Watch this U.S. Marine replace the umpire to surprise his niece at her softball game

An 11-year-old catcher got the surprise of her young life during a softball game.

Athena has a very close relationship with her uncle, Corporal Marcus, a Marine based in California. That's a long way from Athena's home in Sidney, Ohio, and their bond was tested still further when Corporal Marcus was deployed to Japan.

But finally, it was time for Corporal Marcus to return, and that's when Athena's mom, Jessica, secretly set up a surprise reunion with the help of her daughter's youth softball team.

Watch the video above to see a catcher caught out by a Marine's surprise return

Athena was the only person on the field not in on the surprise when she crouched to receive a pitch, completely unaware that her uncle had replaced the home plate umpire behind her. But when she heard a familiar voice say "Good catch," her reaction was instant and emotional for Athena and everyone watching.

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This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Watch this U.S. Marine replace the umpire to surprise his niece at her softball game