Senior Day can often be bittersweet.
The combination of the celebration of a high-school athletic career and the reality that it will end in more than a month.

However, Marlboro senior Leah Gunsett had extra reason to celebrate last Wednesday as she struck out Saugerties’ Natalie Tucker to end the top of the sixth inning to record her 100th career strikeout.

“I was a little embarrassed because everyone was tearing, but I was really happy for myself because I’m super hard on myself,” Gunsett said.

“I don’t tend to look at all the good things I’ve done, and it showed me how the hard work that I actually put in, while sometimes I may not see it, but it does pay off. I can be successful, even if I may not see it sometimes.”

Whether she sees it or not, she has been successful and has been a key part of the Marlboro softball team’s success and the team’s run to three straight Section 9 Class B championships, and looking for a fourth straight title this year in their move to Class A.

Through the first seven games of the season, Gunsett had a 0.93 ERA and struck out 54 batters.

What makes her accomplishment even more impressive is that she has only became the Dukes primary pitcher last season, the previous seasons splitting time in the circle with or behind Ava Del Salto, who graduated in 2022.

When she first heard she was approaching the number, it didn’t seem like a lot.

“But if I were to line up to see everyone that I’ve struck out, I would see that it’s more than I thought,” Gunsett said. “I really think it is a big accomplishment for me.”

Since she became the Dukes’ primary pitcher, Emma Jackson has been the Dukes’ catcher, who she’s been throwing to since she was about 13 years old, as they both played for the same travel team.
Plenty of time for pitcher and catcher to form a bond.

“It’s so important because she knows me, sometimes more than I know myself,” Gunsett said. “She knows my pitches. She knows how I like to set them up and she knows everything about me. Sometimes, if I’m not feeling a pitch, I don’t even have to shake my head. She can read my mind.”

She ended the Dukes’ 6-0 win over the Saugerties Sawyers with 302 career strikeouts and added nine more during their 14-2 win over the New Paltz Huguenots on Thursday, a game in which saw teammate and fellow captain Kalista Birkenstock score her 100th career run.

The Dukes split a pair of games in Altamont on Saturday, suffering a 4-3 loss to Guilderland before rebounding to beat Saratoga Springs, 11-2 in their second game.

Gunsett pitched both games, striking out five in the first game and four in the second.

“I know it sounds selfish, but I love pitching all the games,” Gunsett said. “I love being in control.”

The Dukes game against Saugerties was only their fourth of five scheduled home games this season, making the odds of it happening at home slimmer.

But Gunsett is glad it did.

“It made me so happy to be on my field,” Gunsett said. “I was like, ‘dang, this is my last year on this field.’ And having this milestone, I feel like I’m representing my school and leaving behind my print on my school and on that field.”