Staten Island, NY | The College of Staten Island saw a late-inning comeback attempt come up just short in a tough 10-9 defeat against Saint Joseph’s College-Brooklyn in a game played at Staten Island Technical High School. The loss evens up CSI’s record at 3-3, while the Bears improve to 2-1-1 on the season.
In a high scoring affair, both teams got on the board in the first inning, but it was the Bears who kept the scoring going from there with seven unanswered runs. Trailing 8-1 on a cold and rainy day, the Dolphins once again demonstrated the tremendous resilience that their fans have come to expect from this team. Battling back from the seven-run deficit entering the bottom of the fifth, CSI added three runs before the Bears responded with two of their own in the top of the sixth. Now leading 10-4, these two sixth inning runs for the Bears would be their last. CSI would go on to plate three in the seventh and two in the eighth to pull within one entering the final frame. However, the Dolphins, having already stranded the tying run at third in the eighth, were set down in order in the ninth, and saw their spirited comeback attempt fall just short in a 10-9 defeat.
It was a rough first inning for the Dolphins in the field as a pair of errors resulted in an unearned Bears’ run, but Christian Capellan was able to minimize the damage by striking out the side in the opening frame. The Dolphins wouldn’t be behind for long either, as Jett Nouvertne, the Dolphins’ leadoff hitter, sent the first pitch he saw over the center field wall tying the score at 1-1.
With the score even the Bears seized control of the game with four third-inning runs. After back-to-back singles to open the third, an Anthony Palermo homer to dead center put the Bears up three. They would go on to add another run in the inning which would spell the end for Christian Capellan who surrendered five runs, four earned, on five hits in his three innings of work.
In the fourth, it was once again Palermo providing the big hit for the Bears as he drove in two more with a two-out, two-RBI single extending their lead to six. St Joe’s plated another run in the fifth with a bases-loaded walk extending their lead to seven before the Dolphins got on the board for the first time since the opening inning.
A leadoff triple by Michael Ciancio got things started and he was quickly driven in by a Nick Falcone infield hit. Nouvertne made it three straight Dolphins’ hits with a single before he and Falcone were advanced by an Anthony DiMarco sacrifice bunt. With two outs in the inning and runners on second and third, a costly Bears error allowed two more Dolphins to score runs bringing CSI to within four, 8-4.
In the top of the sixth the Bears provided an answer to the Dolphins’ three-spot with two more unearned runs extending their lead back to six. This would be the last time the Bears would score, and the Dolphins still had plenty of life left. In the seventh, CSI began the frame by drawing three consecutive walks. A John Pomarico sacrifice fly plated the first run of the inning before a Jared Lerner single scored another. With two outs in the inning, a poor decision to attempt throwing out the lead runner allowed Anthony Lozada to reach on a fielder’s choice and, more importantly, the third CSI run of the inning to come home making it 10-7.
After the Dolphins’ bullpen put another zero on the scoreboard, CSI drew even closer in the eighth. Following a pair of singles, there were two Dolphins on with one out. A Joseph Manzi sacrifice fly brought the first run, setting the stage for a Nicholas Dedato triple which scored one more. The triple by Dedato had inside-the-park home-run written all over it as it rolled beyond the turf and onto the track in deep right field, but Dedato lost his footing around first base which ultimately forced him to hold up at third. The slip-up proved costly as John Pomarico would strike out, stranding Dedato, the tying run, run at third base.
After the Bears were kept off the scoreboard again in the eighth, CSI entered the final stanza down by a single run. However, the comeback attempt would stall here and the Dolphins were retired in order bringing the game to a close with a final score of 10-9.
Christian Capellan suffered the loss, his second of the season, while Andrew Watters picked up his second win. J.J. McLaughlin was able to stop the bleeding in the late innings to earn the save and Palermo provided the offensive spark for the Bears driving in six on a pair of hits, one being a three-run-homer. The only Dolphin with multiple hits in the game was Nouvertne who belted his first home-run of the year to lead things off for CSI. The Dolphins bullpen also helped hold things together allowing only one earned run over the final six innings, providing the opportunity for the Dolphins to make the comeback attempt that would come up just short.
Next up for CSI is a doubleheader vs Maritime College this Saturday, March 16, with game one’s first pitch scheduled for 12 PM. Weather permitting, this will be the home-opener for the Dolphins at the CSI Baseball Complex.
