SU Night at the Mariners: Redhawk School Spirit on Proud Display

Let’s get the bad news out of the way first: the Mariners lost to the Yankees, 9-4.

As far as we can tell, everything else about SU Night at the Mariners was a rollicking success punctuated by the pregame mixer, President Peñalver’s ceremonial first pitch, a pair of Mariner home runs, and peak Seattle summer vibes.

The event was intended as a way to bring the Redhawk community together for a fun night at the ballpark while simultaneously celebrating the class of ’22. It proved to be even more than that. 

The festivities got underway as soon as the stadium gates opened. Several hundred members of the Redhawk community made their way to the Rooftop Balcony at T-Mobile Park for food and drinks, giveaways, photo opps with Rudy the Redhawk, and tons of spirited socializing.

“It was amazing to see such a huge turnout,” said De’Andre Jones, ’18, director of alumni engagement. “When we began planning the event with the Mariners last spring, we expected maybe 350 to 400 folks to attend…not nearly 1,000!”

Jessica Palmer, ’16, ’22 remarked on the buzz that was in the air: “It was wonderful to see so many SU people smiling and enjoying each other’s company. I chatted with quite a few classmates and made some new acquaintances as well. And from a broader perspective, it was pretty neat to see the school you love being featured on such a huge stage.”

Speaking of stages, Seattle University was front and center as President Peñalver took the mound. Throwing out the first pitch was a dream come true for the Puyallup native, who grew up cheering for the Mariners. The moment was made all the more special by Peñalver being joined on the field not only by his mother and father, but also his son, Jai, who did the catching duties. The pitch was an arching breaking ball that appeared a little high and inside, but Rudy the Redhawk called it a strike – and we know better than to question the keen vision of a hawk.

The President’s pitch was cheered with boisterous fanfare, in stereo surround sound, from the SU community seated all around the ballpark.

As for the baseball, the Yankees got on the board quickly and never relinquished the lead. We console ourselves by remembering that the season is a marathon, not a sprint. And honestly, is there a cooler hang-out spot than T-Mobile Park on a summer night, win or lose?

Throughout the game, it was great to see the class of ’22 mixing and mingling and enjoying an impromptu 1-month class reunion.

Midway through the game, Seattle U was featured on the massive centerfield scoreboard. And once again, the SU crowd made their school spirit known to all corners of the stadium. 

Afterwards, Seattle U staff member Yolanda Cieters summed up the evening by saying, “It was amazing for many reasons, but most importantly, I’ve ever met so many alumni and colleagues, all in one night, in such an informal, casual setting. This type of socializing with SU folks really supports a sense of community building.”

We wholeheartedly agree, and we can’t wait for the next opportunity to get together.

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Check out a photo gallery and video from this special night!