Bonnies even up season series with Xaverian  

Following the Bonnies’ no-hit win over Preston, the Xaverian Clippers hosted Fontbonne at Shore Road. In their previous meeting two weeks ago, the Clippers beat the Bonnies 5-4 in an extra-inning comeback win at the annual Staten Island high school tournament. Looking to even up the season series, the Bonnies sent their top pitcher Laura Meoli to the mound to go up against Xaverian’s ace Ashley Dalo, who proceeded to strike out 17 Fontbonne batters. 

Dalo opened the game by holding the Bonnies scoreless as she struck out eight batters over the first three innings. Leading off in the top of the fourth inning, Haley Ballard hit a towering home run over the left field wall to begin a game-turning three-run inning for the Bonnies. After Ballard’s home run, Liz King doubled to right center to score Rebecca Dileo and Kylie Mendez to give Fontbonne a 3-0 lead.

Xaverian answered with one run as Laura Arqueta crossed the plate on a sacrifice fly to make the score 3-1 to end the fourth inning. Fontbonne threatened to score again in the sixth inning when Kate Kmiotek, Josie Lamattina and Dileo singled to load the bases. After giving up three hits, Dalo then regained control and struck out the next three batters to end the inning. 

In the seventh inning, Fontbonne’s Grace McGinn and Ballard scored two more runs for the final 5-1 win for the Bonnies to even up the season series. After going 2-for-4 in the game (home run and single), Ballard commented on her fourth-inning blast after striking out in the first inning, saying, “I knew what to expect for my next at-bat. As soon as I heard the ball hit off my bat, I knew it was gone.”