Holed up for almost a full week, the College of Staten Island softball unit will be back on the diamond today, taking on CUNYAC-rivals Hunter College in a battle for first place in the mid-season standings. CSI is 4-10 overall but have won four in a row, all in the CUNYAC to come in at 4-0 while the Hawks roll in at 4-0 as well.
CSI vs. HUNTER COLLEGE
Matchup: College of Staten Island (4-10, 4-0 CUNYAC) vs. Hunter College (7-6, 4-0 CUNYAC)
Where: CSI Softball Complex – 2800 Victory Boulevard, Staten Island, NY
Live Stats: https://csidolphins.com/sidearmstats/softball/summary
Live Video: http://www.csidolphins.com/CSISportsNet
All-Time Series: CSI leads, 58-38
Last Meeting: May 4, 2018 – CSI won 8-0
Players to Watch (CSI): CSI had a huge weekend last weekend against York and Baruch, inflating some gaudy numbers at the plate. The team is being led by Patricia Riches, who is batting an even .600, already scattering 30 hits in 14 games. She also leads CSI with 19 runs scored and is third on the team with 14 RBI. Leading the RBI count is freshman Sierra Kaplanek who is batting .477 with 25 RBI. She recently tied the CSI record with two home runs in a game and set a CSI record with 9 RBI in a win over Baruch. Antoinette Galbo raised her average to .383, and is second on the squad with 18 runs scored, while Claudia Porcaro, batting .318, is second on the team with 16 RBI. In the circle, CSI returned Alison Meagher after she missed the first 10 games of the year, and she is now 2-0 with a 0.00 ERA through an abbreviated 8 innings of play. Jaclyn Kateridge is 1-9 this season with a 3.93 ERA in a team-best 57 innings of work.
Players to Watch (HC): The Hawks have been lethal at the plate and are batting .412 as a team, one of the highest marks in the NCAA. Leading the way is Allyson Bricker at .548, leading the team with 17 hits. Caroline Bibula is batting .472, while Erin Schweers is right behind at .469, posting a team best 12 runs scored. Brittney Salvador is further down the list, batting .351, but she leads the team with 15 RBI with three home runs. Samantha Molloy is at .406 with 14 RBI. HC also has five different pitchers with two or more starts this season. The leader is Sarah Schor who is 2-0 with a team best 2.06 ERA through 17 innings. She shares the lead with Bubula with 10 strikeouts. Bibula is 1-3 with a 2.72 ERA.
News & Notes: CSI has locked up with Hunter more than any other team in their history, and this will be the team’s 97th and 98th all-time meetings. CSI leads the overall series 58-38, and have been the stronger team recently with eight wins in a row and 20 wins in the last 22 meetings between the two sides dating back to 2012. These two sides have also met seven years in a row in the CUNYAC Tournament, so these may not be the last two meetings this season between the two teams. Overall, the Dolphins are 32-15 at home against Hunter and have won eight-straight in the series on home turf, dating back to 2015. With her recent outburst this weekend, Patricia Riches cracked the CSI all-time Top 10 in career hits and now has 153, needing five more to catch CSI Hall of Famer Nicole Estrada who sits in 9th.
