The College of Staten Island softball team had a tough swing this past week in Florida, but a pair of hard-hitting Dolphins were recognized for their work by the City University of New York Athletic Conference. Junior Patricia Riches was named the CUNYAC Player of the Week after an extraordinary week at the dish, while freshman Sierra Kaplanek was named the conference’s Rookie of the Week.
The former CUNYAC Rookie of the Year in 2017 and a first-team All-Star and Tournament MVP a year ago, Riches picked up right where she left off for CSI in week one of their 2019 campaign. She hit safely in seven of eight games last week, batting a phenomenal .615 (16-for-26) at the plate. She added four extra-bases, including three doubles, two in a single game against Bowdoin College. She landed a pair of RBI, and scored six runs on the week as well.
Only one Dolphin hit safely in every game of the Florida trip, and that distinction belonged to Kaplanek, who batted an even .500 on the trip (11-22), boasting three multi-hit games as well. Kaplanek also displayed her power, tagging a team-best four doubles, a home run, and seven RBI. She scored a pair of runs and stole a base as well. With a walk and two hit-by-pitches, she raised her on-base percentage to a robust .560.
CSI will next be in action on Thursday, hosting Mount Saint Vincent in their home opener at 4:30pm.
