The College of Staten Island men’s baseball team used an early surge and then held on, overcoming the Manhattanville College Valiants at the CSI baseball Complex tonight under the lights, 5-4. The win improved the Dolphins to 18-7 overall, while the Valiants dipped to 11-15.
CSI wasted no time going on the offensive, touching Manhattanville starter Don Fisher for a pair of runs in the first frame. Devon DiCasoli and Henry Roman led the inning off with singles and were plated, first via an error on a Pat Gale fielder’s choice and later, a Tom DiPietro RBI-single.
Fisher led the Valiants out of trouble in the first and his batters knotted the score even in the third inning as the Valiants were finally able to get to CSI starter Casey Mulligan. A Kevin Murray RBI-triple plated Dave Reider, while Chris Nardozzi notched a fielder’s choice RBI, scoring Murray.
With the score even, CSI blasted another three runs in their half of the third, advancing to a 5-2 lead, chasing Fisher. Cory Sullivan’s RBI-single got the run started scoring DiPietro who led the inning off by walking. Mark Glennerster’s double play ball in the infield did score Sal Todaro. With the bases clear, Thomas DeWaters scorched a triple and came around to score on a Steve Hession single.
From there, CSI was able to hold for the final six innings. Mulligan stayed sharp, allowing only two runners to be stranded on base into the sixth inning, after giving up a single run in the fifth. The Valiants got another marker in the seventh off of CSI reliever Jeff Pontebbi, but the 5-4 score would be as close at the visitors would get as Tom Matson and Chris D’Antuono pitched the final three innings of scoreless relief for CSI, allowing just two hits. D’Antuono struck out the side in the 9th to earn the save.
Mulligan got the win, tossing 5.1 innings, allowing three earned runs on five hits, striking out four. DiCasoli registered CSI’s only multi-hit game, going 3-for-4 at the dish with a walk and run scored.
CSI returns to action tomorrow at 4pm, when they host non-conference rivals William Paterson at the CSI Baseball Complex.