Staten Island, NY | The College of Staten Island baseball team made it four-straight for the first time this season, using a steady offensive attack to take down Purchase College as part of non-conference play, 10-8, at the CSI Baseball Complex. CSI leveled to 13-13 overall with the win, while the Panthers fell to 17-15 with the defeat.
Of the game’s 18 total runs, 13 came in the first three innings, as the teams powered back-and-forth in their turns at the plate. Before CSI was able to swing the bats, the visitors would take a 1-0 lead off of CSI starter Thomas Musso, as a CSI error with the bases loaded scored Gregory Walsh, who was part of two-straight walks to open the inning. A heads-up double-play was able to help end the threat there, sending CSI up to bat.
In their turn, CSI got even and then some, using five straight hits to open up the game. Anthony DiMarco started the scoring with a RBI-double to score Jordan Wilson, and then he raced home on another RBI-double by Nick Meola. Frank Muzzio then joined the party with another double against PC starter Brian Cunningham, this time scoring both Sean Becker and Meola, to make it 4-1 after one frame.
Both teams pushed across a run in the second frame as well. The Dolphins got theirs via a bases loaded walk by reliever Neal Koch, who came in to relieve Cunningham after three batters. But Purchase responded with two runs against Musso in the third to narrow the lead to just 5-4. The Panthers were able to make the most of two CSI errors in the inning, part of five for the Dolphins today. Patrick Wallace would come in on a wild pitch and a Tighe Jorgensen RBI-groundout scored the other, both unearned.
CSI needed a break and got it in their turn of the third. This time Purchase committed two errors in the stanza. A would-be sacrifice bunt by Wilson would end up scoring two runs when Koch threw the ball to a vacated first base and then Wilson, who ended up getting all the way to third was plated on a double by Becker. Later, a fly ball by Muzzio was dropped in the outfield, allowing Becker to score, making it 9-4 after three innings.
The pitching would right itself from there. Purchase’s Michael Laskowski powered to three scoreless innings of work, helping keep the CSI offense at bay. The Panthers were able to push across a run in the top of the fifth, Musso’s last inning on the hill.
CSI would get the run back in the back of the seventh inning, again thanks to a PC error, their third of the game. CSI seemed comfortable up 10-5 going into the final inning, but reliever Chris Karnbach faced a jam after three scoreless frames. Nick LaSala started things off with a one-out RBI-double, and after another CSI error, another run was plated via a sac fly. Nick Tuozzola then singled in another run to make it 10-8 with two away. Tuozzola then advanced to second base via a passed ball, but was stranded there when Karnbach was able to strike out pinch-hitter Brendan Rose to end the game.
Musso improved to 4-3 this season getting the win after five frames, yielding five runs (two earned) on five hits. Cunningham took the loss, going just 1.1 innings, surrendering five earned runs on seven hits. CSI out-hit Purchase, 12-9. Wilson finished 3-for-3 with a walk, scoring all four times. Becker went 3-for-5 at the plate with a RBI and two runs scored. Tuozzola went 3-for-4 at the dish with two RBI, while Walsh added a pair of hits in defeat.
CSI will be idle on Monday but will return on Tuesday for another single test, this time a 3:30pm showdown with FDU-Florham at the CSI Baseball Complex.
