CALDWELL- Watch out now because it does appear Mount St. Dominic is in its ‘A’ game mode.
Despite a couple of hiccups along the way in the season’s first month, such as in losses to Summit and Steinert. the sixth-ranked Lions continue to persevere with their experienced team which was ranked No. 1 in the state at the end of last season, and before the 2026 season began, is now rounding into top form as evidenced by their performance in Monday’s much-anticipated conference showdown vs. No. 4 ranked Columbia as the sixth-ranked Lions dominated in all facets, hammering two home runs and blistering a pair of RBI doubles while riding ace pitcher Ava Kelshaw’s no-hitter in a convincing 7-0 victory over the Cougars.
The victory vs. Columbia, combined with Tuesday's 11-0 triumph over Montclair, clinched the Super Essex Conference-American Division title for the Mount (19-2, 9-0).
In Monday's game, Columbia (14-3, 5-2) went with its promising freshman pitcher Alison Kelly in the circle for the second time vs. the Lions this season after she had also been in the circle when the Mount edged the Cougars, 6-4, in South Orange back on April 7.
Columbia has a 4-year starting pitcher in Boston University commit Claire Shupe who still has yet to pitch against the Lions this season, but that could change should the two top shelf teams meet once again in the Essex County Tournament final on Saturday, May 16, at Ivy Hill Park.
Columbia coach Cliff Smith said there is nothing wrong with Shupe physically and that he expects to send her up against the Mount should that anticipated ECT final vs. the Lions happen.
“It was a tactical decision today,” Smith said after Monday’s regular season contest. “We didn’t want them seeing Claire yet, but If we both get to the county final we plan to pitch her then.
“If the game today had gone differently, and we had kept it close, we might have brought Claire in to relieve Alison, but that’s just not how things went.
“The Mount had some big hits and Kelshaw threw the ball really well.”
Kelly, who displays plenty of potential for such a young high school pitcher, walked 4 and struck out 10 although she was hit hard on four of the Mount’s five hits.
Whoever is in the circle for any team it faces the rest of the way this season, the Mount lineup appears ready to attack, and take no prisoners, at least if they continue to hit the ball like they did in Monday’s big SEC showdown.
“It was definitely a little disappointing not seeing Shupe out there today because you want to face their best,” said Kelshaw, who retired the first nine hitters she faced before an infield error on a ball hit by Shupe to start the fourth before she then proceeded to strike out the side to end that inning. “I’m feeling really good right now with the way I’m pitching and our offense was great today.
“We’re now at a point in the season where I believe we’ve found out who we are, and that we can be a great team again!”
Kelshaw, who is a strong hitter, blasted a solo home run over the center field fence in the fourth inning as the Mount built a 5-0 lead.
“I always love to hit and I just go up there relaxed and try and put the ball in play,” she said. “Hitting a home run is nice, but the biggest part is just doing whatever I can to help our team win.”
Bella Iannitelli, who was 2-for-3 with a hard-hit RBI double that ricocheted off the fence in center field in the first inning before delivering a towering 3-run home run over the left field fence in the third inning, sees the entire Lion team gaining more and more confidence in their ability to be the team that everyone envisioned when the Lions were the pre-season No. 1 team in the state.
