Probably the best thing for Ally Fonollosa the pitcher, is that she does not have to face Ally Fonollosa, the hitter.
And vice versa.
Playing for the Hamilton-Nottingham co-op softball team, the Hamilton West senior is one of the Colonial Valley Conference’s marquee players this spring both at the plate and in the circle.
A Delaware State commit for pitching, Fonollosa has a career earned run average of 3.35 with 297 strikeouts and just 78 walks in 208.2 innings pitched. Offensively, in 136 games, she has a .419 average with 10 home runs, 14 doubles, 47 RBIs and 31 runs scored.
“She’s a captain for a reason,” coach Gaby Bennett said. “All the girls, especially the new girls, look up to her a lot as an offensive force and not just as a pitcher, but the way she fields the ball and throws the ball. She’s a good example for all the other girls.”
When Fonollosa is not pitching, Bennett has her at first base or perhaps shortstop, which brings a groan from Ally, since she’d have to live up to the exploits of big sister Gabbie, who played college ball for Rowan.
“She’s definitely the person I wanted to be,” Fonollosa said. “She was the golden softball player in my family. She could do no wrong at shortstop, so if I ever play short I have big shoes to fill. Just seeing Gabbie play throughout the years and seeing her have so much joy in the sport really inspired me.”
Ally has done nothing to tarnish the family reputation in softball. She is a pitcher first and foremost who can also hit well when she has the opportunity.
“She’s strong. She does a lot in the off-season to prepare,” the second-year coach said. “She works out, lifts, does all the things that you would want a player to do. Her approach is ‘I want to make good contact, I want to get a hard hit and that’s gonna give me the best chance to get on base.’”
Fonollosa hopes to increase her home run total by at least one this year, as she has gone from two to three to five in her first three seasons. But home runs are just a by-product of her approach.
“I’m definitely a hitter who hits for average and happens to have power,” she said. “I don’t get much of an opportunity to hit in travel. It’s a more mental thing for me. Especially now that I’m committed, I don’t have to worry about making an impression as much. I’m more calm and relaxed.
“I was so relieved to even get the chance to play Division I softball. Committing was like a weight off my shoulders. Now that it’s out of the way it’s all about fun and just doing my best at this point.”
Fonollosa began playing T-ball in HGSA at age 4 and played one travel season for the Hurricanes. She moved on to the Ninjas, Central Jersey A’s, Outlaws, and now plays for Skelly’s.
She began as a third baseman and outfielder — “which is shocking because I’m slow” — but eventually saw college games on TV and began to see the power a pitcher had over a game.
“I started taking lessons,” she said. “After I started pitching, it kind of just fit the puzzle piece. I was somewhat good at it so I stuck with it.”
Fonollosa had a strong freshman campaign with a 2.49 ERA and 121 strikeouts in 78.2 innings. Her playing time curtailed as a sophomore and last year she came back with a career year offensively, batting .478 with 22 RBIs and nine doubles. Her right arm forged a 3.74 ERA and 119 strikeouts in 95.1 innings.
“She throws everything,” Bennett said. “We play it day by day, whatever she feels is the best when she’s warmed up, that’s what we’re going to first. We’ll mix it around from there.”
Fonollosa is also the unquestioned team leader. Bennett calls her the most vocal player on the team but noted she also leads by example.
“All the girls look up to her and talk about her. I had some girls at eighth grade orientation the other day and they were referring to her as Miss D-I,” Bennett said. “They know she’s a good player and they look at her like ‘That’s what I want to do too.’”
Fonollosa is a leader off the field as well, as she was a member of Hamilton’s PEER Leadership Club, Unified, and the teacher’s club, NJFEA.
Fonollosa’s search for a college was interesting. She was recruited by Wesleyan and Howard and several New Jersey schools, but continued to look around. She and her mom checked out some Delaware schools, and planned on touring Delaware State. There was a big “but” to that plan, however.
“They had a shooting or a scare right before we went, it’s a pretty rough story,” Fonollosa said. “Security was high at the time, obviously. We couldn’t drive through, but I knew the second I saw just the outside alone I completely fell in love with the atmosphere. It felt right to me.
“From what I saw with my online research, I fell in love with it. I reached out through SportsRecruits and they were interested. We kept in touch and by October 2022 I (verbally) committed. They invited their 2023 commits and said, ‘Stop by and see how we do things.’ We immediately loved the coaches and girls on the team.” Although recruited as a hurler, Fonollosa was told she will have opportunities to hit.
Until then, she will try and help Nottingham-Hamilton continue their resurgence as a co-op team. N-H went 11-11 last year and looks to get even better this season. At Del State, Fonollosa plans to major in early childhood education with a minor in business. she hopes to own her own daycare facility.
She heads into her final season looking for N-H to be competitive and individually she wants to reach 400 career strikeouts.
Despite the fact her high school teams have not won much during her time, Fonollosa enjoyed the ride.
“I definitely have some good memories with our past graduating classes,” she said. “Every coach brought a positive environment. It was an all-around fun event even if we didn’t win. Of course it was frustrating. But after we combined teams, the energy, the vibe, and especially what Bennett gave us, it’s the perfect way to end. I don’t think I’ll ever leave softball here with any regrets.”
Two-way senior Abby Fonollosa is a top competitor in the circle and at the plate for Hamilton-Nottingham softball.,
