Newburgh Free Academy is 2-8 against Middletown since May of 2021 but they'll have a chance to close the gap a little bit on Thursday. The Goldbacks are taking a road trip to take on the Middie Bears at 4:15 p.m. Middletown took a loss in their last match and will be looking to turn the tables on Newburgh Free Academy, who comes in off a win.
On Wednesday, Newburgh Free Academy got the win against Washingtonville by a conclusive 13-1. The win continues a trend for the Goldbacks in their matchups with the Wizards: they've now won five in a row.
Parker Mullarkey was incredible, going 2-for-3 with two triples, three runs, and one stolen base. Those triples were her first of the season. Another player making a difference was Melissa Schulze, who went a perfect 3-for-3 with one triple, one run, and one double.
Meanwhile, Middletown lost a heartbreaker to Pine Bush when they met back in May of 2024, and they left with a heavy heart again on Wednesday. The Middie Bears came up short against the Bushmen, falling 9-3. The defeat continues a trend for the Middie Bears in their meetings with the Bushmen: they've now lost three in a row.
Bethannie French spent all seven innings on the mound, and it's clear why: she surrendered three earned (and six unearned) runs on 12 hits and racked up six Ks.
On the hitting side, Middletown saw four different players step up and record at least one hit. One of them was Isabella Platero, who went 2-for-3 with one stolen base and one run.
The victory got Newburgh Free Academy back to even at 5-5. As for Middletown, their loss dropped their record down to 5-4.
Middletown's pitching crew has a crucial task ahead of them: Newburgh Free Academy hasn't had any issues making contact this season, having earned a batting average of .326. It's a different story for Middletown, though, as they've only averaged .241. Will they be able to contain Newburgh Free Academy's hitters?
Newburgh Free Academy suffered a grim 13-0 defeat to Middletown in their previous matchup back in May of 2024. Can the Goldbacks avenge their defeat or is history doomed to repeat itself? We'll find out soon enough.
