Mount softball eyes state title run; Fernandez qualifies for SMOC

By EDWARD KENSIK

Mount St. Dominic Academy’s softball team knows this is it for a season where they are hoping to get another shot at a group championship.

The second-seeded Lions took care of business in their first state playoff game with an 11-3 win over seventh-seeded Mount St. Mary on May 29 in the Non-Public North A quarterfinals. The Lions host sixth-seeded Morris Catholic on Tuesday, June 3 (after deadline) in the sectional semifinals.

For Mount St. Dominic the goal is to get back to the Non-Public A group final. The Lions lost to St. John Vianney, 4-1, in the 2024 group title game.

Against Mount St. Mary, Mount St. Dominic was actually behind 1-0 after the first inning.

But that was wiped out in the five-run bottom of the fourth inning.

It was a big day for the Cianfrocca family. Junior Jillian Cianfrocca went 2-for-3 with three RBI including a home run. And freshman Abby Cianfrocca was 2-for-3 with a RBI. Also in the circle, Abby fired a complete game, six-hitter while allowing two earned runs.

With the state game, Mount St. Dominic split a pair of games with the top teams in Non-Public A. The Lions defeated Red Bank Catholic, 3-2, on May 27. And after the victory over Mount St. Mary, Mount St. Dominic saw its 13-game losing streak come to an end with an 8-7 defeat to Pingry at home on May 30. Red Bank Catholic was a second seed in Non-Public South A, while Pingry is the fourth seed in the Lions Non-Public A North.

In the victory over Red Bank Catholic, it was sophomore hurler Ava Kelshaw’s turn to show her might in the circle.

The sophomore went the distance while scattering eight hits and allowing two earned runs.

Mount St. Dominic scored a pair of runs in the bottom of the sixth inning to defeat Red Bank Catholic.

Lions received timely hits from senior Carlee Paez, sophomore Brooke Mundy, freshman Kaylan Bartolozzi and freshman Avery D'Ambola to secure the win.

In the loss at Pingry, it was a devastating bottom of the seventh inning that was the downfall for MSDA.

The Lions led 7-5 heading into Pingry's last wraps and it was Pingry's Melia Ahn who hit a three-home run that did in Mount St. Dominic.

Everything looked good for the Lions heading into the last inning.

Jillian Cianfrocca continued her impressive play at the plate with another home run while going 2-for-4 with 2 RBI. Mundy, sophomore Isabella Iannitelli and freshman Avery D'Ambola also added a pair of hits in the defeat.

Track and Field

Mount St. Dominic sophomore Ciaran Fernandez was able to toss her way to this week's State Meet of Champions (SMOC) after coming in fourth place in the Non-Public A meet at Stockton University on May 31.

Fernandez's best throw was 105-feet-5-inches that was good for this week's SMOC at Pennsauken High School. "Fernandez going as a sophomore is incredible," said Mount St. Dominic Academy head coach Robert Osieja, who pointed out that the sophomore is fourth ranked in the state in the event.

But Fernandez was not the only Mount St. Dominic Academy athlete to excel at the Non-Public A meet.

Lions senior Lorelei Middleton ran a personal best in the 400 intermediate hurdles with a time of 65.47. Middleton finished third and just missed out on reaching the SMOC. Junior Jacqueline Karcic registered a personal best of her own in the 800 meters with a time of 2:45.48.

MSDA junior Madison Cronin had a personal best in the 1,600 meters with a mark of 5:53.28. Cronin also came in 36th in the 800 with a time of 2:37.45.