LUBBOCK, TEX. — As the sport of softball continues to grow in popularity, more professional opportunities continue to arise for players coming out of the collegiate game. One of those opportunities has been granted to former Gael standout Alex Casas '19, who has become one of the first signings of the Hub City Adelitas, a new expansion team in the Women's Professional Fastpitch League, playing in Lubbock, Texas. 

Casas played at Saint Mary's from 2020-23. The Perris, California native appeared in 145 games in her time as a Gaels, seeing time all over the field before settling in as the Gaels everyday catcher in her senior year. A career 0.276 hitter, Casas tallied 28 extra base hits and 50 RBI in her four years in Moraga. Her eight career triples tie her for fourth all-time in program history, while her 0.964 career fielding percentage ranks her ninth best in program history. In 2020, Casas became just the fifth ever Gael, and the first ever SMC freshman, to be honored as a WCC Player of the Week, earning the accolade after breaking up a no-hit effort by ninth ranked Oregon with a double in the sixth inning. 

"Alex was a tremendous and versatile athlete for us and since graduating, she has continued to grow in the sport, first as a member of Team Mexico, and now by joining the professional softball ranks." stated Saint Mary's Softball Head Coach Sonja Garnett, who coached Casas throughout her entire collegiate career, "With so few professional opportunities for softball athletes, Alex has proven to be one of the best! We look forward to following her career, and are proud she's a Gael!"

Outside of Saint Mary's Softball, Casas played for Team Mexico following her junior season at the 2022 World Games. She appeared in all five games of the tournament for Team Mexico, starting four, and picked up a hit against Italy. Casas would also represent Team Mexico in the 2023 Pan American Games in Santiago, Chile, helping her squad to a fourth place finish. Last season, Casas competed for El Aguila de Veracruz in the inaugural season of the Liga Mexicana de Softbol. 

Casas will now return to the US to play for Hub City in their inaugural season. The Adelitas season will kick off on June 20, and will feature an eight week, 32 game regular season, with play-offs beginning August 13. Other teams in the league include the Texas Smoke (Austin, Texas), the Coastal Bend Tidal Wave (Corpus Christi, Texas) and the Smash It Sports Vipers (Oxford Alabama). 

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