Shore Conference Softball Championship Preview: St. John Vianney Vs. Donovan Catholic

SHORE CONFERENCE SOFTBALL CHAMPIONSHIP

(1) St. John Vianney Vs. (2) Donovan Catholic

When: Thursday, May 21st, 7 p.m.

Where: Count Basie Park, Red Bank 

St. John Vianney (24-0)

Head Coach: Kim Lombardi-McDougall

Road to the Finals:

1st Round – Bye

2nd Round – Defeated (17) Freehold Boro 8-0

Quarterfinal – Defeated (9) Southern 15-0

Semifinal – Defeated (4) Middletown South 13-0

Potential Line-up

Brynn Utter, 3B –  .465 BA, 8 HR, 43 R, 38 RBI

Madison McDougall, P – .620 BA, 11 HR, 17 R, 53 RBI

Gabby Gonzalez, SS – .553 BA, 10 HR, 31 R, 38 RBI

Mia Favato, CF –  .452 BA, 9 2B, 22 R, 26 RBI

Olivia Lombardi, C – .418 BA, 6 HR, 20 R, 23 RBI

Olivia Haslacher, DP – .353 BA, 2 2B, 13 R, 12 RBI

Lexi Csontos, 1B – .312 BA, 2 HR, 10 R, 18 RBI

Molly Plath, 2B – .268 BA, 3 2B, 20 R, 8 RBI

Peyton McDougall, RF – .410 BA, 2 3B, 29 R, 11 RBI

Maddie Richter, LF – .429 BA, 2 HR, 14 R, 8 RBI

Pinch Runners

Maddie Dumawal –  23 Runs

Pitchers

Madison McDougall, 128.1 IP, 0.22 ERA, 246 K

Recap:

Against Freehold Boro, McDougall delivered a dominant performance, striking out the first 18 batters she faced and finishing with 19 strikeouts among the 21 batters she faced. The only two outs recorded by Freehold Boro came on pop flies in the seventh inning. Gabby Gonzalez added to the offensive surge, blasting her 10th home run of the season and driving in four runs in the Lancers’ 8-0 victory.

McDougall followed with her second consecutive no-hitter in the Shore Conference Tournament quarterfinals against Southern, striking out seven batters over four innings. St. John Vianney saw balanced offensive production, with three players recording three RBI each. Mia Favato contributed two doubles, while Brynn Utter hit her seventh home run of the season in the 15-0 win.

In the semifinal round against Middletown South, SJV scored once in the first inning before erupting for six runs in the second and five more in the third. McDougall struck out four batters over five innings while allowing just three hits. Utter connected on her eighth home run of the season and drove in two runs, while Olivia Lombardi hit her sixth home run and recorded a career-high five RBI in the victory.

Keys to Winning:

Brynn Utter hit a home run against Middletown North on 4/7/26 Photo by Samantha Mayer

Gabby Gonzalez scored two runs against Colts Neck. 4/22/25 Photo by Tom Smith

There is only one word to describe the season McDougall is having: historic. The standout pitcher is batting over .600 with a career-high in home runs, while also dominating in the circle with a microscopic 0.22 ERA and 246 strikeouts. She now sits just 19 strikeouts away from becoming only the 27th player in New Jersey history to reach the 1,000-strikeout milestone.

SJV’s Madison McDougall (Photo by Sam Mayer)

Sophomore Olivia Lombardi has become a key contributor to the Lancers’ offense while also stepping into the starting catcher role this season. She has recorded six hits and driven in eight runs during the Shore Conference Tournament, and her hot bat has added even more pressure for opposing pitchers navigating SJV’s powerful lineup.

St. John Vianney’s Olivia Lombardi (Photo by SidelineSamsShots)

Defensively, the Lancers must remain locked in, especially when McDougall settles into a rhythm early and begins piling up strikeouts. More than half of SJV’s outs this season have come via strikeout, meaning the defense can go stretches without seeing much action and must stay prepared when the ball is put in play.

Donovan Catholic (25-1)

Head Coach: Debbie Schwartz

Road to the Finals:

1st Round – Bye

2nd Round – Defeated (15) Shore 11-0

Quarterfinal – Defeated (7) Barnegat 3-1

Semifinal – Defeated (3) Marlboro 13-3

Potential Line-up

Isabella Maria, CF – .412 BA, 3 HR, 36 R, 25 RBI, 30 SB

Caroline Kopp, SS/P – .407 BA, 4 HR, 16 R, 32 RBI

Jaelynn Nunez, C – .471 BA, 7 HR, 11 R, 26 RBI

Isabella Cino, 2B – .437 BA, 6 HR, 25 R, 32 RBI

Kourtney Murphy, DP – .364 BA, 4 2B, 11 R, 19 RBI

Riley Laing, 3B – .273 BA, 6 2B, 11 R, 12 RBI

Mia Kelliher, 1B – .292 BA, 3 HR, 12 R, 15 RBI

Madison Kelliher, RF – .342 BA, 2 HR, 22 R, 10 RBI

Julianna Vignets, LF – .404 BA, 6 2B, 18 R, 14 RBI

Savannah Geniton, SS – .375 BA, 1 2B, 5 R

Pinch Runners

Sofi Zydzik – 25 Runs

Julia Tice – 6 Runs

Karoline Kozlowski – 7 Runs

Gabrielle Busco – 5 Runs

Pinch Hitters

Amelia Wescott – .375 BA, 2 HR, 9 R, 10 RBI

Molly Hoops – .667 BA, 1 HR, 12 R, 6 RBI

Pitchers:

Gylian Hixenbaugh – 100.1 IP, 1.53 ERA, 134 K

Caroline Kopp – 41.1 IP, 1.86 ERA, 63 K

Kourtney Murphy – 18.2 IP, 0.75 ERA, 27 K

Recap:

Isabella Cino had a base hit and a run scored for Donovan in the South Jersey Non-Public A semifinal round against STA. Photo by Tom Smith

In the quarterfinal matchup against Barnegat, Kopp delivered the game’s biggest moment at the plate. With the score tied 1-1 in the bottom of the sixth inning, she launched a two-run home run to give Donovan the lead. It accounted for one of just two hits recorded by the Griffins in the game.

Kopp also contributed in the circle, combining with Gylian Hixenbaugh to hold Barnegat in check. Both pitchers recorded seven strikeouts, with Kopp working the first four innings before Hixenbaugh closed out the final three to earn the victory.

Caroline Kopp drove in three runs including the run that ended the game in the 6th inning against Marlboro in the SCT Quarterfinal. 5/18/26 Photo by Samantha Mayer

The Griffins came out aggressively in the semifinal matchup against Marlboro, scoring two runs in the bottom of the first inning behind RBI from senior Jaelynn Nunez and freshman Kourtney Murphy.

Marlboro answered in the top of the third inning to take a 3-2 lead, but Donovan never lost composure and responded with a massive 10-run fifth inning. Murphy once again delivered in a key moment, driving in the run that gave the Griffins the lead back at 4-3. From there, Donovan’s offense continued to pour it on, sending 15 batters to the plate in the inning.

Amelia Wescott and Molly Hoops each provided key contributions off the bench, combining for three RBI in pinch-hit appearances. Kopp stayed red-hot at the plate, driving in two runs during the fifth inning before ending the game with an RBI double in the sixth to secure the 13-3 victory.

In the circle, Hixenbaugh bounced back well after the third inning and finished with eight strikeouts across six innings pitched.

Keys to Winning:

For Donovan, capitalizing on scoring opportunities will be critical. St. John Vianney has allowed just 22 runs all season and has not surrendered a single run in the postseason, meaning the Griffins must make the most of every baserunner they get. Smart decisions on the base paths and timely hitting could be the difference against one of the state’s top pitching staffs.

The Griffins also have flexibility in the circle. Donovan can turn to two reliable arms — and potentially a third if Coach Schwartz decides to shake things up with freshman Kourtney Murphy. Hixenbaugh and Kopp have shared pitching duties in several games throughout the season, and both have proven they are capable of delivering when handed the ball.

Gylian Hixenbaugh struck out 7 batters in relief to earn the win over Barnegat in the SCT Quarterfinal Round. 5/16/26 Photo by Samantha Mayer

Donovan is one of the few teams capable of matching the offensive firepower of the Lancers, and it all begins with table setter Isabella Maria. Maria, the all-time hits leader in Donovan Catholic history with 175 career hits, has been a constant spark at the top of the lineup. She is also a major threat on the base paths, recording a career-high 30 stolen bases this season.

Beyond Maria’s ability to create opportunities, the Griffins possess plenty of power throughout the lineup. Jaelynn Nunez, Caroline Kopp, and Isabella Cino all have the ability to change the game with one swing, giving Donovan the offensive depth needed to compete with SJV’s explosive lineup.

Isabella Maria makes a catch against St. John Vianney in the South Jersey Non-Public A Championship. Photo by Eric Braun

Notes:

• SJV has outscored opponents 252-22 this season, while Donovan has outscored opponents 232-48.
• SJV holds a 41-30 advantage in home runs, showcasing the power both lineups bring into the matchup.
• Common Opponents:
• SJV defeated Steinert 5-2, while Donovan fell to Steinert 2-0.
• SJV defeated Marlboro twice by a combined score of 22-5, while Donovan also beat Marlboro twice by a combined score of 23-6.
• SJV edged Immaculate Heart Academy 7-6, while Donovan dominated IHA 10-0.
• In the circle, SJV has recorded 262 strikeouts this season compared to Donovan’s 224.
• The talent level on the field will be elite, with a combined nine Division I commits expected to compete in the championship game.

Predictions:

Nick – SJV 5-3

Samantha – SJV 9-7 (9 Innings)