CENTRAL VALLEY – Winning the program’s fifth consecutive sectional championship, Marlboro softball undoubtedly had another successful season on the diamond. Still, success can ultimately end in frustrating disappointment.
Playing in the New York State Class A regional final on Friday afternoon, the Dukes’ bats went cold in a 3-0 loss to Pearl River at Monroe-Woodbury High School. Marlboro only gathered three hits throughout the contest. A program with a vast history of winning in recent memory, a loss like this will only fuel the team for the future.
“In order to feel that feeling, tomorrow is where you start putting in the work. To be successful, you’ve got to put in the work. There’s no days off when you want to be successful in this sport,” Andrea Schoonmaker, the head coach of Marlboro, said after the contest.
“Even though they’re sad now, I told them that next year, we’re going to be feeling that exact opposite that we’re feeling right now.”
The Dukes’ closest opportunity to score came in the bottom of the fifth while facing the three-run deficit. Marlboro loaded the bases with two outs but could not muster a run.
“It’s tough because just a little poke and we’d probably get a couple runs on the board because of the speed we had on the bases. It doesn’t even have to come down to the fifth though, it should’ve been the third, fourth and there were a lot of opportunities to get it going,” she said. “We were prepared for them, there’s really no excuse for anybody.”
Despite losing a few key seniors once 2027 comes around, Marlboro can at least rely on the fact that its star pitcher will be back donning the Dukes logo. Junior Sam Maleck, despite the loss, tossed an impressive performance in the circle. The lefty allowed six hits and just two earned runs, striking out 13 batters and walking just one.
“I feel like she’s really taking control of the field and taking control of her role. I’m excited now to see, as a senior, her last year on the varsity team and getting ready to play in college, what she comes out looking like,” Schoonmaker said. “I assure you that she’ll be working tonight. She is not going to go home and rest, she’s probably going to go hit off the tee.”
The offseason is brutally long for a team that strives for so much, but the work done in the darkness is meant to eventually shine in the light. Already having that mindset, this loss certainly will drive Marlboro once 2027 comes around.
This article originally appeared on Poughkeepsie Journal: Marlboro softball’s bats go cold, drop regional final to Pearl River
Reporting by Eric Decker, Poughkeepsie Journal / Poughkeepsie Journal
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
By Eric Decker, Poughkeepsie Journal | USA TODAY Network
