Lady Dukes finish second at Minisink tournament

By Mike Zummo
Posted 4/27/22

It was a long day of softball at Minisink Valley Middle School, and a day that ended in disappointment for the Marlboro softball team, as the Warriors pushed the winning run across the plate in the …

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Lady Dukes finish second at Minisink tournament

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It was a long day of softball at Minisink Valley Middle School, and a day that ended in disappointment for the Marlboro softball team, as the Warriors pushed the winning run across the plate in the 10th inning for a 4-3 victory, handing Marlboro a second-place finish in a four-team tournament.

“It was a great day,” Marlboro coach Ray Leduc said. “We had a close one with Middletown and we had an extremely close one here with Minisink. It could have gone either way. Minisink made a lot of great plays. we made a lot of great plays. It was one of those days where one little thing happens, and they got the last run.”

A lot of little things happened.

With the game tied, 3-3 in the ninth inning, the Dukes had a chance to take their first lead since the third inning as Emmie-Mae Cabrera singled to lead off the inning and then went to second base on Carly Correa’s single.

However, when Correa tried to take second base on the throw, Marlboro’s runner at third base tried to score, but was cut down at the plate for the second out of the inning.

The Dukes failed to score.

Then came the 10th. International rules put Bella Gulcaglayan on second base to start the inning. Leah Gunsett bunted her to third, and Kalista Birkenstock came up to squeeze her home.

However, Birkenstock was ruled to have run into the ball in fair territory after Gulcaglayan was ruled safe at home, and she was sent back to third. Ella Leduc then lined a ball into right field, but she was cut down at first base by the throw from Minisink Valley’s Madeline Roberts to keep Gulcaglayan from scoring.

Emily Ketcham took second base to start the bottom of the 10th for the Warriors and was bunted to third base by Jazmin Mejia. Jaylee Ramos then singled Ketcham home with the winning run to end the long day of softball.

“We just have to look at how we’re going to have some tough fights as the season goes on and how some of the little things can decide the game,” Leduc said. “Even though we lost, they still played extremely well, so they shouldn’t be upset after this game.”

The Dukes took an early lead in the game when Ava Del Salto, who started the game as the designated player, singled to start the second. After Emma Jackson singled, Gulcaglayan sacrificed Del Salto home as she beat the throw.

Gunsett then singled home Jackson with the second run and the Dukes took advantage of Minisink’s defense to get Gulcaglayan home as they threw the ball around.

“When we get into situations where we can bunt, we try to move the runners and pick up extra bases when we can,” Leduc said. “In that last inning, we just didn’t get as many girls on to try to do the same thing.”

Del Salto got the win in the Dukes’ first game of the day, a win over the Middletown Middies to set up the championship meeting with the Warriors.

Earlier in the week, they posted 21-0, and 18-0 routs of Highland and New Paltz, respectively.

“I told them we’ve got to learn from this,” Leduc said. “It’s not a loss to me. It’s a win as we get to learn, and we get to see and get ready. I’d like to play them again. Maybe at the end of the year scrimmage or something.”