Plant City's freshman pitcher made a splash in her first two high school starts.
Good things have been happening for the Lady Raiders since the preseason. More often than not, these things have been happening when freshman Ashley Blessin took the pitcher’s mound. She started in Plant City’s 12-8 preseason win over Braden River and got the win in the team’s 10-3 season-opening win at Leto on Feb. 2, giving up just two earned runs.
You didn’t really waste any time getting wins since you got here. What’s it been like, with everything working in your first three high school games?
It’s been good. At first, I was nervous. It was high school — I didn’t know how I would come in and do. The seniors, and everyone else, definitely helped me. I love the seniors. Everyone’s really nice.
What have you learned from the seniors?
We have six seniors on the team, and it’s going to be really hard losing them. They’ve encouraged me throughout the way.
How did you feel when you first took the mound in your first game?
I was nervous. But, after an inning, I definitely calmed down and felt a lot better. I felt more relieved.
How long have you been playing softball?
I’ve been playing since I was 6 years old. I started in a machine pitch league. I’ve been pitching since I was about 9. I’m 15 now.
Do you play any other sports?
I used to play basketball, but I got hurt a lot, and I just want to focus on softball now.
What made you want to try softball?
When I was little, I tried all the sports. I tried cheerleading, gymnastics, basketball, soccer — nothing really worked. Then I tried softball, and I really loved it.
When did you decide that softball was the right fit for you?
It was between basketball and softball for a while and, when I got serious into pitching, it was in sixth grade.
What are your goals for this season?
Win districts and, hopefully, win states.
What’s your favorite sports movie?
That’s a hard one. There’s a lot of sports movies. I like “Remember the Titans,” and we just watched “The Natural.”
If you could play any sport you’ve never tried before, what would you pick?
Water polo.
You get $1 billion in the bank. What’s the first thing you buy?
A pet. A realistic pet, or a unicorn. I’d buy an alpaca.
You get any super power you want. What do you pick?
To be invisible. I’d go up and scare people.
Let’s say a little kid comes up to you for advice on how to be a good pitcher. What do you tell her?
Make sure you love it. If you don’t love it the first time you try it, it’s probably not something you should do. Just make sure you love it.
Who’s your favorite athlete of all time?
Kevin Kiermaier. Or Kris Bryant. Mainly Kris Bryant. I like the Cubs.
I’ve gotten a lot of Rays answers before, but never Kevin Kiermaier. Any particular reason there?
Um, you know. He has nice eyes.
Are you from Chicago, or do you just like the Cubs?
My dad grew up in Chicago, so we’ve been to Chicago a lot. I’ve been to Wrigley Field a lot, when I was little.
What are you hoping your softball future looks like? College, Team USA, something like that?
I definitely want to play in college. I want to play at Jacksonville University, USC Upstate, UNF, College of Coastal Georgia or Palm Beach Atlantic.
Over the rest of this year, what’s one part of your game that you want to get better at?
Fielding on the mound. Being more of an athlete on the mound. When a ball is hit to me, I want to be able to field it better.
