The College of Staten Island’s softball team was finally able to return to the diamond after 18 straight days without a game due to cancelations from poor weather conditions.  The Dolphins didn’t look like they accumulated much rust from their extended layout as they took on Lehman College in a CUNYAC doubleheader today at the CSI Softball Complex.  The Dolphins improved their overall record to 7-5 overall and 2-0 in the CUNYAC with a 19-0 and 13-0 victory against the Lightning who fell to 1-9 overall and 0-4 in the CUNYAC with the pair of losses.

Chyanne Gilliam continued her outstanding batting performance today going 5-for-8 with 6 RBIs in the split.  Kristy Colangelo had a very nice day, going 4-for-6 with 5 RBIs and a homerun while Nicolette Trapani put together a solid performance from both the circle and the plate going 2-for-6 with 5 RBIs and a homerun and pitch a no-hitter with eight strikeouts.

Game 1: Staten Island 19, Lehman College 0 (5 innings)

After holding the Lightning to zero runs at the top of the first inning the Dolphins were anxious to bring out their bats and hit a live ball for the first time in almost three weeks.  Staten Island immediate came out swinging after Jacqueline Cautela was walked to first base Antoinette Galbo moved Cautela to second with a single through the right side to put the Dolphins in scoring position.  Gilliam would then step to the plate and collect two of her six RBIs here with a two RBI single through the left side.  After struggling earlier in the season Colangelo came into today’s doubleheader with only two hits to her name but she was able to put that behind her at her first at bat with a single through the left side.  Vanessa Joia would score Gilliam with an RBI single. 

The Dolphins were very efficient in the first inning, scoring five runs on five hits to take a 5-0 lead early in the game.

CSI really opened the game up in the second inning when they exploded for 13 runs.  Cautela would kick off the scoring onslaught with a double to left field and would quickly advance to third via a wild pitch.  Colangelo would match her season total in hits with just her second at bat when she once again hit a single through the left side and brought Gilliam across home plate. Joia brought out her big bat in this inning and crushed a ball to right field and was immediately brought home by Ashley Notaro who singled up the middle.  Gianna DeCesare would move Notaro to third with a single to right center.  Nicolette Trapani would help out her pitcher when she stepped to the dish and slammed a 3 RBI homerun over the left field wall for her first of the year. 

The scoring wouldn’t stop there, as just four batters later Colangelo found the pitch she was waiting for and gave the fans in left field another souvenir after she crushed a 3 RBI homerun over the left field wall. Efficiency was the name of the game for the Dolphins in this game as they scored 13 runs on 13 hits and left nobody on the bases.

CSI would collect 20 hits in this game and commit two errors but were able to blank the Lightning.  Cautela would pick up her fourth win of the season after pitching just three innings and striking out eight batters before being relieved by Alexandra Conanan.

Game 2: Staten Island 13, Lehman College 0 (5 innings)

Game two was much of the same for the Dolphins as they continued to show their power as a team and why they won an NCAA regional game last season.  The Dolphins wasted no time in game two and once again just out a large lead in the first inning.

Cautela would once again be walked to start the game and would be moved to third by a Galbo bunt. Christina Tufano would come to the plate and saw that she had two teammates in scoring position and wanted to bring them home to give her team an early lead. Tufano inched closer to the CSI RBI record in game one with a lone RBI which tied her with Stefanie Solari at 129.  Tufano saw her chance and took it with a 2 RBI triple which not only gave the Dolphins a 2-0 lead but put her name atop the CSI record book and pass Kaitlyn Flynn (130) with most career RBIs at 131.  Tufano will only add to that total this season and make it harder for future Dolphins to surpass her legacy.

Kristen Meagher would further increase the Dolphins lead with a 2 RBI triple to bring home Trapani and Elizabeth Travieso.   The Dolphins would leave their mark on the first innings, scoring six runs on four hits while the Lightning committed a single error in the inning.

The second inning was a mirror image of the first in terms of runs as the Dolphins added six more runs to their 6-0 lead to take a 12-0 lead just two innings into the game.  Errors would plague the Lightning in this inning as Travieso would reach first on a throwing error by the shortstop after Colangelo would once again lace a triple to left field.

Trapani really shut down the Lightning in game two after she crushed them for a homerun in game one.  Trapani made sure they didn’t get on the board and in doing so collected her first no-hitter of the season and second of her career. 

Staten Island would add one more run in the bottom of the fourth to increase their lead to 13-0 and that’s where the score would stay as the Dolphins picked up their fourth straight win.

The Dolphins will return to action on Sunday, April 3 when they will take to the road to play against York College in another CUNYAC matchup.