POST GAME INTERVIEWS – GAME VIDEO – The College of Staten Island softball program swept their bitter CUNYAC rivals Hunter College for the first time since the 2014 season and has now outscored them 25-2 in the last three games. The Dolphins extended their win streak to 15 in a row which puts them one game shy of tying the all-time CSI record which is 16 set during the 1990 season.  CSI improved to 19-3, and 8-0 in the CUNYAC while knocking the Hawks down to 7-9 overall and 6-2 in the CUNYAC.
 
Game 1: Staten Island 10, Hunter 0
 
Jacqueline Cautela shined in the circle for the Dolphins in the first stanza of today’s twin bill against Hunter College.  Cautela pitched a five inning shutout, her fourth of the year, with three strikeouts and 63 pitches thrown. She also continues to lead the nation with a 0.12 which she lowered from a 0.13. 
The Dolphins scored one run on two hits in the first inning after the Hawks committed an error. 
 
Antoinette Galbo got the Dolphins back on track after Cautela grounded out to Briana Monaco at third base with a hard hit single to Jamie Durso at shortstop.  Patricia Riches started her perfect game from the plate with a single to left center after looking at a strike to advance Galbo over to second base.  Durso would once again be targeted by the Dolphins as Vanessa Jioia hit one towards her for the first error of the game. On the overthrow, Galbo would score, however Riches would get thrown out at third.
More errors plagued the Hawks in the second inning.  The combination of a pair of errors and seven hits by the Dolphins allowed CSI to tally seven runs to burst open this game and initiate the mercy rule in the second inning. Jamie Holmes reached on an error by Durso again. Alexis Kateridge came in to pinch run for Holmes and would eventually cross home plate a few batters later. 
 
Cautela came to the plate with the bases loaded and took advantage of the opportunity and singled to shallow left field to score one run. Riches came into today with no triples on the year and tallied two in this game with her first coming in the second inning.  Riches crushed the ball to right center and motored around the bases for a three RBI triple. After battling at the plate Jioia was finally able to hit one into play and beat out the throw to first allowing Riches to safely cross home plate.  With both Jioia on third and Holmes at first, Ashley Notaro lined one up the middle to make sure that Jioia was not stranded on third. 
 
With the pitching and fielding on their game the Hawks were unable to get anything going offensively and managed just two hits in the his contest. CSI would add two security runs in the bottom of the fourth which started with another triple by Riches.  Jioia reached first off of a successful bunt and then stole second and was caught in a pickle.  While Jioia was distracting the defense Riches would steal home to put the Dolphins up 9-0.  The final run of the game would come when Kristy Colangelo sent a ball deep to center field for a sacrifice fly as Jioia was able to tag up and score the 10th run of the game.
 
Riches finished 3-for-3 with two triples and three RBIs.  Notaro also had a perfect day at the plate going 3-for-3 with an RBI and a run. Galbo finished game one 2-for-3 with a pair of runs and an RBI.
 
Game 2: Staten Island 5, Hunter 2
 
Nicolette returned to the circle today after playing first in both games yesterday against Western Conn.
Cautela would start the Dolphins off with a single to left field and move to second after Galbo executed a perfect sacrifice bunt.  Riches collected her third career triple, third in two games, to score Cautela from second, putting the Dolphins up 1-0.  Jioia continued to do what she has done all afternoon and slugged a double to left field to score Riches from third.
 
The Dolphins’ offense seemed to cool off after the first inning as they were held scoreless for three straight innings while Trapani was also able to hold the Hawks to zeros.
 
With one out on the board and Christina Ceverizzo, Cautela tagged one to left center for an RBI double to put CSI up 3-0 over the Hawks. Galbo laid down a beautiful bunt down the third base line to safely reach first and move Cautela over to third.  On the first pitch of Riches’ at-bat, Galbo would steal second base to put two runners in scoring position for the power hitter. Riches would reach on an error by the shortstop to score both run to increase the Dolphin lead to 5-0.  Colangelo would strand Riches on second to end the inning, bringing up the Hawks to try and score five runs to bring the Dolphins up one more time.
 
The Hawks’ Stefanie Abolt hit a double to right center field to immediately put herself in scoring position.  Alana Vezza would score Abolt with a double to left center to score the first run of the split for the Hawks. That run was the first run the Dolphins have allowed all season by a CUNYAC opponent. The Hawks added another run during Heather Ostrowski’s at-bat as Trapani would throw a wild pitch to score the runner from third.  Trapani would rebound nicely however and strikeout Ostrowski with the very next pitch.
 
The Dolphins would close the door on Hunter’s comeback to stay perfect within in the CUNYAC at 8-0 while also staying a perfect 10-0 at home this season.
 
Riches finished game two 3-for-4 with an RBI and a run while both Jioia and Colangelo finished 2-for-4.  Trapani picked up her seventh win of the season to improve to 7-2 on the year with a three strikeout performance.
 
The Dolphins will return to action on Monday, April 17 where they will travel to take on Farmingdale State at 3:30 pm.