year she once again saved her only home
run of the year for an important game against Stanford as the
Bruins won 2-0.
This year she has become famous for getting hit by pitches. Her
15 has set a new team record, which she previously held, but she
loves it.
“I prefer to get hit in the legs, although they leave
nasty bruises,” Buck said, with a laugh. “It’s
funny because now every time a ball comes even anywhere in my area
code, they’re like, “˜Oh, you should’ve gotten
hit.'”
Erin Rahn has a similar philosophy. Used mainly as a pinch
runner and as a defensive replacement her first three years, Rahn
has taken advantage of the opportunity to start in left field this
year. Like Buck, she has always delivered when it mattered
most.
Last year in the Regional Finals against San Diego State, Rahn
scored on a single to right using an incredible hook slide that had
the fans, commentators and even sportswriters gasping. The throw
beat her by a good five feet but she somehow managed to avoid the
tag and score the go-ahead run in the Bruins’ 3-1
victory.
Hitting in the nine-spot in the order this year, she has
energized the bottom of the lineup. She is hitting .309, and has
scored 21 runs to go along with nine stolen bases in ten
attempts.
“Erin is my vinegar,” Enquist said. “No
situation is ever too big for her. Her numbers are one of the
highest on the team in RBI situations so she loves the pressure,
and the numbers prove that. The opportunity has been open for her
and she has run for it.”
Hiraiwa is the shy one. That doesn’t mean she is afraid to
speak; she just prefers not to. She instead chooses to lead by
example.
A civil engineering student who walked onto the team, she has
been relegated to the bench for most of her career, but she has
gladly taken on the role of clubhouse leader. Numbers don’t
tell her story and often, neither will she.
After pinch-running and scoring the only run in the ten inning
1-0 thriller against Cal on April 14, she chose not to be
interviewed, preferring instead to let her teammates do the
talking.
“Casey leads by example,” Enquist said.
“She’s a player of few words, but when she does speak
she’s that type of player where everybody will
listen.”
As the Bruins prepare to finish off the current homestand
against Washington today, all five seniors know that their time at
UCLA is drawing to a close. However, while Nuveman and Freed will
continue to deservedly grab all the headlines, the other three know
that they too can share the spotlight.
They just have to time it right.