The College of Staten Island’s softball team finally took to their home diamond tonight for the first time since March 26 against Lehman College.  The Dolphins continued their torrid stretch of scoring with a 9-2 and 6-1 victory over New Jersey City University in the ‘Battle of the Bayonne Bridge’ to improve to 11-5 overall and knocked NJCU back to 11-15 overall.  The pair of wins tonight increased the Dolphins’ win streak against the Gothic Knights to six in a row. 

Christina Tufano continues to standout at the plate and went 4-for-8 with three RBIs and two runs against the Gothic Knights.  Nicole Meliak had a great game for the Dolphins, going 2-for-5 and tallied four RBIs in the doubleheader, two of which came in the sixth inning of game one where she hit a two RBI single which gave the Dolphins the lead.

Game 1: Staten Island 9, New Jersey City University 2

The Gothic Knights quickly jumped on the board in the first inning after Brittany Paulikas hit an RBI double to left field which scored Brianna Rosario to give NJCU a 1-0 lead.  This was the first time the Dolphins trailed in a game since game one of the Rutgers Newark doubleheader on March 8, where the Dolphins fell behind 1-0.  Jacqueline Cautela started in the circle for CSI and was getting hit early and often, something Cautela is not used to. 

Cautela would find herself stuck between a rock and a hard space in the second inning after she walked two straight batters and loaded the bases after Cristina Otero opened up the inning with a single to right field.  Cautela would walk another batter and bring in a run and give NJCU a 2-0 lead.  Cautela was able to limit the damage and get the final two batters to hit grounders into outs.

The Dolphins would get on the board in the bottom of the second inning when Kristy Colangelo was hit by a pitch followed by a single from Ashley Notaro which moved Colangelo over to second base.  During Nicolette Trapani’s at bat Notaro and Colangelo successfully executed a double steal to put both runners in scoring position. The Dolphins would get lucky and starting catcher Gabriella Contey allowed a ball to pass between her legs and allowed Colangelo to give the Dolphins their first run of the game.

Both teams would go scoreless the following three innings.  Staten Island exploded for eight runs in the bottom of the sixth inning.  Tufano would open things up for the Dolphins with a single up the middle which was immediately followed by a single to center field. Meliak would put the two go ahead runs when she singled down the right field line for a two RBI single.  The Dolphins would not look back after that and continued to pour it on as they looked to finally settle into the way they’re used to playing.

Staten Island would finish the sixth inning with eight runs on five hits with two errors committed by the Gothic Knights. 
Cautela would pick up her sixth win of the season after allowing two runs on eight hits while collecting six strikeouts. Ashley Notaro finished game one 2-for-4 and was left on base twice.

Game 2: Staten Island 6, New Jersey City University 1

Staten Island was first to record a run in game two after going scoreless in the first inning.  Kristen Meagher smashed her second triple of the season which brought home Notaro from first base. Notaro wouldn’t have to wait long as Cautela was next to bat and she would single through the left side to put the Dolphins up 2-0 over the Gothic Knights.

After another pair of scoreless innings the Dolphins once again brought out their bats. Vanessa Joia would kick things off with a double to right center and would score on Trapani’s at bat after the second baseman committed an error. Meliak was once again answered the call of her teammates as she hit another two RBI single through the right side to increase the Dolphins lead once again.

CSI would finish the inning with four runs on five hits with two errors.

Trapani would see her perfect game slip away in the top of the sixth inning after Gianna DeCesare committed a fielding error which allowed Jayla Lee Vega to reach base.  The very next batter Trapani would lose her no-hitter when Juliana Squeo would double up the middle.  Just two batters later is when Trapani would lose her shutout when Jazz Randall grounded out to DeCesare which allowed Vega to score. That run however, would go down as an unearned run.  Trapani has now not allowed an earned run since March 1 which was against Texas Lutheran.

Trapani would pitch all seven innings and allow just two hits while striking out seven Gothic Knights and collect her fifth win of the season. Chyanne Gilliam would finish game two 2-for-3 with three putouts while Vanessa Joia would go 2-for-4 and a run.

The Dolphins will return to action Saturday, April 16 against Hunter College in New York, NY at 12:00 pm and look to stay undefeated in the CUNYAC.