The College of Staten Island officially ended the regular season today by dropping a pair of non-conference tests to No. 18 Moravian College at the CSI Softball Complex. The Dolphins celebrated Senior Day by honoring senior duo Chyanne Gilliam and Christina Tufano, but the Greyhounds put a damper on things by silencing the Dolphins’ bats most of the way and winning the games, 6-1, and 5-0. The wins lifted MC to 32-4 overall while the Dolphins fell to 22-12.
The story of the afternoon came down to steady Moravian pitching that kept the Dolphins limited to just eight hits through 14 total innings, and two big offensive innings for Moravian where they scored 10 of their 11 total runs.
In the opener it was the game’s third inning that turned sour for the Dolphins. While MC starter Amanda Carisone held CSI in check the Greyhounds powered to five runs on five hits. Two walks issued by CSI starter Jacqueline Cautela followed by a base hit loaded the bags and Julie Siragusa followed with an infield hit to score the game’s opening run. The lead promptly expanded when Janae Matos doubled in a couple of more runs to make it 3-0. Victoria Conner then lined one back to Cautela who managed to get a piece of the ball but a hit was registered and another run made it 4-0. Finally, Jean Markovic laced a single to left field to chase in Matos to make it 5-0.
From there, the day belonged to Carisone. The Dolphins managed a lone hit through the fourth through sixth innings, while Moravian added a digit thanks to a solo homerun by Madison Shaneberger. With the score, 6-0, going into the bottom of the seventh, CSI was finally able to make some noise. Nicole Meliak led off with a single, and after advancing via a fielder’s choice error and a ground out, she would follow to home on another groundout by pinch-hitter Kristen Meagher. Carisone settled from there to retire the Dolphins, unable to preserve the shutout but earning the complete game, four-hitter with five strikeouts.
In the second game, MC starter Josie Novak went toe-to-toe with CSI pitcher Nicolette Trapani in the circle and both pitched predominantly well. In an almost carbon copy, it was one big inning for MC that did the trick, this time with the Greyhounds plating all five of their runs in the second frame. Conner would double home Siragusa who led off with a single and was sacrificed. Later, with the bases loaded, pinch-runner Makenna Masenheimer came in from third to score on a passed ball, and then Shaneberger stroked in a two-RBI single to make it 4-0. To cap the scoring, Kat Spilman would lace an RBI single through first and second base, scoring Kaela Kane.
Like her predecessor, Novak was efficient in the circle. CSI threatened in the third with a Tufano leadoff double but she would be stranded at third base, and in the fifth, CSI loaded the bases but Novak would get Kristy Colangelo to pop up to end the frame. From there, only a seventh inning walk posed a threat for the Greyhounds as they rode their hot second inning for the win.
Novak earned the win by allowing just four hits, walking three while striking out eight. Trapani allowed 11 hits through her seven innings in the loss, fanning three. Shaneberger, Spilman, and Matos each had two hits for the Greyhounds.
The Dolphins will now be idle until the CUNYAC Playoffs which for them get underway on Friday, May 6. CSI earned the No. 1 seed in the tournament and will learn who their first round opponent is on Wednesday evening. CSI’s final regular season games were supposed to be played on Sunday, May 1, but the home doubleheader vs. FDU-Florham has been canceled due to incoming rains to the region.
