The College of Staten Island women’s softball squad opened up play this afternoon in Union, NJ, as part of the 2015 NCAA Division III National Championship Tournament’s Regional with a trio to the Regional Final on the line, but the Dolphins suffered a 7-0 setback at the hands of hosts Kean University, bumping them down into the loser’s bracket of the four-team pod.  CSI (31-11) will face the winner of Farmingdale State and William Paterson University, at 4:00pm in an elimination game, with the winner advancing to face Kean in the Regional Final tomorrow.

The Dolphins could not get the hitting unveiled in their meeting with Kean, and costly errors further plagued CSI, which played as the home team on Kean’s field this afternoon.  Still, the Dolphins were locked in a pitcher’s duel through four innings, with CSI starter Jacqueline Cautela locking horns with Kean’s Courtney Yard.

In the fifth, however, things swung completely in Kean’s favor.  Amanda Berenzny started the inning with a hit, and then a CSI fielding error put runners on first and second and Tonianne DeMatteo followed with a bunt single to load the bases.  Yard then hit the game-winning RBI via a sac fly to right field.  CSI then registered an out, but because the inning was extended via the error, Emily Bissonette made the Dolphins pay, by turning on a Cautela pitch and drumming a homerun over the centerfield wall for a three-run blast that gave Kean a 4-0 lead.

That proved more than enough for Yard, who allowed just two hits in the entire game.  Meanwhile, Kean plated another two runs in the sixth inning, as CSI replaced Cautela with Trapani, and the freshman fought with control, walking four batters in the inning.  In the seventh, CSI gave the ball to pitcher Samantha Bowbliss for an inning of work, and Kean added a digit on another CSI fielding error.

Kean outhit CSI, 7-2, led by two hits apiece from Katie Garbarino and Berezny.  Yard picked up the complete game win, fanning three, while Cautela, who did not allow an earned run in the game, suffered the loss.

CSI defeated William Paterson yesterday, 9-1, while Kean defeated Farmingdale State, 4-0.  Both of those teams are currently playing in the Region’s first elimination game.  The winner of that game will face CSI in the second elimination game, scheduled for 4pm.  The winner will then advance to face Kean tomorrow.