POSTGAME INTERVIEWS – For the second time in as many days the College of Staten Island baseball squad played for extra innings, and this time they would capitalize, scoring a 12th-inning walk-off win over visiting Ramapo College as part of non-conference play at the CSI Baseball Complex, 9-8. Bobby Drake legged an infield hit to score Glenn Glennerster for the game-winner, preserving the win for pitcher Chris Karnbach who was aces in 7.2 innings of relief.
There was plenty on display through the first 11 innings, as the teams took turns swinging momentum with timely hits and big outs. The sides combined for 32 hits, and five errors did lead to four unearned runs, two for each team.
The Dolphins got out on top, striking starter Jon Brignoni for an unearned run in the second inning. Jett Nouvertne laced a double to score Josh Mercado easily from third base, after Mercado earned on via error and was pushed ahead by another and a double play. In the third, after CSI starter James Taunton whizzed through another half inning, the Dolphins would add two more. This time with runners at first and second, Mercado lined a ball up the middle that scored Nick Meola and then Frank Muzzio came in on a misplay at second base, making it a 3-0 game.
Taunton got through the fourth unscathed again, but in the fifth, CSI’s starter landed in trouble. Vincenzo Sita started with a double, and then Joe Maugeri was walked. Taunton committed an error on a Derek Romberg sac bunt and just like that the bases were loaded. That set the table for Rob DeAngelis, who roped a towering triple to right-center field, tying the score. Brandon Martinez would follow, and a fly ball to deep center would score DeAngelis to give Ramapo the go-ahead at 4-3. After surrendering another hit and plunking a batter, Taunton yielded to Karnbach. The sophomore was able to end the threat, but the damage had been done.
In his first full inning of work, Karnbach also caught a snag before settling down. A walk and two singles loaded the bases with just one out, but Sita would cross on a Karnbach wild pitch. Martinez then recorded another sac fly to bring home Romberg. A throwing error on the following play allowed DeAngelis to come home from third, and even though CSI was able to get out of the frame in the same sequence, Ramapo has now built a 7-3 edge.
Down to their final three innings of offense, CSI needed a lift, and they got in the seventh inning. Meola started it all with a leadoff double, and two at-bats later and a Glennerster walk, Mercado again delivered with an RBI single. With Glennerster advanced to third, Bobby Drake then grounded into a fielder’s choice, but pushed Glennerster across to make it 7-5 and CSI was back to life.
Karnbach motored through the eighth inning and CSI picked up right where they left off in their turn. Anthony DiMarco started the rally with a one-out single that chased reliever Brian Chinni in favor of Kyle Haag. But Haag would walk both Meola and Muzzio, and that brought up Glennerster. CSI’s hottest hitter rocketed a double to deep center field, clearing the bases to give CSI an 8-7 lead. Glennerster would be left stranded but the Dolphins were three outs away from victory.
Ramapo, however, had other plans.
Martinez ripped a double off of Karnbach with one out and then after recording another ground out that moved him to third, Bobby Shannon hit a seeing-eye single through the left side to plate Martinez, tying the score. And that’s how it stood the rest of the way until the 12th inning. Both teams did have their chances. The Dolphins stranded the bases-loaded in the 10th against reliever Greg Westhelle, ironically when Drake just missed legging out an infield single on a grounder to third base.
Ramapo stranded two base runners in the 11th, but went quietly in the 12th setting the stage for the bottom half. Ramapo sent out reliever Robert Santori for his second inning of work, and he quickly fanned Meola for the first out and induced a Muzzio fly out to record two quick put-outs. But Glennerster stayed red-hot with bloop single to right field. On the next at-bat, Mercado did the same but this time to left field. On his horse, Glennerster made a b-line for third base and a play at the bag, Glennerster was ruled safe while Mercado advanced to second. That brought up Drake who to that point was 0-5 at the dish.
Drake hit a weak grounder that skipped off of the pitcher’s mound into second base. Motoring the distance, Drake was able to leg out the infield hit which was combined with a throw that was low to boot. The play easily scored Glennerster as Drake was busy getting mobbed at first base.
The walk-off win was the second for the Dolphins this season, who won a 9th-inning battle with John Jay off of a wild pitch walk-off. The win by CSI broke a five-game losing skid to Ramapo, and was CSI’s first win over the Roadrunners at CSI since 1995.
CSI out-hit Ramapo, 20-12 with DiMarco, Meola, Glennerster and Mercado all popping in three hits. Karnbach got the win by tossing 7.2 innings, yielding four runs (three earned) on six hits, walking one while fanning two. Sartori got the loss with 1.2 innings of relief, as DeAngelis finished 3-5 at the plate with three RBI and two runs scored.
CSI will next be right back to work tomorrow AM, when they travel to Dutchess Stadium in Wappingers Falls for a 10:00am showdown against Mount Saint Mary College.
