Claire Fritsch was one of four seniors to play her last game at Pearl Field Sunday afternoon in the series finale against Northwestern.

She was honored for the time and hard work she put in while wearing a Hawkeye uniform, something that will stay with her forever.Fritsch has grown up with softball, and the game has given her something she can share with her family.

After growing up watching brother Craig play baseball each weekend, she was able to pick up the game and see her brother progress as an athlete, something she hoped to accomplish.

“I started playing softball when I was 3 years old,” she said. “My brother is 7 years older than me, and he grew up playing baseball. It was a family thing and just came naturally to me. The fact that the sport came easily to me and I had a connection, it pushed me to stay with it.”

The Round Rock, Texas, native learned from her brother’s experience, and with the support of her parents, she wanted a future in softball.

It wasn’t just softball that made an impression on Fritsch, Iowa gave her the full package.

“I had already known Coach Looper since she was an assistant coach at the University of Texas, and I used to go to camps there,” Fritsch said. “When I decided to commit here, the fan base here is just amazing. The softball stands were always packed with fans, and I realized I loved it here.”

Her teammates have grown to love her not only on the field but off the field as well.

“Claire has been an awesome teammate and friend to me throughout my years,” senior Shayla Starkenburg said. “I’m very thankful I had four years to play with her. As the years went on, we became roommates, and that is when our friendship really took off. It helped us on the field and off the field.”

Fritsch has started almost every game of her career at second base, where she has seen herself grow as a player — especially when she played with former Hawkeye Megan Blank.

“I loved playing with Megan Blank up the middle,” Fritsch said. “We turned so many double plays that almost every game was memorable. She was my mentor, but our relationship grew into a friendship, and I wanted to continue what she brought to the team.”

As a freshman, she tied with Blank as the only Hawkeyes to record three triples in a season while leading Iowa with 7 stolen bases.

Fritsch took over Blank’s mentor position when she took on freshman Lea Thompson this season. Thompson plays shortstop with Fritsch at second, and they have become a dynamic duo.

“For me personally, it has been a great experience,” Thompson said. “She is older, she has been here all four years as well as played all four years, and me being a middle infielder going in at shortstop, it has been great having her there.”

But the best part of their relationship is the friendship off the field. Thompson said, “There were too many memories to count off the field.”

Even though Fritsch will leave everything she has on the field, what she has given her teammates will stay forever.