DOLPHINS EARN A DOUBLEHEADER DRAW WITH ST. JOSEPH’S (LI)

In a frigid evening twinbill, the College of Staten Island women’s softball squad earned a doubleheader, non-conference, split with St. Joseph’s College (LI) at the CSI Softball Complex. The Dolphins took the opener, 3-1, while the Eagles rallied back to score a lop-sided, 16-7, win in the night cap. The Dolphins are now 5-6 overall while the Eagles lifted their overall mark to 12-10.

In a crisp and well-played opener, the Dolphins scored all of their runs off of SJC starter Cassie Martinez in the second inning to take a 3-1 win. A Christina Tufano single started things in the inning, and after Danielle Locke walked, the duo was moved over by a Taylor Kaplan sac bunt. Up stepped freshman Chyanne Gilliam, and in her first at-bat of the afternoon, she screamed a single up the middle, scoring both runners to stake CSI to a 2-0 lead. One at-bat later, Gilliam came around to score when Brittany Smith reached and took second base on an error by SJC shortstop Samantha Carcano. Martinez got Stefanie Solari to go down on strikes to end the threat from there, but not before the Dolphins grabbed a 3-0 lead.

The lead proved to be enough for CSI starter Victoria Procopio, who allowed an RBI groundout to Gina Moscatelli in the top of the third to cut the lead to 3-1. SJC would not garner another base runner until the 6th inning, but with two runners on two outs, Procopio got Martinez to ground into a fielder’s choice to end the threat. Procopio then retired the Eagles in order in the seventh to garner the complete-game win, allowing one unearned run on five hits. Martinez went the distance in the loss, allowing three runs (two earned) on five hits, fanning seven.

Errors were a key factor in the night cap, as the temperature plummeted and the teams combined for 9 errors, six by the Dolphins, who would ultimately allow six runs to cross unearned. CSI starter Brittany Smith last just a pair of innings, as SJC opened up a 6-1 lead. A Mallory McClafferty two-RBI double did the damage in the first frame, while two CSI errors aided to a four-run second for SJC, highlighted also by a Moscatelli RBI-double.

CSI would stage a comeback, scoring four runs in their half of the second off of SJC starter McClafferty, to close to within 6-5. Gilliam would tally an RBI triple, and in a rather bizarre play, Smith would end up scoring as well. The sophomore bunted, and reached first and took second thanks to a throwing error. Rounding second base, SJC tried to get Smith at third base, but that throw went errant as well, and Smith ended up scoring on a two-error bunt play.

In the third inning, CSI scored another pair of runs, chasing McClafferty in favor of Martinez. Procopio’s two-RBI single did the damage, scoring Alissa Setteducato and Gilliam.

From there, however, SJC took over. Against CSI reliever Solari, the Eagles got a lone run in the fourth, then took over the lead for good via a five run fifth inning. The Eagles scattered five of their 14 hits in the inning, aided again by a CSI error. Another four-spot in the seventh sealed the deal, as the Eagles snapped CSI’s modest win streak at three games.

SJC’s Moscatelli went 4-for-6 with 2 RBI and 3 runs scored in the night cap. Solari took the loss for CSI, tossing five innings, allowing 10 runs (seven earned) on 10 hits. Martinez took the win, tossing 4.1 innings, allowing no runs on three hits, fanning five.

CSI is back in action tomorrow afternoon, travelling to New Jersey City University for a non-conference doubleheader beginning at 3:30pm.