Osterman on jersey retirement: 'Honored, blessed and grateful for the outpour of support and [birthday] wishes'

A Cypress Springs High School graduate who went on to become one of the best American softball players of all time received a memorable birthday present on Saturday (April 16) from the collegiate program for which she starred during the early 21st Century. 

The No. 18 University of Texas Longhorns softball team retired former pitcher Cat Osterman's No. 8 in a ceremony before its game against Big XII rival and top-ranked Oklahoma, according to a program-issued press release.

"Honored, blessed and grateful for the outpour of support and birthday wishes yesterday!" Osterman tweeted on Easter. "The softball world is so incredibly special. THANK YOU!"

A member of Cypress Springs' Class of 2001, the 39-year-old Osterman is the owner of several records for the Lady Panthers.

She then continued her mastery in the circle at UT, establishing herself as a four-time recipient of the Big XII Pitcher of the Year honor and the only player in NCAA D-I history to lead the country in ERA, hurl 20 no-hitters and log seven perfect games.

Osterman and UT were regulars at the Women's College World Series for much of her time in Austin, according to the website Horns Illustrated.

A southpaw, she helped the U.S. win a gold medal at the Athens Olympics in 2004 followed by a silver four years later in later in Beijing, per the website Horns Illustrated.

She came out of retirement to guide the Americans to the silver at last year's Tokyo Olympics.

UT softball coach Mike White hailed Osterman's contributions to the program and the sport as a whole.

"Cat helped to elevate our softball program to national prominence during her career on the Forty Acres," White said, Horns Illustrated reported. "It is so exciting to have her No. 8 immortalized into Texas Softball history and to honor her contribution to the growth of collegiate softball not only in the U.S., but also throughout the world."

According to Horns Illustrated, Osterman is the only softball player to have her number retired by the school. 

Aside from her No. 8 being immortalized, Osterman also threw out the ceremonial first pitch to her former teammate Megan Willis, the website reported. 

The current Longhorns team further made Osterman's birthday even more unforgettable by pulling off an upset of the No. 1 Sooners in the form of a 4-2 win, the program's release said.