PHARR — Ariella Saenz set her sights on a Division I scholarship early on during her softball career. The PSJA North senior had several Division II and III programs courting her leading up to her final year, offering her scholarships to come join their programs.
Still, Saenz turned down those offers to chase her Division I dream.
After waiting patiently, Saenz’s opportunity arrived, getting a chance to pitch in front of coaches from Texas A&M-Corpus Christi at one of their softball camps Dec. 4.
Saenz let it fly at the camp, consistently throwing pitches in the 60-miles-per-hour range. Her performance caught the attention of Islanders head coach Kathleen Rodriguez, who approached Saenz after the camp and asked her one question: “How would you feel wearing blue?”
Saenz made it official Thursday, signing her national letter of intent at the PSJA North Gymnasium, committing to continue her academic and athletic career at Texas A&M-Corpus Christi, a Division I program that competes in the Southland Conference.
“I was nervous,” Saenz said. “I knew I would have to settle for a different school if I didn’t get an offer that day. I just told myself to give it my all. I just went in and threw as fast as I could and made sure my pitches were working. … This is what I wanted. I went in with a plan and I was so happy the outcome was getting a scholarship to play.” Saenz’s father, Carlos, saw his daughter’s dedication early on. He recalled coming home from work and finding his daughter in the driveway working on her game.
“She’d be pitching against the house, breaking bricks and everything,” Carlos said. “She’d be fielding the ball, then pitching and then fielding the ball again. Next thing you know, I’m showing up and it was like, ‘What happened to the window? What happened to the lamp? What happened to the pot over there?’ There was no telling how long she’d be out there. She was just real persistent.”
Saenz spent the first two seasons of her high school career at PSJA High, earning District 30-6A newcomer of the year as a freshman. Her sophomore season, she had nine home runs through 14 games before COVID-19 canceled the season.
As a junior, Saenz transferred to PSJA North, serving as a two-way threat for the Raiders, recording 81 strikeouts in 101 innings pitched, while recording a .425 batting average and 30 RBIs in 80 appearances at the plate.
Saenz is hoping to record a perfect game sometime this year. Still, the senior star’s priority is helping her team go on a deep run after falling in the area round last season.
Saenz credits her parents for her success on the softball field, saying they have had the biggest impact on getting to where she is.
“They are the people who have supported me through this whole journey,” Saenz said. “They’ve sacrificed the most. They’ve given most of their time and efforts. You have to be dedicated to do this. They really had my back through it all and had my best interest at heart. … They were always pushing me. It was just a whole family effort.”
