St. John Vianney Clinches Thrilling Victory in Shore Conference Finals

Photo by Christian Oldhafer

In an electrifying Shore Conference Softball Finals, Donovan Catholic and St. John Vianney delivered a game that lived up to their intense rivalry. The scoring opened in the second inning when St. John Vianney took a 1-0 lead courtesy of Isabelle Cattelona's two-out RBI single. The momentum escalated in the third inning as SJV extended their lead to 5-0 after a couple of mishaps by Donovan and a a big triple triple from Elisobeth Figliolino.

Donovan Catholic started their comeback in the fourth inning with a series of hits including a bloop single and a home run, trimming the deficit to 5-3. The energy shifted dramatically in the top of the fifth when Olivia Kurth smashed a three-run homer to give Donovan the lead for the first time at 6-5. However, this lead was short-lived as Madison McDougall hit a solo home run in the bottom of the fifth to tie the game at 6-6.

As the game advanced into extra innings, Christina Ginex delivered a clutch two-out double in the eighth to clear the bases, putting Donovan Catholic up 9-6. Yet, SJV wasn't done fighting. Gabby Gonzalez responded with a dramatic two-out, three-run homer in the bottom of the eighth to tie the game once again at 9-9, showcasing the high stakes and relentless spirit of both teams.

The decisive moment came in the ninth inning when Isabelle Cattelona hit a ball into right field past the second baseman, allowing the winning run to score and securing a 10-9 victory for St. John Vianney. This thrilling 9-inning clash ended as another instant classic, with the Shore Conference crown going to the Lady Lancers. With playoffs starting up this week, it is possible that these two can very well meet once again.l