After going down 1-0 against a top-seeded Seaford team, Autumn Malone knew she had to stay calm and composed to win a county title for the Mineola softball team.

"Personally, I believe softball is a mental game," Malone said. "Teams always try to get in your head when you're on the mound. I always take a deep breath and envision where the pitch is going. It always helps me stay composed and execute the pitch."

Coach Monique Wink said, "She is a true leader. One of the biggest things about being a pitcher is that your eyes are always on you. The biggest thing for her is how composed she can be no matter what is happening behind or in front of her."

Former pitcher Katie Zunno, who played for the Mineola team that won a county title in 1998, spoke to the new Mustangs on Zoom to encourage the players and instill confidence in them. Drawing inspiration from Zunno, Malone knew what she had to do to win the title.

"It was like talking to an old friend," Malone said. "She ended up texting me, giving me motivation. I remember she said, 'I felt so much pressure at that moment,' and I connected with her on that level. It gave the whole team confidence knowing that we could do it."

Malone hit a walk-off single in the ninth inning in a 2-1 victory against Seaford in Game 2 last Friday, keeping the Mustangs season alive.

The pitcher then followed up by tossing a one-hitter and hit a two-run homer in a 5-0 victory in Game 3, capturing Mineola's first county championship since 1998 on Monday. She recorded Mineola's first homer of the season in the game. For her efforts, the sophomore is Newsday Athlete of the Week.

"We are so unbelievably happy for her success," Wink said. "Getting to watch her do something that big was awesome. Seeing our kids get excited for her is why we do what we do."

With a young and talented player on her hands, Wink knows the sky is the limit for Malone and is looking forward to coaching her for the next two years.

"As a 10th grader, you grab your first county title and do it from the mound as a leader," Wink said. "She is somebody we will look to in the future to continue to lead."

She added: "If Autumn does well, we do well."

In addition to her stellar performances on the field, Malone maintains a 4.0 GPA and is part of the National Computer Science Honor Society and the National Science Honor Society.

"It can be stressful at times, but I know I have to be a student before being an athlete," Malone said. "I have my planner, and I write a checklist of what assignments I need to do."

Malone is part of the Women in Cybersecurity club, and she enjoys a community surrounding her willing to help others in any way they can.

"It is such a good community," Malone said. "It's so good to be able to work with my peers in class so we can work together on assignments."