Mount St. Dominic Makes It Back-To-Back Essex County Tournament Titles

The Mount St. Dominic softball team combined defense, pitching and timely hitting to bring home another Essex County Tournament championship on May 16 at Ivy Hill Park at Seton Hall University.

Lions junior pitcher Ava Kelshaw scattered five hits and the Mount St. Dominic offense generated a run in the bottom of the third inning as the top-seeded Lions won 1-0 over second-seeded Columbia on May 16.

The win handed Mount St. Dominic (26-2) its 13th overall county championship and made it back-to-back titles after winning the 2025 championship on the same field.
Kelshaw got all the support she would need in the third inning.
With senior Jillian Cianfrocca at third base, junior Isabella Iannitelli chopped a ground ball that became an infield hit as Cianfrocca scored for the 1-0 lead that would turn out to the final score.

Mount St. Dominic head coach Rob Stern said that he took advantage of a Columbia's infield drawn in. "You got to take some shots and runs will be at a premium," said Stern who knew that it would be a low scoring game.

And with runners at first and second in the top of the seventh inning with two outs, Kelshaw knew that she had to get Columbia's Allie Terno out since the Cougars' Claire Shupe was in the on-deck circle. Shupe had two solid singles in the game.

"She is a great player and I know that I had to attack this batter (Terno) so she wouldn't come up again," said Kelshaw who was aware that Shupe was coming up next.
This was the third championship in four seasons for Mount St. Dominic and sweet for the seniors, Cianfrocca, Cassandra Lopez, Gabby Denniger and Julie DeLorenzo.

"This is just amazing," said Cianfrocca. "This is all we worked towards, championships and so grateful to have been able to winning all three championships and just means even more with my sister (sophomore Abby Cianfrocca)."

It was not easy as opposed to the last time that the Lions faced Columbia where they shutout Columbia. 7-0, on May 4. In that game Kelshaw no-hit the Cougars in that game while striking out nine. Iannitelli went 2-for-3 with four RBI including a home run. In the ECT final, Kelshaw scattered five hits while striking out 14 batters.

And Kelshaw knew that Columbia would a tough out despite no-hitting them the last time out. "You can't take them easy," said Kelshaw. "You just have to trust your stuff and trust your teammates behind you."

For the Mount St. Dominic hitters, it was a different pitcher for Columbia then the first two times. In the final it was Shupe, Jillian Cianfrocca said what the mindset was with the new pitcher.

"After seeing her once, you just have to adjust," said Jillian Cianfrocca who added about the start of the final. "It could have been the nerves and after the first inning, we just got dialed it up."

Like Jillian Cianfrocca and the rest of the team, they were all dressed up adorned with glitter. "It started a couple years ago," said Jillian Cianfrocca who had some on her face and in her hair. "It's just for special games and I just think it helps our energy."

And Mount St. Dominic will be all dressed up for their next goal, a Non-Public A state title.

The Lions will be looking to make it back-to-back state championships when they start their run on May 27. Mount St. Dominic defeated Donovan Catholic, 4-3, last June to win the Non-Public A title, also at Ivy Hill Park.

With the victory over Columbia in the ECT final, it was a three-game sweep for Mount St. Dominic. The Lions defeated the Cougars, 6-4, at their place on April 7.

To get to the ECT final, Mount St. Dominic took care of fifth-seeded Nutley, 10-0, on May 15, also at Ivy Hill Park in the county semifinal.

Against the Raiders, Kelshaw fired a two-hitter while striking out a dozen Nutley batters. Kelshaw helped her own cause with a 2-for-3 night and three RBI. Freshman Hailey Root added to the offensive explosion with a 2-for-3 night of her own and three RBI. Both Cianfroccas had two hit nights while Jillian Cianfrocca scored four runs.

The Lions scored five runs in the bottom of the fourth inning to put away Nutley in the semifinal contest.