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06/22/2017 12:00 AMRecent North Branford High School graduate Emily Muzyka was a three-sport standout for the T-Birds who starred on the softball field. Emily has played softball since she was four years old, and she simply loves the game. Emily also loved coming up with one big hit after one another, while propelling the Thunderbirds to tremendous success throughout the past few years.
“It’s something that’s always been there for me. Then I started playing travel ball when I was 10 and fell in love with the sport and wanted to continue playing,” says Emily. “To be a solid player for the team was important to me. I know I was an integral part of the team, and that motivated me to bat harder for the success of the team.”
Emily was a prominent figure on North Branford’s softball squad from the start of her freshman year. She proved a force in the middle of the lineup and finished her career with a .405 batting average, a total of 120 hits that included five home runs, and 109 RBI.
“Emily has one of the best eyes at the plate. Knowing the pitching in this league, she grew a lot from her freshman year. She was in the middle of the lineup as a freshman, and that’s a big burden to have just coming into varsity,” says North Branford softball Head Coach Nick DeLizio. “I thought as a freshman she did very well. I saw her numbers improve and, this year, knowing what was to be expected, she went up with a good approach and, when she got her pitch, she did not miss it.”
As a senior captain for North Branford this spring, Emily had her best year yet by hitting .467, while collecting 43 hits, four homers, and 37 RBI. It was a wonderful season for the All-Shoreline Conference third baseman, who enjoyed being one of the leaders for the T-Birds as they won their third straight conference title and reached the program’s first state final since 1975.
“It meant a lot, because I’ve seen the captains for all four years. Knowing what they did, I wanted to help lead the team,” Emily says. “To do that and go to the state championship was a big deal.”
Coach DeLizio says that Emily always led by example, and he appreciates how big of an impact she had during North Branford’s storybook season. Of Emily’s four home runs, two of them came in the team’s Shoreline Conference championship victory over Hale-Ray, and one was against Seymour in the Class M state final.
“Emily knew the program was going in the right direction and wanted to lead this team as far as possible. I had a talk with her about being mature and leading our team, which is why she was named a captain,” DeLizio says. “When the team needed her most, she put the team on her back. In the playoffs, she batted .537 with 11 RBI and three home runs. They all came in championship games, so she was putting the team in a position to be successful.”
Emily says that her home run in the first inning versus Seymour is a moment that she will never forget.
“The at-bat was nine pitches long. I don’t foul off a lot. I usually swing and it goes fair, but this one was nine pitches. When I hit the home run, it set the tone for the game,” she says. “Nobody thought we’d score a run off Seymour, so the fact I was able to hit one out in the first was important to the team and made us believe we can win and stay in it.”
Emily’s stellar senior season came after she had taken nine months off from softball. Emily was dealing with an arm injury at the end of her junior year, and so she wanted to keep herself fresh for her final campaign at North Branford. Apparently, that strategy worked.
“At the end of last year, I injured my arm, and the pain had gotten pretty bad. Since I had played for virtually seven years straight, I wanted to take some time off and focus on volleyball, indoor track, and school,” says Emily. “When I started over this spring, my stance changed a little bit. I think that helped.”
Emily was also a key member of North Branford’s volleyball and indoor track squads. She currently holds the indoor school record for the shot put with a throw of 30 feet-6.5 inches. Last winter, Emily earned All-Shoreline Second Team honors by placing second in the shot put at the Conference Championship.
Emily will be attending the University of South Carolina in the fall. While she’s still unsure about whether she wants to try and walk on the school’s softball team, Emily is walking out North Branford High School feeling proud after helping pave the way for a future generation of T-Birds on the diamond.
“Knowing we can win every game, it motivates you,” Emily says. “By winning the third Shoreline title, we showed everyone that we can stay dominant.”