All-Brooklyn Softball Honors

Fontbonne Hall’s historic season was the highlight of the softball campaign in Brooklyn.

The Bay Ridge school earned its first Brooklyn-Queens Class AA regular season and diocesan title before losing in the Catholic state final. Telecom also announced its arrival among the top softball programs in the city when it ended James Madison’s decade-plus run atop the Public School Athletic League’s Brooklyn division. St. Edmund avenged last year’s title game loss by beating Bishop Kearney for the Brooklyn-Queens A crown.

Now here are the players we consider Brooklyn’s best:

All-Brooklyn Softball Player of the Year: Nicolette Trapani, Fontbonne Hall

The Bonnies ace was one of the city’s most dominant windmillers this year, posting a 1.94 earned run average and 266 strike outs in 155 innings. She pitched her team to its first Brooklyn-Queens regular season and diocesan titles. Trapani, who batted .317, tossed more than 200 pitches combined in Games 2 and 3 of the championship to come back and win the series. She followed that up by throwing a three-hitter to send the Bonnies to their first Catholic state final.

All-Brooklyn Softball Coach of the Year: Frank Marinello, Fontbonne Hall

Marinello has always gotten the most out of his talent during his tenure at Fontbonne. He nurtured this group along, especially the now-junior core, since they were freshman on varsity. It all came together as Fontbonne won its first diocesan title, becoming the first Brooklyn school to do so since 2004, and reached its first Catholic state final. Marinello’s motivational mantras and paternal guiding hand kept it all together.

All-Brooklyn Softball First Team

CF Christina Calascione, Fontbonne Hall

The junior was a force. She covered plenty of ground in the centerfield and used her speed to give opponents headaches on the bases. Calascione scored 21 runs, including the winning one in the game that clinched the diocesan title.

C Brianna DePasquale, James Madison

DePasquale embraced her role as veteran leader for a young Madison team and thrived this year. Behind the plate, she helped two freshman pitchers succeed. At the dish she hit .447 and slugged .638 with 23 runs scored and eight RBIs.

SS Ariana Dillon, Fontbonne Hall

Dillon displayed lightning-quick reflexes at short to make plays that saved games for the Bonnies. The sophomore was lethal with the bat also. She scored 23 runs, including the lone tally in a state semifinal win, and added 25 RBI.

SS/P Isabella Gerone, James Madison

The sister of former Madison star Gina Gerone lived up to expectations. She was a slick fielding shortstop and slip time with Grace Sullivan in the circle. She shined at the plate, hitting .327, scoring 22 runs, and driving in 16 in the regular season.

C Susan Gutekunst, Telecommunications

The sophomore formed a dynamic duo with star Cristina Morales in the middle of the order and in the battery. Gutekunst hit .365, drove in 20 runs, and scored 11 times out of the cleanup spot in the batting order.

SS Jacquie Kennedy, Poly Prep

Though Kennedy’s best sport is basketball, she remained one of the city’s top softball players. She’s a feared hitter with plenty of power. The senior moved from catcher to shortstop this season and helped Poly catch fire late in the year.

3B Bianca Marletta, Fontonne Hall

This freshman burst onto the scene this year. She helped stabilize the left side of the infield and was a staple in the leadoff spot. Marletta batted .357 and went 3–4 with a double and run scored to help clinch the diocesan title.

P Cristina Morales, Telecommunications

There wasn’t a thing Morales didn’t do for Telecom. The senior was a dominant pitcher and a clutch hitter. Morales batted .531, drove in 30 runs and scored 21 times in 49 at bats. She broke open the division-clinching game against Madison.

C Maria Serrantino, Fontbonne Hall

The junior hit .400 and drove in 23 runs, but really shined in the playoffs. Serrantino homered twice in the diocesan championship series, including a two-run walk off blast in the clincher. She also drove in the lone run in the Bonnies state semifinal win.

P Gabriella Scarpaci, New Utrecht

The sophomore handed James Madison its first league loss in at least 10 years and helped the Utes to a third place finish. She batted .380 during the regular season and went 3-for-5 with two runs scored and two RBI in an upset win over New Dorp in the playoffs.

Honorable Mentions:

3B Ashley Delgado. Telecommunications

C Amanda DiLeo, Bishop Kearney

P Angelica Fox, St. Edmund Prep

P Jaritza Luna, Fort Hamilton

1B Breanna Maresca, Midwood

3B/C Nicole Quintana, St. Edmund Prep

P Ciara Schirripa, Poly Prep

SS Sam Simon, Bishop Kearney

C Lizmarie Skulsky, New Utrecht

P/3B Grace Sullivan, James Madison

RF Natalia Sroga, Fontbonne Hall