Staten Island, NY | After an almost two-year absence from the diamond, the College of Staten Island Softball team resumed activity today to kick off the 2021 season.  Unfortunately, the results did not go the Dolphins' way, as the visiting Saints from D'Youville College got the better of play in the East Coast Conference doubleheader, winning the games, 4-1, and 13-3.  The Saints lifted to 7-3 overall and 2-2 inside of ECC play, while CSI fell to 0-2, 0-2, respectively, spoiling the debut of Head Coach Eric Kraut.

GAME ONE
Although the score proved otherwise, the opener proved to be much more of a pitcher's duel between CSI first-year sophomore transfer Emily Koerick and DYC's Alexa Haberer.  Still, the Saints were able to score a 2-0 lead before Haberer even had to take the circle, guided by a lone hit and a trio of CSI errors in the game's first inning.  Maddy Pepke got the scoring started, coming in with one out after reaching second on an error to start the game, and knocked in on a Jamie Bower single after she had been sacrificed over to third base.  After Bower advanced to second via error and then third on a passed ball, she would race home on an errant throw trying to get Rachel Colan at second base after she was walked to first.  Koerick was able to wiggle out of the inning from there, but not before the visitors were staked to a 2-0 lead.

CSI managed base runners in each of the first three innings, but couldn't muster up the big hit as Haberer worked quickly through the CSI order the first time around.  The Saints added to their lead in their top half of the third stanza, when Pepke was driven in on a Bower sac fly.  It proved to be another unearned run as Pepke was on third base via error.  Needing a response, CSI finally got one in the fourth inning.  Thanks this time to a DYC error, Elizabeth Moore earned on base with one away, and then Jaclyn Kateridge hit a low lining shot to right field which got passed the fielder and allowed her to go all the way to third base on the pay, scoring Moore easily to make it 3-1.  Haberer was able to settle from there though, striking out Victoria Whalen and then forcing a Jessica Carreon pop out.

Back-to-back doubles by Mikaela Milleville and Bower in the fifth with two outs got the run back for DYC, and that's how the score would stay.  CSI would strand a runner at third base in the fifth, and in the seventh, despite having runners at the corners with no one out, CSI lost an opportunity with a base running gaffe and a pair of strikeouts that ended the frame, and preserved the win for the Saints, snapping their two-game skid.

The final line for Haberer in the win was a complete-game four-hitter, fanning six and yielding the one unearned run.  Koerick also yielded just four hits and a lone earned run, fanning nine.  Bower finished the opener 2-3 with three RBI.  Claudia Porcaro and Kateridge reached base twice for CSI, with a hit and walk each.

GAME TWO
Like they did in the opener, D'Youville exploded in the game's first inning to grab a commanding lead it would never relinquish in game two.  This time against CSI starter Kateridge, the visitors raced for six runs on five hits, aided by two Dolphin errors in the frame.  All six runs came with two outs, the first two on a screamer up the middle by Milleville with the bases loaded.  The rest of the runs went unearned, as an infield error then extended the inning and allowed another run to cross.  CSI's second error allowed another two runs before an Ava Miller single, plated game two starter Brittaney Goodrich, who was sensational in the early innings, retiring the Dolphins in order in the first three frames.

DYC increased the lead to 8-0 in the third stanza on another four hits, highlighted by a Milleville RBI-single.  CSI got the runs back in the fourth inning.  A single by Koerick was followed by a Samantha MacPherson double that put runners at second and third with one away.  Goodrich would induce an infield fly, but then Moore smoked a base-clearing triple to right-centerfield, making the score 8-2.  

Looking to end the game early, DYC did their part in the fifth.  The Saints loaded the bases with no outs, chasing Kateridge for Koerick.  Koerick would walk Colan, scoring a run, but then settled, allowing only another run as CSI scored the three outs, ending the top of the inning at 10-2.  Needing a response to extend the game, CSI did get it.  With two outs, Gorret Komuhendo walked, stole second, and was then chased in on a Porcaro double, making it a 10-3 game.  That spelled the end for Goodrich, who was lifted for Lauren Booth, who skated the Saints out of trouble.

After an uneventful sixth, DYC seemingly put the game out-of-reach with a big seventh inning.  A two-RBI single by Goodrich ballooned the lead, and despite grounding out an infield hit in the seventh, CSI could not put a dent into the score as they would fall, 13-3.

The final line on Goodrich in the win was 4.2 innings, yielding three runs, all earned, on four hits, fanning five.  Booth pitched 2.1 of scoreless relief, allowing two hits.  Kateridge went 4.0 innings in the loss, surrendering 10 runs, seven earned, walking three and striking out two.  Pepke was outstanding in the second game, going 4-6 at the dish with two runs scored, while Milleville went 3-4 with a RBI and run scored, and Booth went 3-5 with three RBI and two runs in.  Miller went 4-5 with two RBI.  Koerick was CSI's lone player with a multi-hit game, going 2-3 with a run plated.

CSI will next be in action on Saturday, when they travel to face Queens College in a CUNY-rivalry doubleheader towards ECC, on the road, at 1:00 PM.

---

GAME VIDEO

---

---

PHOTO GALLERY

---