The College of Staten Island women’s softball squad has been idle since March 13, but the collection of eight games played in Tucson, Arizona, leading up to then was enough to get two Dolphins the first of the CUNYAC’s weekly honors for softball.  Outfielder Chyanne Gilliam took the opening Player of the Week honor, while reigning CUNYAC Pitcher of the Year Jacqueline Cautela took the first Pitcher of the Week honor, it was announced today.

No CSI batter was better at the plate than Gilliam, as the junior batted a sensational .577 while on the west coast, hitting safely in all eight games.  Gilliam stroked a pair homeruns, three doubles and a triple en route to a team-leading 11 RBI, helping CSI to a 5-3 overall record.  Gilliam’s finest performance came in a 16-11 loss to Baldwin Wallace University, as she went 3-3 with five RBI, a double, homerun, walk, and two runs scored.  Gilliam, a CUNYAC All-Star a year ago, went 15-26 at the dish and also had a perfect week in the field.

In the circle, Cautela put on a healthy show, as the sophomore logged 28 innings in three days of work in the Arizona heat.  Cautela went 3-2 in the span with a 4.50 ERA, fanning 17 batters.  Her finest performance came in CSI’s final game of the set, an 8-0 win over Loras College.  Cautela fanned six in five innings for the complete-game shutout, yielding only a pair of hits.

CSI’s first six games slated to be played regionally have all been suspended due to weather, but the team is hopeful to get on the field this Thursday, when they host CUNYAC-rival Brooklyn College for a 4:30pm doubleheader.