Myrtle Beach, SC | Opening day proved fruitful for the College of Staten Island Baseball squad as they took a pair of wild, offensive, displays against Hilbert College in action at the Cal Ripken Experience's Polo Grounds this afternoon.  After over six hours of baseball, CSI took games by scores of 23-10 and 13-9, in extra innings, lifting to 2-0 to start the season while the Hawks fell to 0-2.

Early scoring was the difference for the Dolphins in game one, as they opened up a 12-0 lead at the end of the first inning, then capped the game off with a big late inning to run away with a 13-run win.  In the late game, CSI was forced to come from behind, scoring three runs in the sixth, another three in the seventh, and then four-more in an extra eighth inning to win that one, 13-9.  The 36 CSI runs scored on the afternoon and evening came in just seven innings.

GAME ONE - STATEN ISLAND 23, HILBERT 10
CSI gave the ball to sophomore John Esposito, and after he got out of a bases-loaded jam unscathed in the top half of the first, CSI went to work with the bats in their half and could not have started 2020 any hotter, spreading out 12 runs over 10 hits to blast open the lead.  Domenick Castiglione started the barrage with an RBI-single that scored Louie Mandile, who started the game with a double off of Hilbert starter Daniel Munn.  Andrew Nathan followed with a two-RBI double, scoring Jett Nouvertne and Castiglione, and then later, Anthony Lozada, Michael Ciancio, and Anthony Lozada, all added RBI hits.  Already up 9-0, Transfer Thomas Joyce laced a two-RBI double to join the party, right before Lozada scored an RBI-double, giving the Dolphins their lofty cushion.

HC's Noah Welch belted a two-run homerun and another RBI-hit cut CSI's lead to 12-3 in the second, but CSI got one of the runs back on a Castiglione single in the second that scored Mandile, who started the inning with a one-out double.  In the fourth inning, another two-run homer, this time by HC's Jonathan Wilson, cut CSI's lead again to 13-5, and the Hawks again cut into the lead with a three-run sixth, this time off of CSI reliever Steven Collica, highlighted by a Brandon Job two-RBI single to make it 13-8.

CSI, however, was up for a capable response, scoring another whopping 10 runs on just four hits, jumping the lead to 23-8.  Lozada scored yet another two-RBI double in the inning.  Seven CSI batters were walked in the inning and yet another (Milton Morris) was hit by a pitch.  

Esposito earned the win on the hill for CSI, going five full innings, allowing five runs, four earned, on eight hits, fanning four.  CSI scattered 18 hits in the game, led by three each from Castiglione (3-4) and Lozada (3-5).  Mandile and Peter Lombardo, who walked three times) each scored three runs for CSI, while Lozada spread out five RBI.  Munn took the loss for Hilbert, going three innings, allowing 13 runs, all earned on 13 hits, walking five.  Welch finished 2-4 with two RBI for the Hawks, who spread out 11 hits.

GAME TWO - STATEN ISLAND 13, HILBERT 9 (8 Inn.)
Unlike game one, CSI found themselves behind early in the nightcap.  Against CSI starter Kevin Ryan, the Hawks scratched out an unearned run in the first inning, as Austin O'Shei scored on a Griffith DeMayo triple.  The Dolphins stranded two runners in the top half of the second inning, and the Hawks popped in a couple of more runs in the second to take a 3-0 lead.  Matt Kellner tripled in a run, scoring Angelo DiNizo who led off with a single and then Kellner would come in on an O'Shei triple as well.

CSI then got even in the top half of the third.  Louie Mandile led the inning with a single, then Jett Nouvertne legged out an infield single.  Then one swing of the bat equaled the score, as Andrew Nathan hit a mammoth shot to center field, soaring over the wall to knot the score at 3-3.  

HC took over the lead again in the fourth, and then added an insurance marker in the fifth to take a 5-3 lead.  Heading into the sixth down two, CSI was finally able to overcome the deficit with a three-run inning.  Joyce earned on via error, and after taking third on a Lozada double, Michael Ciancio singled in pinch-runner Khalid Zahrieh to make it 5-4.  Giacchino Virone then scored a sac fly to tie the game, as Ciancio took third on the play.  Collica, who came on in relief in game one, then made an appearance at the plate and came up big as a pinch hitter, scoring a single through in the infield to score Ciancio to make it 6-5.

CSI seemed to close the door when in the top half of the seventh inning they scored three more runs to take a 9-5 lead going into the final three defensive outs.  Virone was the hero again with a two-run double.  But Hilbert refused to go quietly, touching Ryan to start the inning and then roughing up Peter Lombardo in relief to score a 9-9 tie at the end of seven frames.  Things looked bleak for the Dolphins when Hilbert loaded the bags with the score tied and just one out, but Lombardo forced a ground ball by Ian Moran, that Ciancio was able to play at home plate for the force-out there and catcher Salvatore Trancucci IV then caught Jared Welnowski napping at second as he was forced out at third base to end the frame and the threat.

That led to extra bases and CSI went right back to work offensively.  Nouvertne started with a lead-off single, and after Nathan was plunked, Lombardo helped his own cause by laying down a bunt that was misplayed, leading to a run.  Michael Manzo followed with a RBI-single in his first at-bat, and Ciancio would add a sac fly and Virone added an RBI groundout to make it 13-9.

CSI reliever Alexis Santos then left little to doubt in the bottom half of the frame.  Although not a save opportunity, Santos struck out the side, surrendering a base hit in-between, preserving the wild win.

Lombardo took the win for CSI with one inning of relief work after Ryan recorded six innings of work, allowing seven runs (six earned) on 12 hits, with five strikeouts.  Zachary Panfil took the loss in relief, allowing seven runs (five earned) in one inning.  Nouvertne and Virone each tallied three hits, with Virone topping all with four RBI.  Nathan scored three runs.  Wilson scored a three-hit game for Hilbert.

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CSI will return to action tomorrow morning, as they will take on CUNYAC-rivals John Jay College at 10:30 AM, before playing at 1PM against Benedict College to continue their Myrtle Beach run.