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07/06/2022 12:00 AMEvery program needs team players who are willing to put the team before themselves in any situation. The North Haven softball team has a player who fits that definition perfectly in Kayla Balisciano, who recently completed a solid junior season with the Nighthawks.
Kayla displayed great improvement during her second season as a member of the North Haven softball squad this year. Kayla’s contributions helped the Nighthawks put together a quality campaign that saw the squad notch 12 wins, including a victory in the Class L State Tournament.
Kayla’s softball career began when she was in 4th grade. Kayla’s mom had grown up playing softball, and Kayla wanted to follow in those footsteps. Kayla played travel softball in North Haven with a group of teammates who became her friends and inspired her to forge a career in the sport.
“Throughout my whole life, I just fell in love with the sport. I always enjoyed it, and I just loved playing with all of my friends,” says Kayla. Some of them are still my teammates I’ve been playing with since I started. I love the friendships that we formed.”
Kayla had a unique junior season as she stepped into a veteran role with the Nighthawks this spring. The relationships that Kayla had created with older players like senior captain Caroline Toni, with whom Kayla has also played volleyball at North Haven, allowed her to feel more comfortable in the softball program. Those types of relationships motivated Caroline to work hard both on and off the diamond.
“I have known so many of them for so long and, the upperclassmen that I played with for a while, that definitely helped with the chemistry of the team and how we all come together to play a game,” Kayla says. “I feel like always having them push me and all the upperclassmen in my life and all my friends would try to push me to work to the best of my ability. I feel like that has always helped me and really wanted me to push to be better and get better.”
After losing her freshman season due to COVID and then having an unsatisfactory sophomore year, Kayla was determined to perform better as a junior. She wanted to play more of a role on offense and improve her numbers across the board. Kayla took matters into her own hands and had a great junior season that saw her post a batting average of .308. Kayla, a catcher, also proved a dominant presence behind the plate with a .973 fielding percentage on the year.
Head Coach Karen Castagnola was impressed with Kayla’s progression and feels eager to see how she can continue improving as a senior next season.
“We saw tremendous growth and improvement this year behind the plate in Kayla. She gained a lot of experience and is an integral part of this team,” says Castagnola. “Hopefully, she’s continuing to do a lot of catching on her travel team this summer and comes back even stronger for her senior year.”
Two of Kayla’s best performances from her junior season came during a couple of North Haven’s biggest wins of the year. The Nighthawks claimed a 4-1 victory versus Jonathan Law on April 8 and then defeated the Eagles by a 2-1 score on May 22, marking the only two losses for Law during the regular season. The accomplishment of winning those games en route to earning a berth in states was extremely enjoyable for Kayla and her teammates.
“I feel like those were our best games. We all played so well together. It was so much fun to play, and we all had so much fun,” Kayla says. “I definitely feel like those helped our confidence a lot. We went into states right after that [second win against Law], and I feel like that helped us get to where we got in the State Tournament.”
Kayla and company started off the Class L State Tournament with a 3-1 victory over Rockville in a first-round contest. Kayla had a single and double to help the Nighthawks win the game and advance to the second round, where they took a defeat against Masuk, the top seed in the tournament. Kayla felt that North Haven played well in states as she continued bringing the same positive demeanor to the team that she did throughout the regular season.
“If we were down in a game, I would try to keep a positive attitude and just remind everyone that we’re doing fine and we can always come back,” says Kayla. “I feel like that and my positive attitude most of the time would help.”
Kayla learned a lot about herself and her teammates as the 2022 season unfolded. While improving her own abilities on the field, Kayla did everything she could to bolster the Nighthawks’ performance as a whole. Kayla is excited about playing volleyball and softball for North Haven as a senior, although she’s coming to the realization that her senior year will be her last go-round in a Nighthawks’ uniform.
“It goes by really fast. It went by really fast, and now I’m going to be a senior and have one more season in both of the sports I play,” Kayla says. “I feel like that’s kind of sad.”
Kayla wants to make the most of senior softball season by leading North Haven to more success while continuing to have fun with her teammates. Kayla has been invested in softball for a good portion of her life and is looking to enjoy her final season as she competes alongside a group of teammates who she loves.
“I’m just looking forward to have fun. It’s my last season, and I love the sport I play. I’ve been playing it for so long,” says Kayla. “I’m excited for all of my teammates to see how we do and how everyone has developed over the offseason. I just want to have fun.”