The Ponaganset Chieftains are taking a road trip to square off against the Cranston West Falcons at 6:00 p.m. on Monday. Both come into the matchup bolstered by wins in their previous matches.
Ponaganset is coming in fresh off a high-stakes matchup with another one of Rhode Island's top teams: Portsmouth, who was ranked 22nd at the time (Ponaganset was ranked 16th). The Chieftains skirted past the Patriots 6-5. For those keeping track at home, that's the closest win the Chieftains have posted since June 8, 2024.
Mattea Mello
| 05/03/25 vs Portsmouth | 11 |
| 05/01/25 vs North Kingstown | 13 |
| 04/30/25 @ St. Raphael Academy | 8 |
| 04/28/25 @ Smithfield | 5 |
| 04/25/25 @ East Providence | 11 |
| + 2 more games |
Mattea Mello was a major factor no matter where she played. On the mound, she struck out 11 batters over nine innings while giving up four earned (and one unearned) runs off nine hits. She has been consistent: she hasn't tossed less than five strikeouts in seven consecutive appearances. She was also solid in the batter's box, getting on base in four of her five plate appearances with one triple and one run. That triple was her first of the season.
In other batting news, the team relied heavily on Maia Salvo, who fired off two home runs, three RBI, and one stolen base while getting on base in four of her five plate appearances. That stolen base marked the first that she has snagged this season. Another player making a difference was Jillian Baris, who went 2-for-4 with two RBI and one run.
Meanwhile, after only one run in their last contest, Cranston West made sure to put some runs up on the board against Moses Brown on Saturday. The Falcons were the clear victors by a 15-0 margin over the Quakers. The Falcons haven't had any issues with the Quakers recently, as the game was their eighth consecutive victory against them.
Like Ponaganset, Cranston West also got a great game from a two-way player: Mia Crudale. She looked comfortable on the mound, not allowing a single earned run and allowing only one hit over four innings pitched. Crudale was also big at the plate, going a perfect 2-for-2 with one RBI.
In other batting news, Siena Nardelli was incredible, going 2-for-4 with one home run, two stolen bases, and three runs. What's more, she posted three RBI, the most she's had since back in May of 2024. Gianna Dispirito was another key player, going 2-for-3 with two runs, one stolen base, and one RBI.
Cranston West always had someone on base and finished the game having posted an OBP of .552. They easily outclassed their opponents in that department as Moses Brown only posted an OBP of .200.
The win made it two in a row for Ponaganset and bumps their season record up to 4-8. The victories came thanks in part to their hitting performance across that stretch, as they averaged 7.0 runs over those games. As for Cranston West, their record now sits at 7-5.
Fans could be in store for some top-tier slugging on Monday. Ponaganset hasn't had any problems when it comes to power this season, having averaged 0.9 home runs per game. However, it's not like Cranston West struggles in that department as they've been averaging an even more impressive 0.7 home runs. With so much power on both teams, it'll be down to the pitchers to keep the mound locked down. Check MaxPreps after the match for a full breakdown of the game, commentary, and other softball content.
