The College of Staten Island baseball team had their eight-game win streak snapped earlier this week, but will be putting their perfect CUNYAC record on the line today, as they get set to host City College of New York for a doubleheader beginning at 11:00am at the CSI Baseball Complex. The games can go a long way in determining playoff positioning in the upcoming CUNYAC Tournament that kicks off during the first week in May.
CSI vs. CITY COLLEGE OF NEW YORK AT-A-GLANCE
Matchup: CSI (19-10 Overall, 4-0 CUNYAC) vs. City College of New York (4-26 Overall, 1-3 CUNYAC)
Where: CSI Baseball Complex – 2800 Victory Boulevard, Staten Island, NY
First Pitch: 11:00 am
Live Video: www.csidolphins.com/CSISportsNet
All-Time Series: CSI leads 61-8
Last Year’s Result: CSI won 10-1 & 4-3
Players to Watch (CSI): Joe Palmeri continues to pace CSI in hits with 37 this season, while fellow senior Nick Delprete leads the team with a .380 batting average. Delprete is also chasing fielding perfection, as he has been flawless in 122 chances this season as second base. Frank Sconzo is moving up the leaderboards in walks. His 24 this season are ranked 13th all-time, and are just 10 shy of the CSI single season record.
Players to Watch (CCNY): It’s been a tough season for the Beavers but not for Adrian Pena, who is crushing opponents with a .436 batting average this season with 16 extra base hits including three homeruns, good for a .691 slugging percentage. Michael Siklas and Josef Bystrik are the only other Beavers hitting over .300, with Siklas leading the way with 14 walks. At 2-5 with a 6.02 ERA, Sacha Urbach has been CCNY’s most consistent pitcher over 10 starts.
News and Notes: The Dolphins have been dominating this series of late, boasting a 25-1 record over the Beavers since the 2008 season. That mark includes 11 wins in a row right here at the CSI Baseball Complex by an average of six runs per game. CSI has won the last six straight meetings overall and are 38-4 all-time at home against the Beavers. With a single win this afternoon, CSI can finish no lower than in second place amongst the five CUNYAC schools come Tournament time in May. That will be of ultimate importance as the top two seeds gain an automatic entry into the double-elimination tournament without having to play a play-in game that is single elimination. Also with a win, CSI will secure its sixth 20-win season in the last seven years, and the 18th in school history since 1978. CSI’s Joe Palmeri needs three more at-bats this afternoon to tie former Dolphin Henry Roman for second highest in team history with 497, and he will need two more runs scored to take over second place all-time in that department as well. Palmeri is also tied for seventh all-time in walks with 62.
