Mother Nature has proved pesky today, but it will not stop the College of Staten Island softball team from putting their winning streak on the line against Montclair State University this afternoon at the CSI Softball Complex.  The Dolphins are on an enormous run, winning a school-record 19-straight as they sit at 23-3 this season.  The two teams have been meeting for quite some time making this one of the Dolphins biggest out-of-conference rivalries.
 
CSI vs MONTCLAIR STATE UNIVERSITY AT-A-GLANCE
Matchup: CSI (23-3 overall, 10-0 CUNYAC) vs. Montclair State University (17-13 overall, 6-6 NJAC)
Where: CSI Softball Complex – 2800 Victory Boulevard, Staten Island, NY
First Pitch: 3:30 pm
Live Video:  http://www.csidolphins.com/CSISportsNet
Live Statistics:  http://www.sidearmstats.com/csi/softball/
All-Time Series:  Montclair State leads 21-4-1
Players To Watch (CSI): It’s been another big week for the Dolphins as they continue to roll.  Pitcher Jacqueline Cautela has been the ringleader in the pitcher’s circle, as she sports an 11-0 record with a 0.30 ERA.  She is also getting it done at the plate, batting a robust .435 placing second on the team in hits, doubles, home runs, and RBI.  Sitting in first in all of those categories in freshman Patricia Riches who is scorching opposing pitching to the tune of a .590 batting average, complete with 17 extra base -hits and 36 RBI.  Kristy Colangelo is also swinging one of CSI’s hottest bats, hitting a career best .418 this season, striking out only once in 67 at-bats.  Vanessa Jioia is flirting with the .400 mark as she stands batting .397, gaining a team-best 15 walks this season, raising her on-base percentage to .518.
Players To Watch (MSU): The Red Hawks have a trio of quality pitchers led by Sam Keating’s six wins.  She also sports a team best 1.78 ERA.  Courtney Politz ans Nicole Majewski are next in line with dive wins apiece.  At the dish the Red Hawks are led by Lia Stamile’s .409 average in an abridged 44 at-bats.  Kaylee Powers is batting .394 with a team-best 37 hits and 11 extra bases including eight doubles.  She and Noel Hodgins (.327) also lead the team in stolen bases with 9.  Blake Saperstein is batting .312 this season and has merited a team best 11 bases on balls.
News & Notes: The Dolphins are on a 19-game winning streak, the longest in school history and are now knocking on the door of an all-time high for wins.  With 12 games left on the schedule, CSI is eight wins away for a school-record 31 wins they set in 2015.  The Dolphins are also exhibiting good power numbers this season.  Their 17 total home runs are tied for the 3rd-highest in team single season history with the record being 23 in 2007.  Their slugging percentage is also tied for 3rd all-time.  The Dolphins are also getting it done in the circle and on the field.  Their team fielding percentage of .966 is an all-time high and CSI’s team ERA of 0.98 is better than last year’s school record 1.94…Despite the big numbers, it is Montclair State that owns a huge all-time advantage in this series, winning 21 of 26 games all-time, that run includes 13 of the last 15 games in the series.  MSU won both games last year by scores of 4-2 and 9-0, but the last time the two teams played in Staten Island, CSI was able to take both 4-3 and 10-9.  CSI is 4-5-1 all-time at home against MSU.  The Red Hawks started the year 10-10 but have since caught fire, winning seven of the last 10 and sport a 6-6 record in a very tough NJAC division.  The Dolphins meanwhile sport a 10-0 CUNYAC record and have already clinched the Regular Season Championship and the Tournament’s No. 1 seed.