Postgame Interviews – The College of Staten Island men’s baseball squad popped over the .500 mark for the first time since opening day, scoring a doubleheader sweep of Lehman College by scores of 14-0 and 13-9 as part of CUNYAC play at the Tomas D. Morales Baseball Field at CSI.  Winners of seven of their last 9 games, CSI improved to 9-7 overall and 3-1 in CUNYAC play, while Lehman fell to 2-8, 0-2, respectively.

In the opener, CSI imposed their will on the Lightning behind a fantastic pitching effort from Brian Russell, who threw a complete game shutout, allowing just two hits and four base runners, fanning 11.  Meanwhile a four-run first inning off of Lehman starter Stephen Smith was all the Dolphins needed.  Frank Smith scored an RBI single that plated Nick Delprete, who earned on via a hit by pitch.  After a run allowed due to a throwing error, Glen Glennerster stroked a triple to right field over the head of charging outfielder Danny Rodriguez to score two more batters.

CSI added seven runs in the second frame.  Two-RBI singles by Frank Muzzio and Phil Ciprello did most of the damage.  As an exclamation point, CSI added three more markers in the fourth inning.  Ciprello added an RBI-double, with Greg Manassa and Eli Rodriguez adding RBI singles.  That all proved more than enough for Russell, who faced 25 batters in the win, not yielding a walk.  CSI out-hit Lehman, 14-2, and was perfect in the field.

In the second game of the twinbill, CSI got off to a big lead and despite a late scare, never looked back.  It was Lehman that drew first blood, however, notching a pair of runs off of CSI starter Ryan Kennedy, helped out by a CSI infield error.  The Dolphins, however, retaliated right back with four runs in the first inning off of LC starter Matthew Brown.  A Frank Smith single plated Delprete, while Glen Glennerster tied it with a single of his own.  CSI took the lead with a two-RBI single by Ciprello, part of his big afternoon.

Brown did not pitch through the second inning as CSI plated another four runs in the next inning to take an 8-2 lead.  Eli Rodriguez started the barrage with homerun to right field to lead off the inning.  Palmeri plated in a run and two more crossed via error and a wild pitch.  After a scoreless third inning, CSI opened the floodgates with a five-run fourth frame to make it 13-2.  RBI hits by Glennerster and George Kantzian paced the Dolphins in the inning.

Lehman broke through in the top of the sixth inning, chasing Kennedy.  Carlos Alcantara hit a two-RBI double and Matthew Prevosti added a two-RBI single.  A two-RBI triple by Danny Rodriguez in the top of the seventh inning drew LC even closer at 13-9, but reliever Jason Failla closed the door from there to give CSI the 13-9 win.

Kennedy earned the win, pitching 5.2 innings, allowing six earned runs on five hits, walking three.  Brown took the loss.  CSI scattered 11 hits, with Glennerster leading the way, going 2-3 with two RBI and three runs scored.

CSI will play Lehman College again on Monday for a single, 9-inning game, played in the Bronx, starting at 12 Noon.