St. Vincent Girls Softball Off to Record Pace

Editor's note: This article was submitted by head coach Dan McCann.

East Haven’s St. Vincent de Paul’s Girls Softball team is off to a record pace. The team is 4-0 with 43 runs scored and has recorded four complete game shutouts and three no-hitters. Behind the pitching of 7th-graders Laura Anderson, Erin McCann and Kaitlyn Mingione, the Eagles have dominated early in the season. 

In the opening game of the season on April 11, Erin McCann recorded 14 strikeouts in a 3-0 victory against West Haven Parochial, giving up no hits while 5th-grader Alexis Esposito and 7th-grader Laura Anderson supplied the offense with timely hitting and three RBIs between them. The team’s defense was solid led by 6th-grader Jordan Parlato.

On April 14, St. Vincent played defending GNHPAL Softball Champs St. Bernadette and behind Kaitlyn Mingione’s stellar 16 strikeout performance where she only allowed one hit, the Eagles dominated St. Bernadette and won decisively, 10-0.  Tri-Captain Angela Ranciato led the offense with two doubles and solid defensive plays.

On April 26, St. Vincent played St. Aedan’s and behind the 10 strikeout no hit performance of Laura Anderson, St. Vincent defeated St. Aedan’s 29-0.  St. Vincent’s offensive power really showed. Kaitlyn Mingione led the offense with three doubles and contributions by 8th-graders Natalie Sheehan and Tierney Riccitelli were essential in capturing the W.  Fifth-grader Briana Ferraiolo recorded her first hit with St. Vincent and Alexis Esposito continued her impressive play with her bat.

On Monday May 2, the Eagles traveled to Wallingford to play the always tough Holy Trinity squad. The game was a scoreless battle for the first three innings until the Eagles opened it up with small ball play led by Erin McCann’s base hit bunt. But the main story was the gutty and gritty performance of Kaitlyn Mingione, who battled with her control all game. Mingione walked the bases loaded twice but was able to pitch out of both jams with a 14-strikeout performance and a complete game no-hitter as St. Vincent defeated Holy Trinity 8-0.

“We have a pretty special team this year, we have three players that play for the Shoreline Sting travel program so they have been working nonstop and it’s showing,” said head coach Dan McCann. “Our girls are dedicated and confident and they’re playing as a team and I think we can go very deep into the playoffs this year.”

Catch the Eagles in action later today when they square off against St. Rita’s at 3:45 p.m. at the Connecticut Sportsplex in North Branford.