Newburgh Free Academy hasn't had much luck against Monroe-Woodbury recently, but that could start to change on Monday. The Goldbacks will challenge the Crusaders at 4:15 p.m. The teams are on pretty different trajectories at the moment (Newburgh Free Academy has three straight victories, Monroe-Woodbury has four straight defeats), but none of that matters once you're on the field.
Newburgh Free Academy will bounce into Monday's game after beating Middletown, who they had gone 2-7 against in their nine prior meetings. The Goldbacks came out on top against the Middie Bears by a score of 7-3 on Thursday.
Ryan Keller spent all seven innings on the mound, and it's clear why: she surrendered three earned runs on seven hits.
Ashlyn LeClair
| 05/01/25 @ Middletown | 3 |
| 04/30/25 vs Washingtonville | 2 |
| 04/04/25 vs Cornwall Central | 2 |
| 04/02/25 @ Warwick | 2 |
| 04/29/25 vs Our Lady of Lourdes | 1 |
At the plate, Newburgh Free Academy let Parker Mullarkey and Ashlyn LeClair run wild. Mullarkey went 2-for-4 with one triple, two RBI, and one run, while LeClair went 3-for-4 with two RBI and one run. Those three hits gave LeClair a new career-high. Camryn LeClair also deserves some recognition as she snagged her first stolen base of the season.
Newburgh Free Academy was getting hits left and right and finished the game having posted a batting average of .389. That was just more of the same: they've now posted a batting average of .389 or higher in three consecutive matchups.
Meanwhile, Monroe-Woodbury scored first but ultimately less than Kingston in their contest on Wednesday. They took a 9-5 hit to the loss column at the hands of the Tigers. While the Crusaders didn't get the win, they did start the game off strong, beating the Tigers 4-0 in the first period.
Gabby Schaeffer was cooking despite her team's loss, getting on base in three of her four plate appearances with two stolen bases and one double. Another player making a difference was Callie Exarchakis, who went 2-for-4 with two RBI.
Monroe-Woodbury's loss dropped their record down to 5-5. As for Newburgh Free Academy, they now have a winning record of 6-5.
Monday's game will be a test for both teams' pitchers. Newburgh Free Academy hasn't had any issues making contact this season, having earned a batting average of .333. However, it's not like Monroe-Woodbury struggles in that department as they've averaged .351. With both teams so capable at the plate, fans should be ready for an impressive hitting performance.
Newburgh Free Academy couldn't quite get it done against Monroe-Woodbury in their previous meeting last Wednesday as they fell 9-5. Can the Goldbacks avenge their defeat or is history doomed to repeat itself? We'll find out soon enough.
