Princeton’s Massey, Sutton sign to play softball at Barton, ECU
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PRINCETON — Princeton’s softball team added to its rich history of sending girls to play at the next level on Friday as senior Gracelynn Massey and Logan Sutton signed to play at Barton and East Carolina respectively.
Massey has had a long and storied career for the Bulldogs as her tenacity on the mound in 2019 led them to the 1-A East Region Final, where they came up two games short of the state championship series.
“It’s been the most fun I’ve ever had playing with this group of girls,” Massey said. “It’s by far my favorite team to play with.”
Her head coach, Don Andrews, has been coaching for 30+ years and he says he’s never coached a pitcher better than Masselyn.
“She’s quiet — but that Bulldog is too before he bites you,” Andrews said about his star pitcher. “She’s got that tenacity and drive as a coach that you can’t put into her. She wants to get better. She doesn’t want to lose. She wants to do everything she can to win.”
Masselyn and the Bulldogs season was cut short because of the coronavirus. Last year the Bulldogs were returning all of their starters and added Sutton — who hadn’t played her freshman or sophomore year because of injuries. The Bulldogs seemed poised to get back to the regional finals and even win the state title. Massey hopes she gets another shot this year.
“I hope we do have a season,” Massey said. “It’s emotional thinking how this is the end of it.”
Sutton’s journey to collegiate softball has been much different as she’s played just six high school games. Sutton tore her ACL and MCL in her right knee before her freshman year and tore her ACL in the left knee before her sophomore year.
“It took a toll on my life for sure, because just sitting on the bench and watching everybody play the game you love is hard to do,” Sutton said. “I sat on the bench for two years, but I realized how much softball really meant to me and everybody around me pushed me to come back stronger.”
Despite not playing much in high school, Sutton made her Mark enough in travel ball to get a scholarship at East Carolina University. Part of her reason for choosing ECU was because of travel ball. Sutton’s family didn’t get to see her play much as she traveled state to state with her team chasing her dream. Sutton chose a school less than two hours from home so she could have family come watch her play.
Sutton is hoping she can have at least one season on the field with Massey and the rest of the Bulldogs. Princeton has a rich history of softball and she wants to be a part.
“I’m hoping for a senior year so I can play with Gracelyn and everybody,” Sutton said. “They have made me comfortable and pushed me to come back and be able to play.”