CSI in the News - CSI Today
CSI in the News - CSI Today
CSI in the News - CSI Today
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The College of Staten Island’s star pitcher/hitter had enjoyed <strong>the</strong> wild seven-hour ride that eventually<br />
resulted <strong>in</strong> a CUNY Conference baseball title with a 14-8 victory over Baruch, giv<strong>in</strong>g <strong>the</strong> Dolph<strong>in</strong>s <strong>the</strong>ir school<br />
-record 30th w<strong>in</strong>.<br />
"We’re really enjoy<strong>in</strong>g this moment," said Gale, <strong>the</strong> conference’s regular-season MVP. "We fell short last year<br />
and we really wanted to bounce back strong. It means a lot to us.<br />
"And hopefully it’s ano<strong>the</strong>r step along <strong>the</strong> way to bigger th<strong>in</strong>gs."<br />
It’s no secret that <strong>CSI</strong> second-year head coach Mike Mauro has his eyes on <strong>the</strong> program’s first NCAA Division<br />
III regional <strong>in</strong>vitation <strong>in</strong> nearly two decades, and <strong>the</strong> Dolph<strong>in</strong>s hope that <strong>the</strong>ir stunn<strong>in</strong>g 10-8 loss <strong>in</strong><br />
Saturday’s championship-round opener won’t come back to haunt <strong>the</strong>m.<br />
"We’re 30-10 ... this is a stepp<strong>in</strong>gstone," said Mauro of <strong>the</strong> CUNY crown. "We have our eyes on <strong>the</strong> bigger<br />
picture. This is nice, but we want to get to <strong>the</strong> regionals. We’re still knock<strong>in</strong>g on <strong>the</strong> door. We’re not <strong>the</strong>re<br />
yet, but I th<strong>in</strong>k we’re close."<br />
It won’t hurt that Mauro’s on <strong>the</strong> New York State Region selection committee which will convene via<br />
conference call two weeks from Sunday to determ<strong>in</strong>e <strong>the</strong> NCAA field.<br />
In <strong>the</strong> meantime, <strong>the</strong> Dolph<strong>in</strong>s can count on an ECAC Metro tourney bid when <strong>the</strong> field is announced next<br />
weekend — and a week’s layoff after Wednesday’s makeup game aga<strong>in</strong>st Yeshiva.<br />
Defend<strong>in</strong>g champion Baruch spoiled <strong>CSI</strong>’s bid for a perfect tourney with a five-run n<strong>in</strong>th-<strong>in</strong>n<strong>in</strong>g rally keyed<br />
by Monsignor Farrell product Peter D<strong>in</strong>olfo’s three-run triple. His two-out shot tied <strong>the</strong> score at 8-8 and<br />
ano<strong>the</strong>r Farrell product, John Avona, drove <strong>in</strong> <strong>the</strong> go-ahead run with a s<strong>in</strong>gle.<br />
"It happens ... you can’t w<strong>in</strong> every game," said Mauro. "We weren’t panick<strong>in</strong>g ... we felt we were still <strong>in</strong> <strong>the</strong><br />
driver’s seat."<br />
The Dolph<strong>in</strong>s scored five runs <strong>in</strong> <strong>the</strong> first <strong>in</strong>n<strong>in</strong>g and six more <strong>in</strong> <strong>the</strong> second to claim an early 11-3 lead <strong>in</strong> <strong>the</strong><br />
decid<strong>in</strong>g game. The first five batters greeted David Chestnut with hits, with Tom DeWaters, Joe Cassano and<br />
Gale deliver<strong>in</strong>g RBI hits before Steve Hession and Devon DiCasoli both walked with <strong>the</strong> bases loaded.<br />
Sal Todaro, Cory Sullivan and Matt Oett<strong>in</strong>g had RBI hits <strong>in</strong> <strong>the</strong> second, and <strong>the</strong> Dolph<strong>in</strong>s went to Tom Matson<br />
after <strong>the</strong> Bearcats had pulled to with<strong>in</strong> 11-7. Matson allowed one run <strong>in</strong> 3-and-a-third <strong>in</strong>n<strong>in</strong>gs of bullpen<br />
work.<br />
"It’s a great group of guys, we’re very close," said Gale, who went 4-for-5 with six walks <strong>in</strong> <strong>the</strong> tw<strong>in</strong>bill. "We<br />
really wanted to w<strong>in</strong> for each o<strong>the</strong>r."<br />
It was <strong>the</strong> Dolph<strong>in</strong>s’ 14th CUNY title, a record, and <strong>the</strong>ir second <strong>in</strong> three seasons. They’ll get a chance to w<strong>in</strong><br />
<strong>the</strong>ir second ECAC Metro title (<strong>the</strong> first was <strong>in</strong> 2000) and possibly use that as a spr<strong>in</strong>gboard <strong>in</strong>to <strong>the</strong> NCAAs.<br />
NOTES: Sullivan, a freshman third baseman from Tottenville HS, was named tourney MVP ... Mauro was<br />
named CUNY Coach of <strong>the</strong> Year and Paul Ciccazzo was Pitcher of <strong>the</strong> Year ... D<strong>in</strong>olfo went 3-for-5 <strong>in</strong> <strong>the</strong><br />
opener with four RBI ... <strong>CSI</strong> led <strong>the</strong> opener 8-4 after seven <strong>in</strong>n<strong>in</strong>gs before Baruch’s rally ... Baruch ended <strong>the</strong><br />
season with a 14-21 record.<br />
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