NAMPA, Idaho – When the Northwest Nazarene softball team won the GNAC tournament title and stormed the field, Cassidy Fifield was right there with her teammates.

But she wasn't in uniform and she wasn't in her normal center field position.

Fifield broke her arm when she was hit by a pitch in her last at bat in her last inning of the regular season.

Just like that, the Nighthawks lost their leadoff hitter, star center fielder and one of the conference's best offensive players.

"It was such a weird time and emotions," she said. "I knew I needed to be happy for the girls who did get to have this experience, but it was really challenging to not be on the field with them. It was disappointing."

A year later, Fifield is again one of NNU's best players but this time she is healthy. The Nighthawks (27-22) open the GNAC tournament at 2:30 p.m. PDT on Thursday against Central Washington at Concordia in Portland, Ore.

"It is going to be really special to see her as a senior go out in the playoffs," NNU assistant coach Hallie Swanson said. "Above all else, she just loves her team and her team will always be the most important thing for her and it shows when she plays."

When Fifield was hit she knew right away her arm was broken. It was a two-strike pitch and she thought it was a rise ball, so she turned to swing and the ball hit her back arm creating a clean break of her forearm.

What should have been a celebratory bus ride home from Montana was instead a sad scene.

"Stepping back and thinking about it right now, it could bring me to tears," NNU coach Rich Wagner said. "The last play of the game. The last at bat of the regular season and she has been leading the conference all last year and a long bus ride home.

"It feels so good to give her a shot and now we want to give her a shot at regionals, too."

While Fifield attended the GNAC tournament last year she did not go to the NCAA West Regional because she was on a cross cultural trip to Europe.

The trip had been planned out long in advance, before Fifield knew the team would make the national tournament, but she was still undecided about whether she should go to Europe or go to Chico, Calif. with her team.

"I encouraged her to go to Europe," Wagner said. "It was a once in a lifetime opportunity. She couldn't play and was going to just sit in the dugout."

While Fifield was visiting London, Paris and Germany, she was keeping tabs on her team by following the games online and texting her teammates.

"We were in constant contact after every game," said Lisa Sylvester, a senior on last year's team. "She was up to date with us and we were texting her along the way, making sure she was with us in spirit and we were doing everything we could to make her feel a part of the group."

Fifield returned to the field in the fall, but struggled initially facing live pitching. She eventually overcame that and this spring has quickly become her old self, batting .294 with 12 doubles, three home runs and seven stolen bases. She is the career leader in stolen bases at NNU, with more than three times the next player.

While she has been solid on the field this season, it is her personality that shines through the most for her teammates and coaches.

"Her smile is infectious," Swanson said. "She always has a smile on her face and if you are not having a good day, you just have to look at Cass."