St. Anthony's softball makes it six consecutive CHSAA crowns with win over Kellenberg

Jackie Morra sent it out in a hurry.

The Villanova commit smacked a line drive over the leftfield fence for a three-run home run in the first inning of top-seeded St. Anthony’s 5-0 win over No. 2 Kellenberg in the CHSAA softball championship game Tuesday at Hofstra University.

It marks the Friars’ sixth straight league title.

“With everyone being hyped up for this game, I just had to calm myself down and be patient,” Morra said. “I knew it was out as soon as I hit it.”

The junior finished the day 2-for-3 with four RBIs, as she added a single through the left side in the fifth inning to score Bella Cruz. Morra won the league’s regular season and postseason player of the year awards.

“I’m constantly making adjustments,” Morra said. “Keeping my weight on my back foot, improving plate discipline and trusting my swing have been huge.”

St. Anthony’s (22-3) advances to the CHSAA state tournament, which will take place next Tuesday at Hofstra. Winners of the last two state titles, the Friars will face the Buffalo representative in the semifinals at 11 a.m.

After Morra’s home run, Mila Fiordalisi went right back to work in the circle. Fiordalisi had thrown six perfect innings against Kellenberg (15-8) on Monday to advance to the final, but she found herself working around runners on first and second with no outs in the top of the first inning.

Kellenberg’s first two batters, Julia Maniscalco and Natalie McMichael, each hit a single off Fiordalisi to start the game. Those wound up as the Firebirds' only hits of the game.

“I wasn’t worried,” Fiordalisi said. “If I get in my own head, it’ll just make things even worse. I just try to focus on what’s happening right now instead of what just happened, because I can’t do anything to change that.”

Fiordalisi, who was named the league’s pitcher of the year for the second year in a row, struck out nine in seven innings to secure the title.

“We had a little mix-up the first two batters, but Mila buckled down and then it was business as usual,” catcher Valentina Iula said.

Iula, a Providence commit, went 1-for-2 with a walk and one-hopped the leftfield fence for a double in the fifth. Senior Jenna Bielski drove in Juli Murillo on a single up the middle to give the Friars a 4-0 lead in the second inning.

“Not a lot of people can say that their high school has won six consecutive league championships,” Morra said. “To be a part of it is special.”