Sutter senior softball pitcher Olivia Bauer (middle) speaks at her national letter of intent signing on Wednesday, November 8. Photo by Chris Pedigo

SUTTER, CA (MPG) - Three Sutter Union High School seniors signed their national letter of intent on Wednesday, November 8, to further their academic and athletic careers into the collegiate level in front of family, friends, teammates and coaches.

Softball’s pitcher Olivia Bauer signed with Boise State University, catcher/infielder Alexa Carino signed with California State University, Sacramento and baseball pitcher Jagger Beck signed with the University of Hawai’i at Manoa.

Olivia Bauer

Bauer expressed to the Dispatch that BSU has been her dream school to play for when she began playing travel ball.

“That’s the only college I’ve ever wanted to go to, and it feels good to fulfill my dreams,” Bauer said. She added that when she went to her first camp at the campus in Boise, she fell in love with the culture, coaches and the city itself.

Bauer’s parents Kristie (mother) and Keith (father) told the Dispatch there was no doubt she was going to BSU without a doubt.

“She’s (Olivia) always done something when someone tells her she can’t do something,” Kristie said.

As softball season sneaks up in a few short months, Keith and Kristie expressed they want her to have fun her senior year and continue to be the role model for the younger players in the Sutter program like she received.

“A great human being is better than being a good softball player,” Keith said.

Olivia verbatimly expressed the same message of leaving her mark for the program during her senior season.

“They (upperclassmen to Olivia) were welcoming, they showed me the culture of Sutter softball and what it means to be a teammate.

Huskies head softball coach Stefanie Danna told the Dispatch that Olivia always has the passion for the game and it’s always fun for her.

“Olivia demonstrates what it means to play Sutter softball,” Danna said. “Her and the returning players reestablished the culture after a big senior class of 2022 graduated.”

Alexa Carino

Sutter senior softball catcher/infielder Alexa Carino gives a “stingers up” following the signing of her national letter of intent to further her academic and athletic career at California State University, Sacramento on Wednesday, November 8. Photo by Chris Pedigo

Carino expressed to the Dispatch this summer when she committed to Sacramento State that it was also a chance for much of her support system to be closer to watch her play on a consistent basis.

“They’ve all helped me accomplish my dream, so I kind of owe it to them a little bit in the sense I’m here because of them,” Carino said.

She added that it’s a breath of fresh air that she will be able to see them in her home environment as comfort.

Carino’s biggest supporter is her mother Yvette and she told the Dispatch that Alexa has worked her butt off since she was 10 years old.

With Alexa playing at Sacramento State, Yvette is excited to continue the journey of continuously being in the stands cheering.

“She has worked her butt off since she was 10 for this moment,” Yvette said. She added she couldn’t be more proud of Alexa for all of the time and hard work she has done to get to her signing.

Yvette is excited to have the opportunity of being able to make a lot of Alexa’s games, but expressed to the Dispatch that she is most proud of the perseverance Alexa displayed throughout her life.

Danna expressed that Alexa is the vocal leader of the softball team  and she mentioned that in her speech at Alexa’s signing.

“When Alexa talks, the team listens, even I listen,” Danna said as she let out a laugh. She added that Alexa has a presence on the field to instruct and command the team when their backs are against the wall.

Alexa expressed to the Dispatch she wants to make more memories with the softball team this season and when she sees her teammates at the next level, she can think of all the fun times they have with one another.

Jagger Beck

Sutter senior pitcher Jagger Beck (middle) signed his national letter of intent to further his academic and athletic career with the University of Hawai’i at Manoa on Wednesday, November 8 in front of family, friends, coaches and teammates. Photo by Steven Bryla

Beck told the Dispatch that he decided on Hawaii because the coaching staff makes it a family environment of more than just baseball and he is happy to officially be going to Hawaii.

Father (Bill) and mother (Jodie Fairbanks) are excited for Jagger and Bull expressed he felt like he has known Jagger has wanted to play collegiate baseball for a long time.

“He’s (Jagger) worked hard for this during his entire career in baseball and academics and we’re excited to see it come through fruition,” Fairbanks said.

Jagger told the Dispatch that he wants to go back-to-back this season as winning another section title and NorCal State title in baseball.

Bill and Jodie expressed that it can be nerve racking with Jagger being a six-hour plane ride away, but his support system from the family and having four parents will be there for him if needed and then joked well not if it’s needed.

Huskies baseball head coach Stewart Peterson expressed he was proud and excited for Jagger signing with Hawaii.

He added that it couldn’t have happened to a better person that people don’t see outside the lines of the field and what he does on a day-to-day basis.

These three athletes would need another article for the accolades they received last season such as player/pitcher of the year, honorable mention to section and state teams to name a few, but they did the hard work inside the classroom and on the field. Never forget they need to be students first to play the games they love.