Staten Island, NY | On a muddy day that started at Randall’s Island and moved it’s way to Staten Island, it was the home John Jay College Bloodhounds that scored a 4-3 winner over the College of Staten Island in softball action to continue the CUNYAC season, before the rains soaked the rest of the afternoon out before a second game could be played. The win lifted JJC to 11-14 overall and 5-2 within the CUNYAC, while CSI fell to 10-13, 7-2, respectively.
The eventful afternoon for both sides actually started at Randall’s Island, John Jay’s home field, but bad field conditions at the scene led the coaches and officials to improvise, and play was moved to CSI’s home field with first pitch delayed an hour. The teams played under a slow, steady rain most of the way, and by the time the opening game finished, field conditions became too rough for further play, so the the rest of the afternoon’s activities were suspended. The two teams will make up the single game on Wednesday at the College of Staten Island at 1pm. CSI will be canceling their doubleheader scheduled on Wednesday against New Paltz to accommodate the make-up. Although being played at CSI, Wednesday’s single game will be a John Jay College home game.
When play did get started at CSI, it was the Dolphins that manufactured an early lead. Against JJC starter Julianne Graepel, Patricia Riches started the game with a single, advancing to second base on a throwing error on the same play. Riches would bound into third on a groundout, and with two outs, she would score on a passed ball, giving CSI a 1-0 lead before JJC would take their first swings of the bat.
CSI starter Alison Meagher was able to retire JJC in order in the first, and motored through the first three innings, and Graepel settled as well, stranding a pair of CSI base runners in the second and then another in the third and fourth. That set the stage for the biggest half-inning of the game for both teams with the Bloodhounds batting in the bottom of the fourth.
After registering an out, Meagher lost Mariela Guzman to a walk, and Marissa Artz was walked to put runners on first and second. AnneMarie Rivera then smacked a two-RBI double to left center field, giving the Bloodhounds a 2-1 edge. Rivera advance to third on a wild pitch, and then after a walk issued to Graepel, Inelza Salcedo put down a bunt right in front of the plate that would draw a throw to first and race Rivera in to make it 3-1. Graepel would advance all the way to third on the play. Natalia Lopez was up next next and she hit a dart right back up the middle that hit Meagher’s leg and bounced back towards the first-base line, resulting in a hit, scoring Graepel to make it 4-1. After a series of warm up pitches, Meagher did settle down to record the final out, but the Bloodhounds had inflicted all the damage they needed.
CSI was down to their final nine outs, and they went down in order in the fifth. In the sixth, Samantha MacPherson blooped in a base hit and Alexa Venditti was walked, but the two were left stranded after a fielder’s choice and a ground out ended the inning.
After JJC failed to add more insurance in the sixth, play went to the final inning, where CSI had time for a rally that would fall just short. Julianna Cretella started it with a one-out infield hit, and she was promptly moved to second on a single by Riches. Antoinette Galbo was then walked, loading the bases with only one out. Sierra Kaplanek was next to the dish, and deep into her at-bat, she was hit by a pitch, forcing in Cretella to make it 4-2. MacPherson then popped out, but with two outs CSI got one run closer on a wild pitch that chased in Riches. With first base open, Venditti was walked to load the bases, bringing up Meagher. After another long at-bat, Meagher launched a ball into shallow left-center field. There, Briana Schmidt made an acrobatic over the head catch, holding on to the ball despite getting tangled with left fielder Salcedo and center fielder Jessica Barbaria, preserving the win.
For John Jay, it marked their first win over CSI since 2010, breaking a 19-game losing streak to the Dolphins. Graepel went the distance in thw in, allowing three runs (two earned) on eight hits, fanning a pair. Meagher took the loss, tossing six innings, allowing four runs on five hits, fanning five. Riches and Meagher each scored two hits in the loss, with Rivera going 2-3 for JJC with two RBI and the run scored.
Before they will battle again on Wednesday, CSI will travel to Farmingdale State on Tuesday, facing off against the Rams foa pair of non-conference games in Farmingdale at 3pm.
