Game 1 Box Score
Game 2 Box Score
STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. - Senior Matt Thompson laced a two-run go-ahead single in the bottom of the eighth inning, while classmate and Most Valuable Player Eric Waldhelm came on in the top of the first inning in relief and pitched 7.2 innings of two-run, six-hit baseball Tuesday night at the CSI Baseball Complex, as top-seeded Staten Island won a pair of games and captured the program's record-13th City University of New York Athletic Conference Baseball Championship with an 8-7 victory over third-seeded and defending champion John Jay. Sophomore Pat Gale fired a complete-game eight-hitter with two runs allowed earlier in the evening to lift the Dolphins (22-19) into the winner-take-all finale with a 3-2 decision over the Bloodhounds (24-19) in the double-elimination tourney. Further information can be found at the CUNYAC's Tournament Central page.
After combining for 26 runs, 34 hits and 10 errors in their earlier postseason meeting, the opener was anything but a slugfest as Gale and the Bloodhounds’ John Massoni were handed the ball on the mound, with both turning in sterling performances. The two battled through the opening six innings without a blemish, allowing only a single runner to reach third base through two-thirds of the contest.
CSI finally hit paydirt in the game’s seventh inning, using timely hitting when they needed it most. After registering an out, Joel Pratts got things started with a single through the middle of the infield. Massoni then got Andrew Baio to fly out for the second out, but the Dolphins refused to go quietly.
Devon DiCasoli finished an impressive at-bat by earning a walk, and Thomas DeWaters followed with a seeing-eye single. The would-be throw home was not in time, and Pratts scored on the play while DiCasoli and DeWaters advanced to third and second, respectively, on the throw. Anthony Piccirillo was next up, lacing a two-RBI single down the left-field line, giving CSI a quality, 3-0, lead after seven frames.
John Jay pulled closer one inning later, plating a couple of runs off of Gale via just s a single hit. With two outs, Edwin Hernandez at third base and Massoni at first, Chris Nastasi earned a walk, loading the bags, and Anthony Cestaro followed with a RBI-fielder’s choice, as Piccirillo’s throw to second base was not in time. A few pitches later, Massoni scored on a wild pitch. With the score 3-2 and runners at second and third, Johan Abad popped out to the infield to end the inning, and the rally threat.
Needing three more outs, Gale registered a 1-2-3 inning in the ninth, insuring a winner-take-all game in the nightcap. Gale’s complete game winner saw the freshman allow just two runs on eight hits, fanning five. Massoni suffered the loss, pitching 6.2 innings, allowing all three CSI runs, walking two and fanning three. Hernandez and Xavier Perez both posted a pair of hits for the Bloodhounds, as DeWaters had the only multi-hit game for the victorious Dolphins.
In the game that would decide it all, CSI gave the start to sophomore knuckleballer Daniel Gonzalez, while John Jay entrusted starter Michael Colletta to handle the Dolphins lineup. In a departure from the opener, however, both teams did not take long to make a big impression.
Before CSI could get a turn at the dish, the Bloodhounds handed the Dolphins a 5-0 deficit, chasing Gonzalez just seven batters into the game. Gonzalez was only able to register a single out, as the eventful start featured a hit batter, three base hits, a fielding error, and a sac fly. Already down 3-0, Waldhelm was inserted in his place on the hill, and the right-hander was able to get out of the inning, but not before another pair of runs crossed (both charged to Gonzalez) via a bases-loaded walk and a fielder’s choice RBI by Albert Cespeda.
Down 5-0, CSI was relegated to play a come-from-behind role in the game, and the home team answered quickly with a pair of runs in their turn in the first inning. Gale, this time in the designated hitter’s role, started with a RBI groundout to shortstop, scoring Piccirillo, who started the inning by earning a walk. Andrew Baio then came around to score via a Colletta wild pitch, cutting the deficit to 5-2.
CSI got another two runs back in the third inning. With two outs, Mohammad Hamad started the rally with a base hit, and after stealing second, scored on a Baio triple to straightaway center field. Baio then scored on a Gale hit, making it a 5-4 ballgame after three frames.
Two innings later, with Waldhelm still going strong for CSI defensively, the Dolphins got another run back. DeWaters started the inning off with a walk, and three batters later, Baio’s harmless ground-out to second base plated him, tying the game at 5-5.
In the sixth inning, CSI made the comeback complete. A Ray Valerio double to right-center got things started, and after being moved over to third base via a Michael Madalone ground-out, a sacrifice fly to shallow centerfield by Thompson, gave CSI the critical 6-5 lead.
The defending-champion Bloodhounds were up for the challenge, and immediately responded, finally getting to Waldhelm in the seventh. Hernandez led off with a walk, and was moved over via a fielder’s choice sac-bunt by Perez. Hernandez was moved over to third one batter later, and a Chris Nastasi sac fly plated the sophomore, tying the game at 6-6. Waldhelm escaped the rest of the inning unscathed.
In the eighth, CSI broke the tie. Gale doubled with one away to get things started, and Valerio followed by reaching via a Steven Roman error at second base, advancing to second and pushing Gale to third. Colletta responded by getting Madalone to go down on strikes for the inning’s critical second out. In what was arguably the biggest at-bat of the game, Thompson was next up, and the senior blooped a single into left-center, scoring both base runners, and giving CSI an 8-6 lead going into the ninth inning.
Again, John Jay had other plans, and the resilient Bloodhounds made things awfully interesting in the final frame. Perez started with a single through the left side of the infield, and that promptly chased Waldhelm for freshman southpaw James Mardikos to face the heart of the John Jay lineup. Massoni followed with a walk, and Nastasi was plunked on a 2-2 pitch to load the bases with no one out. Anthony Cestaro was next up, and the sophomore punched a soft grounder to third base, which DiCasoli was able to field cleanly and fire to first a split second before Nastasi was able to beat the throw. The Bloodhounds got a run closer, at 8-7, but CSI was able to register an out.
With first base open, Abad was intentionally walked, loading the bases once more, this time for catcher Luis Guzman. This time Mardikos delivered, getting Guzman to chase an outside fastball for a strikeout for the second out of the inning. With the crowd at a fever pitch on both sides, Roman was next up, and the frosh smoked a fly ball to centerfield that Valerio was able to track down and glove, giving CSI the 8-7 exhilarating win.
“It’s a big win for the program, but a bigger win for the kids,” said CSI Head Coach Bill Cali after the roller-coaster evening, “This means a lot to them.”
When asked about the resiliency the Dolphins showed down the stretch, the eight–time CUNY Championship coach deflected the praise to his team.
“We can talk about the games all we want,” Cali said, “But it always comes down to them performing on the field and they deserve a lot of credit.”
Waldhelm, who pitched 7.2 innings of relief for the win, allowed just two runs on six hits, fanning four batters, and was named the tournament’s Most Valuable Player. Colletta took the tough loss, allowing eight runs (six earned) on eight hits through 7.2 innings, fanning four.
Abad went 3-for-4 in the nightcap, pacing the Bloodhounds. Baio and Gale turned in the only multi-hit games for the Dolphins, both adding two RBI’s apiece.
CSI’s 13 CUNYAC Championships are a conference-best, and the win was the fifth in six years for the Dolphins. John Jay and Staten Island have combined for the last seven championships and 12 of the last 13. CSI also claimed the 2008 CUNYAC regular season championship, sporting a conference-best 11-4 record.
- Parts of this story are credited to the College of Staten Island Sports Information office.