As the song “Make Way” by Aloe Blacc echoes over the Softball Park speakers while junior pitcher/utility Maddie Pleasants walks up to the plate, it can be assumed damage is about to be done.
Pleasants digs her spikes into the dirt and the lyric “legendary” can be heard, symbolic of the softball career Pleasants continues to create for herself.
Ever since her older sister, Allie, introduced Pleasants to a bat and ball, the junior phenom’s life has revolved around softball.
“I get a rush of adrenaline on gameday and I love being around my teammates, going out there and having fun and working hard together,” said Pleasants. “It starts from the very first pitch, the very first inning, just pure excitement. It doesn’t matter if we’re winning or losing, if something great happens or my teammates do something great, it’s always exciting.”
From a young age, Pleasants always possessed an immense amount of talent in the sport she finds so much joy in, evidenced by a .750 AVG and 0.29 ERA in her senior year at Cambridge-South Dorchester High School in Maryland.
Her work ethic, however, is what separates her, forming her illustrious resume.
“My parents and I always noticed a little bit of talent. I think it started when I was young because I always continued to work hard and I didn’t take any time off,” said Pleasants. “The most I’ve taken off for softball is two weeks at the most. I love to continue working and I love trying to be better than my opponents to gain an edge,” said Pleasants.
‘A little bit of talent’ is a humble way to describe her abilities, but displays the characteristics instilled into Pleasants by her parents as she grew up, surrounded by sports and an active lifestyle.
She rode horses and swam while being an impactful player on her high school soccer and softball teams. Many of her family members joined the military but Pleasants was always set on a future in softball.
“Softball was a huge influence on my future aspirations and career,” said Pleasants. “When I was younger, I always just saw myself playing softball. It was always something I loved and enjoyed.”
In three seasons at Marist, Pleasants’ vision has come to fruition.
After being recognized for numerous awards during high school and travel softball, her trophy case has become even more full during her three years at the collegiate level.
Already being recognized as the 2024 MAAC Preseason Player of the Year, 2023 MAAC Player of the Year, MAAC All-Championship Team member, and MAAC Co-Rookie of the Year, Pleasants has made a major impact for the Red Foxes and is striving for more.
“She’s going to give our team the best chance to win every time she goes up to the plate or to pitch,” said head coach Joe Ausanio. “I just keep going back to how hard she works at her craft. She’s always trying to get better. I think mediocrity is just not even in her vocabulary and I think that is what has propelled her to be so successful and continuing to get better as a player.”
During the recruitment process, Ausanio witnessed a teenage Pleasants dominate through travel circuits as a pitcher for the Lady Lightning Gold Demarini Platinum Squad.
Pleasants took on teams stacked with power-five conference talent, handling it easily. She was key to her travel team winning a national championship, the 2020 USA Junior Olympic Cup.
The fact that Pleasants landed in Poughkeepsie sometimes amazes Ausanio and, even now, the 16th-year head coach assumes that Pleasants continues to be recruited by other schools and coaches.
“The other thing that I love about her is her loyalty. She’s been very loyal to the program and to myself. When you’re that talented, I’m sure that behind the scenes there are probably other schools reaching out to her,” said Ausanio. “But [as a coach], you want to create an environment where these kids feel like it’s home and I think we’ve done that with her.”
Pleasants is the second player in Ausanio’s tenure to win MAAC Player of the Year; remaining loyal because of the balance Marist allows her to have between athletic, social and academic life. Her loyalty was rewarded with her first MAAC Championship last season.
Pleasants slashed .340/.450/.574 during the championship run last year, posting a 1.024 OPS and ranking second in the MAAC with nine home runs and 45 RBIs. She was also the 55th toughest to strike out in the entire NCAA.
“She’s exceeded expectations. I always knew she could hit but the level that she hits at is elite,” said Ausanio.
While the assumption was originally for Pleasants to be atop the Red Foxes’ pitching staff, her hitting abilities have stolen the show. Yet, her pitching prowess is still a large part of her game, allowing her to have success at the plate.
“I’ve always been a pitcher and hitter growing up. I think the pitching side has really helped me forage on my hitting side, and I’m able to use both of my skills to my advantage and also learn to separate them a little bit,” said Pleasants. “I can easily pick up spin on a pitcher or I can pick up if they’re what they’re doing differently on a changeup and I think that has helped me a lot.”
The reigning MAAC Player of the Year understands the importance of the mental aspect of softball, crediting much of her success to being a student of the game–– a trait she developed through the influence of her coaches.
After her softball career is finished, Pleasants wants to enter the medical field, ideally working with animals. Until then, she hopes to continually improve and do whatever she can to give her team an edge.
“I love the competition. I love trying to guess what a pitcher is gonna throw me and I love growing and expanding my knowledge on the game,” said Pleasants.
Pleasants has picked up where she left off last season, driving in 31 RBIs for the MAAC’s best offense and currently slashing .371/.433/.516 with a .949 OPS.
While all she has done as a player is impressive, the Maryland native does not worry about personal numbers or accolades. Pleasants’ mind revolving around softball is set on being a leader, having fun and winning another MAAC championship.
Edited by Marley Pope and Danny Destler
Graphic from Cara Lacey; Photo from Marist Athletics
For more coverage of Marist athletics, follow @cfmarist on Instagram, X and TikTok, and sign up to receive daily alerts here.
