Masuk opens season with win over Barlow

REDDING — The last time the Masuk softball team took the field, it earned home the Class LL state championship and was ranked the top team in the state.

Nearly two years later Masuk remains at the top of the rankings, but with fresh faces to carry the weight of the expectations.

“This year really is so different, we only have two returning starters,” Masuk coach Leigh Barone said. “I am sure other teams are in the same boat, but there just isn’t that much knowledge about who lost who and which players are starting. It may take a while to figure everything out.”

No. 1 Masuk opened its season at Joel Barlow with a 14- 1 mercy- rule victory in five innings on Saturday.

“We missed a whole season, so there are some girls that are juniors and sophomores that have never started with the varsity team,” Barone said. “I tell them to do their best, go out there and have fun, and I think they did that today. A lot of girls stepped up.”

Kathryn Gallant was the brightest star for Masuk on opening day, earning her first win on the mound and hitting her first home run at the plate.

Junior outfielder Kara Traggianese also launched her first home run, a tworun shot in the third inning. Shortstop Kaitlyn Welch went 2 for 3 to follow up her 2019 season in which she batted .471 as a sophomore.

“I was just excited to be out here again, everybody missed it last season,” Gallant said. “It was great to be out here with the team and start it off with a win.”

Over five innings, Gallant struck out 10 and allowed one run on two hits while going 1 for 3 with a two- run home run in the fourth inning.

“She has big shoes to fill. We lost ( Sam Schiebe) in 2019 and ( Maddy Procyk) last year” Barone said. “She has been working really hard in the offseason and I 14 1