For the first time in two and a half weeks the College of Staten Island softball team was able to get a scheduled game in. The two and a half weeks off didn’t seem to hinder the Dolphins at all as they came out and swept the Panthers, 4-0, and ,8-5. The Dolphins improved to 7-3 with the pair of wins while the Panthers dropped to 1-7 overall.
The Dolphins didn’t seem fazed by the two week layoff and scored four runs in the first game on seven hits. The Panthers committed four errors in game one which allowed the Dolphins to get extra bases and find home plate.
Brittany Smith singled to left field and then went on to do what she does best and that’s steal bases. Smith would go on to steal second and third before being driven home by Chyanne Gilliam who would advance to third which allowed Christina Tufano to score on a chopper to short stop.
Smith led the way for Staten Island as she went 3-for-4 with two runs a triple and two stolen bases. Jacqueline Cautela went 2-for-4 with a run and a stolen base. Cautela also struck out five and only allowed one hit on the day and only faced 21 batters.
The Dolphins found themselves in a 3-0 hole headed into the third inning of game two before a five run third inning blew the game open for Staten Island as they never looked back. Gianna DeCesare was the first Dolphin on the bags as she was able to reach first on an error by the short stop. Kristy Colangelo stepped to the plate with what looked like to be a sac bunt but was able to reach first on a delayed throw. With two men on the bags Cautela laid down a sac bunt to advance her teammates to second and third putting them in scoring position. Tufano stepped to the plate with the bases juiced and hit a 2 RBI single through the right side to bring the Dolphins within one run of the Panthers.
Smith later stole home before Gilliam popped up to third for the second out of the inning however the Dolphins had tied it up at three. Danielle Locke doubled to right center at her next at bat to bring home Tufano. Locke would not be stranded at second as Maxine Jasko crushed a deep double to right center as well to bring home Locke for the fifth run of the inning.
The Dolphins would go on to score three more runs in the game and walk away with an 8-5 victory over the Panthers in a very chilly second game.
Tufano went 3-for-4 with a run and four RBIs and a stolen base in game two while Cautela went 2-for-3 with a run and one RBI.
Nicolette Trapani was on the mound in game two for the Dolphins and threw a complete game and allowed five runs on 9 hits with six strikeouts.
The Dolphins are back in action tomorrow against Montclair State University at 3:30 pm here at the CSI Softball Complex.
