In the days leading up to Texas State's softball game against Baylor on Wednesday, March 16, the weather in San Marcos had more of a wintery feel: temperatures near 50 degrees with winds holding steady between 15 and 25 miles per hour.
Then game day arrived, and everything changed. Temperatures rose above 60 degrees for the first time in weeks. Gloomy clouds weren't holding back sunrays. The wind was only slight and rather enjoyable.
It felt like … spring; the way game days were during Jessica's four-year playing career at then-Southwest Texas from 2000-2003. The sun shined on a program that won 172 softball games, back-to-back Southland Conference Championships and made two NCAA Regional appearances with Spring a member of the program.
It was the type of weather Jessica Spring would have wanted if she was in the stands to watch the Bobcats play the Bears.
"(Jessica) was one of those kids who went hard every second of every day, all the time," said Texas State softball head coach
Ricci Woodard, who coached Jessica over the final three seasons of her Bobcat career. "She was one of those kids who you never had to call in and say, 'hey, we need more out of you,' or 'hey, you aren't giving us full effort.'
"She was full of energy, whether she was playing or not. She was the ultimate teammate."
When Jessica Spring passed away in October 2021, Woodard said numerous Texas State softball alumni and former teammates of Jessica reached out with questions on how and when she would be honored.
It wasn't until Woodard met with members of the university's athletic department that a plan was formed.
On Wednesday, March 16, the Texas State softball program, in a collaboration with the softball program at Baylor University, honored Jessica Spring as well as Bears assistant softball coach Mark Lumley, who also passed away following a bout with cancer, with a pregame ceremony and video tributes.
A silent auction was organized, too, with proceeds going to the Texas Oncology Foundation.
"Everybody has been touched by cancer, in some way. It's hard to find anyone these days who hasn't," Woodard said. "Mark Lumely was a great friend of mine, too. We'd sit and talk a lot during recruiting processes. He's been missed sorely in the game and not just because of the person he was. He was also a great coach and a great man."
Following the tributes, Jessica's mother, Paula Cranek, and father joined Woodard in the pitching circle, where Paula threw out the game's first pitch while both programs — with Texas State wearing white uniforms with teal font and numbers to honor former Bobcat women's soccer head coach Kat Conner, who battled ovarian cancer — were lined down the first and third base foul lines, respectively.
"It was one of those bittersweet moments for me," Woodard said. "To be able to recognize a player like that and a young lady who came through the program and made such an impact is awesome, but it's also bittersweet because of the reason we are having to do.
"I miss the texts from her after games. I miss the smile on her face."
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