Panther Softball Embraces Versatility and Aims High

As Hartnell Softball returns after last year’s missed season, first-year softball Head Coach Casey Watt is enthusiastic about several key strengths and eager to see how her squad shows its abilities in the coming months.

“They’re a great group,” Watt said. “I’m excited, and I’m hoping that they play to their potential.”

The Panthers will open at home at 2 p.m. on Jan. 29 against Reedley.  

A big plus for Hartnell is a trio of pitchers, including first-year freshman Sofia Prieto of Gonzales, who is joined by returners Kaitlyn Villareal, from North Monterey County High School, and Allison Manuel, a Salinas High grad.

‘I’m hoping that’s one of our strengths,” Watt said. “I think that gives us a bit of an advantage, a bit more versatility, than some of the teams we’re going to face this year.”

Also promising is the Panthers’ power at the plate. Watt is particularly high on freshman Olivia Robledo from Salinas High, who she said “can hit the seams off the ball.” She also looks to returner Ariel Carrillo-Green and true freshman Daniela Guedea from Soledad High to hit into the outfield gaps.

“We have a good mix of power, and we’ve got a couple of quicker girls,” Watt said.

The team also has a good number of returning players overall on its 16-member roster, along with newcomers whom Watt and her assistants recruited with help from the team. Because COVID-19 nixed the 2021 season and interrupted the 2020 season, several players go back to Hartnell’s 2019 squad and one to 2018.

“The good news for our team this year is that at least we’re bringing a good deal of experience to the table,” Watt said. “Even though most are considered freshmen, they know what they’re getting into, and it should show on the field.”

The advantage of versatility extends to the team as a whole, she said, with players willing to play multiple positions if needed.

“No one complains,” Watt said. “If I say, ‘Hey, I need you to play second base,’ it’s ‘OK, I’ll jump in.” It shows a lot about them as people.”

That spirit of openness is a theme in Watt’s outlook for the entire season.

“There are no expectations, which I think is really freeing,” she said. “That’s what I’ve been trying to tell the girls. Nobody expects anything from us, so this is a perfect time for us to come in and take something.

“Nothing is ours, and we get to be the one that takes it.”