With the CHSAA Brooklyn-Queens softball season nearing an end, Fontbonne and Xaverian have been battling for second place as first-place Archbishop Molloy of Queens closes out the year at the top of this six-team division.
After beating Xaverian 8-6 earlier in the year, Fontbonne closed the last game of the regular season with a 5-3 loss to the same Clippers on Avery Matone’s nine-strikeout effort.
After the game, Xaverian’s nine seniors were honored with red roses, followed by Fontbonne’s Senior Day ceremony for three of the Bonnies.
First for Fontbonne, the Bonnies will bid goodbye to their top player, Kate Kmiotek, who will attend Stony Brook University on a softball scholarship. Next the Bonnies will be losing one of their best-ever defensive center fielders, Kylie Mendez. Finally, Michaela Mathis ends her bittersweet senior year on the IL as she recovers from an ACL skiing injury from this past February.
In addition to the Fontbonne-Xaverian rivalry, the Bonnies have had some memorable games along the way with this freshmen-stocked varsity team. One particular mid-season game that stands out was a combined no-hit win over Mary Louis Academy at Cunningham Park in Queens. Freshmen Angelina Serrano (four innings) and Gianna Antignani (one inning) combined to throw a five-inning 9-0 mercy rule win over the Hilltoppers. Fontbonne varsity rookie pitcher Serrano threw 47 of 72 pitches for strikes while recording six strikeouts and serving up only two walks. Fellow rookie Antignani came in for the fifth inning to close out the game by facing the last three batters. She threw seven of her eight pitches for strikes, along with one strikeout to complete the no-hit effort.
In a late-season cross-over division game, Fontbonne hosted Westchester’s Maria Regina. After the Tigers took a 2-0 lead in the third inning, the Bonnies stormed back in the bottom of the frame to take a 4-2 lead on Grace McGinn’s booming three-run homer over the left field fence. In addition to her home run, McGinn completed a 4-for-4 game with a single, two doubles and five RBIs. Led by Kate Kmiotek’s fifth-inning RBI triple, the Bonnies scored six more runs in the last two innings for the final 10-4 win.
Upon conclusion of the regular season, Molloy finished in first with a 9-1 record, while Xaverian finished second with an 8-2 record, followed by Fontbonne in third at 6-3.
Looking ahead to the upcoming playoffs, the Brooklyn-Queens division winner will likely be one of these teams that can heat up during the playoffs.
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