CHSAA softball round−up: Kearney beats CK to advance

By Five Boro Sports

Bishop Kearney continued to stay unbeaten in CHSAA Brooklyn⁄Queens, but it wasn’t easy. The Tigers used another quality performance from Tiffany Irrera and some clutch hitting to get past Christ the King, 4−1, in the quarterfinals at Gil Hodges Little League in Brooklyn Thursday. They move on to play the winner of Friday’s game between St. Francis Prep and St. Edmund Prep in the semifinals Saturday at Floyd Bennett Field.

The Tigers got runs in the first on an RBI single from Kristen O’Neill to plate Millicia Malvasio, who walked to lead off the inning. Andrea Sideli then ripped a run−scoring double to make it 2−0. Dana Iannicelli, who was 2−for−3 with a double, drove in a run a in the fifth to make it 3−1 and a sac fly by Jen Spadaro brought in Joanna Emilo to cap the scoring. Irrera struck out seven to earn the win. CK is 4−9.

Preston 4, Maria Regina 3: Kaitlyn Brown threw a three−hitter and struck out four for Preston, which rested five starters and made five errors in CHSAA Bronx⁄Westchester. Megan Burke connected on a two−run homer and Ashley Wiederhold delivered a clutch, two−out single to bring out the other two runs. The win gives Preston (12−0) its first−ever undefeated league season, according to coach Rachel Mazza.

The Panthers also beat Maria Regina 5−1 on Wednesday. Devyn Abbate allowed just one run on three hits and struck out 11. Danielle Sedia was 2−for−4†with a double. Laura Montalto and Catrina Muffoletto were both 2−for−3 in the win.

Cardinal Spellman 5, Good Counsel 3: Sophia Ponce, who was 3−for−4, launched a three−run homer run in the second to give Cardinal Spellman (7−4) a 4−3 lead in the first game of a double header. Lauren Carew, who went 2−for−3, later added an RBI double. Tiffany Rondon allowed three runs on four hits and struck out five.

Cardinal Spellman 12, Good Counsel 0: Rondon threw a one−hitter and struck out four. Ponce was 3−for−4 with two doubles and three RBIs. Kimberly Biolsi went 2−for−3 with a double and three RBIs. The Cardinals finish the season 8−4 and in second place in the CHSAA Bronx⁄Westchester division.

St. Joseph by the Sea 12, St. Peter’s 0: Amanda Barrese threw a no−hitter, walking none and striking out six to help St. Joseph by the Sea (13−1) clinch outright the CHSAA Staten Island title. A fifth−inning error kept it from being a perfect game. Maria Scoppoletto was 3−for−3 with a double, a home run and two RBIs. Toni Ann Canova was 3−for−3 with three RBIs, including two in an eight−run first inning. Meagan Seaman went 3−for−3 with two RBIs.

St. Joseph Hill 11, St. John Villa 5: Angelica Virga had four hits and three RBIs for St. Joseph Hill (5−9). Samantha Simonetti and Gabrielle D’Anna each had two hits and two RBIs. Villa is 8−6.

Hill and Notre Dame Academy will play in tiebreaker either Monday or Tuesday. NDA won, 1−0, the last time the teams met.