The College of Staten Island spring sports are celebrating three ECAC Metro NY/NJ honors today, on the heels of a great week that was for baseball and softball squads. CSI Softball’s Christina Tufano has been named the ECAC Metro NY/NJ Softball Player of the Week, while Baseballers Brian Ruseell took Pitcher of the Week honors, and Eli Rodriguez, Rookie of the Week honors.
Tufano, the reigning CUNYAC Player of the Year, blitzed through six games last week by batting a healthy .636 (14-22), scattering 15 RBI and six runs scored in CSI’s 5-1 week. Tufano belted her first homer of the season against Farmingdale, adding a triple with 5 RBI in a 13-3 win. For the season, Tufano is now batting .429, leading the squad in hits (24), RBI (21), doubles (4), and triple (2), while placing second on the squad with six stolen bags.
Russell threw eight scoreless innings last week, picking up his first save and a complete-game, two-hit shutout over Lehman College, fanning 11 in a 14-0 CSI run. Russell is off to a tremendous start in 2015, boasting a 3-1 overall mark with a 0.64 ERA, striking out 29 batters in 28 innings. Opponents are batting just .154 against him.
Rodriguez enjoyed a .409 week at the plate, scattering six RBI and a team-best 9 runs scored in CSI’s 6-1 week. He also walked six times, raising his weekly on-base percentage to .536. Rodriguez raised his season batting average to .294, leading the team in walks (9) and stolen bases (8) while posting five doubles, good for second on the squad.
