Mount St. Dominic softball advances to Essex County Tournament semifinals

• May 14, 2024 Updated May 14, 2024

Members of the Mount St. Dominic Academy softball team cheer on their teammates during their Essex County Tournament quarterfinal matchup against Glen Ridge on Saturday, May 11.

Photo by Jeff Steifbold

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CALDWELL – The Mount St. Dominic Academy softball team has continued its stellar season, making waves in the Essex County Tournament.

The Lions (21-1) faced Glen Ridge in the quarterfinal round on Saturday, May 11. Freshman pitcher Ava Kelshaw led the charge on the mound with 15 strikeouts, allowing only three hits and two walks in six innings of work as the team secured a 9-2 victory.

The team’s strong showing sets them up for a semifinal matchup versus the winner of Columbia versus James Caldwell, which was scheduled to be played in West Caldwell on Monday, May 13. The semifinal will be at 7 p.m. on Friday, May 17, at Ivy Hill Park in Newark.

In its regular season games leading up to the county tournament, the Mount continued to impress.

The Lions faced Glen Ridge previously on Monday, May 6, and the team was equally as dominant. Freshman Isabella Iannitelli shined at the plate, driving in six runs highlighted by a grand slam, propelling the Mount to a 12-1 victory.

They then squared off against Indian Hills on Tuesday, May 7, and won by the same score. Senior Olivia Bibbo and sophomore Jill Cianfrocca both went 3-for-3 at the dish, senior Gianna Stern added a home run and four RBIs and Kelshaw added another win to her resume.

In the Mount’s final tune-up before the tournament, the team faced off in a showdown against No. 4-ranked Red Bank Catholic on Thursday, May 9, earning a 3-0 shutout win with another outstanding performance from Kelshaw on the mound. Bibbo went 2-for-3 at the plate with one run scored and two stolen bases as well as some standout plays in the outfield including a diving catch to save a run from scoring.

Here is how the other teams fared:

Track And Field

The Lions excelled at the Super Essex Conference Championships on Friday, May 10.

The team secured at third place finish in the Colonial Division, led by senior Anna Cacciacarne’s first place finishes in both the javelin and shot put, senior Riley Merklinger’s first place finish in the 200-meter race and junior Lorelei Middleton’s first place finish in the 400-meter race.

The 4x400-meter relay team also had a first-place finish.

Cacciacarne received the Essex County Athletic Directors Scholar Athlete Award for her performance this season.

Lacrosse

The girl’s lacrosse team displayed determination in its recent game against Columbia, despite a 16-10 loss.

Senior Erin Murphy led the scoring with four goals, while junior Jayden DeSilva added two goals and an assist. Junior goalie Gabby Lipari made 13 saves.