The College of Staten Island men’s baseball team celebrated its 14th CUNYAC Championship this past weekend, and right alongside that, the naming of 11 individuals for postseason awards. Among the lot of decorated diamond-goers was yearly award honorees Pat Gale and second year Head Coach Michael Mauro who took Player of the Year and Coach of the Year, respectively, and sophomore pitcher Paul Ciccazzo, who earned Pitcher of the Year Honors. Six more Dolphins were named to the All-CUNYAC First-Team, while two others earned Second-Team All-Star honors.
Leading the charge this season has been the dynamic play of Gale, who will be nominated for national All-American honors as well. The junior is putting the finishing touches on his most successful season, playing a majority of his time on the mound and at first base. Gale currently sports an 8-1 win-loss record with an even 2.00 ERA. In 67.2 innings pitched, he has registered 92 strikeouts, a CSI single season record. Opponents are batting a paltry .182 against the lefthander.
Equal to his performance on the mound is his electric bat at the dish. Gale is second on the squad with a blistering .420 batting average, slicing off 15 extra base hits (10 doubles, five triples), posting a team-best 42 RBI and 20 walks. The junior has also stolen five bags and sports a .984 fielding percentage in the field.
Joining Gale with yearly honors is bullpen-mate Paul Ciccazzo. In his first season with the Dolphins Ciccazzo sports an outstanding 6-0 record, with a 4.02 ERA. Making 9 starts, the sophomore has registered five complete games, tied for fourth all-time in a single-season at CSI, registering 45 strikeouts next to 17 walks in 62.2 innings pitched. The hard-throwing righty has allowed only nine stolen bases on 17 attempted on his watch.
Head Coach Michael Mauro, in only his second season, has already picked up his second CUNYAC Coach of the Year honor. After last year’s 19-20 season with a team sporting 16 new faces, the coach’s sophomore effort has proved to be no jinx. CSI ran off an 11-1 conference record this year, and the 30 wins overall are a new CSI single season record. The Dolphins are ranked in the top five in the single season ranks in school history in categories such as batting average (2nd, .356), hits (1st, 501), RBI (3rd, 298), and doubles (1st, 98).
Not to be outdone, CSI boasts a collection of six first-team and two second-team all-stars. Infielders Henry Roman and Cory Sullivan were both placed on the first-team. Roman has missed the last four CSI games, but the sophomore sports a .358 average, placing second on the squad in doubles (12), and fourth in hits (54) and stolen bases (7). He also flashes a .988 fielding percentage glove at second base. Sullivan has spent a majority of his time at shortstop and third base, and the frosh bats a crisp .378 with 22 RBI and 40 runs scored. He boasts a .450 on-base percentage with 12 stolen bases, good for third on the squad.
Utility man and senior Devon DiCasoli was a sure-fire spot for first-team selection. Batting a team-best .421, DiCasoli also leads the squad in runs scored with 45, adding 10 doubles, 16 walks, and a team-high 23 stolen bags. His career stolen base mark of 63 is a CSI career record.
Outfielders Steve Hession and Joe Cassano made first-team all-star selections as well. In his second season with CSI, Hession is batting a dynamic .379 with 47 hits, 34 runs scored, 25 RBI and 14 stolen bases. He sports the team’s second-best on-base percentage, at .476. Cassano, a transfer in his first season with the Dolphins, has also impressed. The sophomore is batting a sharp .364, leading the squad with 15 doubles. He has also posted seven stolen bases and is second on the squad with a .520 slugging percentage.
Rounding out the first-team selections is pitcher Nick Tingos, also in his first competitive season with the Dolphins. Tingos is 3-3 this season with a 3.55 ERA, making seven starts and pitching 58.1 innings, allowing only 19 walks, while fanning 51.
The Dolphins also had two players comprise second-team selections. Relief pitcher Chris D’Antuono was handed one such honor. The sophomore is 1-2 with a 5.40 ERA while posting three saves and helping combine for two shutouts. In 12 appearances, he has pitches 15 innings, fanning 20. Designated hitter Tom DiPietro has also missed time due to injury, but the senior is batting a healthy .366 in 29 games this season, adding 28 RBI and 28 runs scored, leading the team with four round-trippers.
With their 14th CUNYAC Championship now behind them, the Dolphins will host Yeshiva University on Wednesday, May 5 at 6pm, in their final regular season game of the year before awaiting word on a prospective bid to both the ECAC’s and/or NCAA National Championships.