The Marlboro softball team has its eye on reaching the New York State Public High School Athletic Association Class A championship game.

That’s exactly how they’ve been playing to start the season.

They continued to win on Wednesday when they routed the Wallkill Panthers, 19-2, on a rainy Wednesday afternoon at Wallkill High School.

“I think we came back in the beginning of the season how we ended last season,” senior leadoff hitter and shortstop Kalista Birkenstock said. “We are all still together as a team and we’re all bonded. I just think we’re going to keep the run going the way we did last year.”

It starts at the top of the order with Birkenstock, the way it did on Wednesday against the Panthers.

She opened the game with a slap infield single and then used her speed to steal second and third bases on a single pitch. She then came home when Emma Jackson drilled a single to center field.

“I can be aggressive with it,” Birkenstock said. “I went to steal second and the ball just trickled off and I got to third right away. When you have that speed, you’ve got to be aggressive with it and use it to your advantage.”

That run gave Marlboro pitcher Leah Gunsett a 1-0 lead before she even touched the ball.

“It gives me a lot of confidence starting off with a run,” Gunsett said. “It gives us momentum to get more and we’re already ahead by one. Even if someone gets a hit, I’m like, ‘all right, it’s only one. I don’t have to worry too much, and she gets us hyped up and sets the tone.”

Birkenstock started the third inning, as well, with a bunt single and a stolen base. Taylor Castellani followed with a base hit, sending Birkenstock to third and then stole second.

Then, the Panthers’ defense fell apart as Jackson reached on an error, leading to two Marlboro runs. Then with one out, Sam Maleck drilled a two-run home run to left field, giving the Dukes a 5-0 lead.

“We definitely had to get that momentum going like we usually do,” Birkenstock said. “Once we did, we just never stopped, which was good.”

The Panthers got a run in the fourth inning on an RBI double by Elysia Villafane.

Another Wallkill error led to four more Marlboro runs in the fifth inning. A single by Castellani and two walks loaded the bases. Then, with two out, a bad throw to first base by Wallkill third baseman Kasey Garzione sent home two Marlboro runs. Kaitlyn Gordon chased home two more with a single up the middle.

Jackson chased home Birkenstock in the sixth inning with a sacrifice fly, giving Marlboro a 10-1 lead, before the Dukes put up nine runs in the seventh inning to put the game even further out of reach. Gordon had an RBI single in the inning, Birkenstock drove home a run with a walk and Castellani singled home a run. Gunsett doubled in two and Lily Sullivan drove in a run with a base hit.

Overall, they made it very easy on Gunsett, who allowed two runs on five hits and struck out seven. She gave up an RBI double to Gianna Allesandro in the seventh inning.

“I think the curve was working,” Gunsett said. “Every time I threw it inside, they hit it pretty well. But changeup was a little off, but the curve and the rise were pretty good.”

The Dukes finished the week on Friday afternoon with a 4-2 win over the FDR Presidents.

“I don’t want to push any buttons, but I’m hoping to get back to the same spot,” Gunsett said. “I want another chance at the state championship. Honestly, last year we made so many errors and it was not a very good way to lose. I want a good game and I want to end up with a championship plaque.”