The College of Staten Island softball team bounced back nicely today after suffering their first home loss of the season. The Dolphins swept York College 9-0, and 17-0 to improve to 19-9 overall and 9-1 in the CUNYAC. The games started out under a cloudy sky with a drizzle that kept the temperature down however when game two got underway the sun came out and so did the Dolphins’ bats as they tripled their hits from game one at the CSI Softball Complex.
After going just 1-for-9 over her last three games Christina Tufano certainly regained her confidence this afternoon as she would finish the day 4-for-7 with five RBIs, three runs, and a home run. Jacqueline Cautela played well from the plate as well as the circle this afternoon and would go 2-for-5 with three runs and three RBIs on the day. Cautela would also pick up her 10th win of the season while allowing just one hit with eight strikeouts.
Game 1: Staten Island 9, York 0
The bats from game two against NYU looked like there were going to make a return this afternoon against the Cardinals as CSI would score just three runs over the first three innings. The Dolphins were able to open scoring after Antoinette Galbo singled through the left side and move all the way to third with a stolen base and a wild pitch. Tufano managed to bring her home as the Cardinals opted for the easy out at first which allowed Galbo to cross home plate.
Staten Island was blanked in the second inning which isn’t the normal for the Dolphins in CUNYAC play, however that would not deter the Dolphins. CSI would score two runs in the third inning when Tufano crushed a two RBI home run off of the scoreboard in left center field, in what was a relatively quiet inning.
The Dolphins finally got going in the bottom of the fourth inning where they exploded for six runs enroute to their 9-0 victory. Kristy Colangelo has been one of the power hitters all year for the Dolphins and put it on display in the fourth when she opened the inning with a double to left field. Vanessa Joia topped Colangelo’s double with a triple in the very next at bat which allowed Colangelo to easily cross and extend the Dolphins’ lead.
CSI would load the bases and bring home another run after Gianna DeCesare walked and brought home Joia. York commits nearly five errors a game and those errors seemed to stay away in game one as they committed just two in today’s first game. The Cardinals would commit their second error of the game with a dropped ball in center field which allowed the Dolphins to add two more runs to their tally.
Cautela moves into third place in the CSI record book with her eight strikeouts today which give her 281 career strikeouts and passes Christina D’Arpa who finished her career with 280 strikeouts.
After the dust cleared in the fourth inning CSI had scored six runs on just two hits and left nobody on. CSI would finish the game with 9 runs on six hits while committing no errors in the game.
Game 2: Staten Island 17, York 0
The Dolphins left no inning blank this game as they returned to their dominant form with an 18 hit game. CSI would open the game with a run when Galbo tripled to left field and was immediately brought home by Tufano.
Innings two and three are where the Dolphins really opened up this game as they would go on to score eight runs in the second and seven in the third. The eight runs would be scored on eight hits while leaving just two on the bases. The Dolphins would lay down consecutive successful bunts by Gabrielle DeLeon and Nicolette Trapani to load the bases with no outs. Elizabeth Travieso would strikeout swinging which prompted Colangelo to steal home only she was caught in a pickle and after out playing the fielders was able to steal home. Kristen Meagher would move Trapani over to third and score DeLeon with a single into center field. Cautela would step to the dish and clear the bases with a two RBI double to left center which was followed by an RBI double by Galbo which would bring Cautela home.
After scoring 15 runs in a two inning span the Dolphins scored just one run in the bottom of the fourth for the final run of the game. Nicolette Trapani would throw another no-hitter and strikeout seven Cardinals and walk just one.
The Dolphins return to action tomorrow against Baruch College at 12:00 pm at the CSI Softball Complex.
