JERSEY CITY, N.J. (NJCUGothicKnights.com) | New Jersey City University ran into a red hot College of Staten Island squad and two pitchers that combined to limit NJCU to one run and nine hits as the Dolphins swept a non-conference makeup doubleheader from the Gothic Knights, 6-1 and 10-0 in six innings on April 24 at the Thomas M. Gerrity Athletic Complex.
 
Staten Island, coming off a road win against No. 7 Moravian on April 22, improved to 28-6 overall and has won 24 of its last 27 games. NJCU fell to 10-20.
 
Junior left fielder Julie Squeo (Carlstadt, NJ/Becton Regional) (Carlstadt, N.J./Becton Regional) was the top individual for NJCU as she had two hits in the nightcap, including a triple, and played sensational defense, highlighted by throwing out a runner at the plate and another at third base.

CSI senior right-handed pitcher Jacqueline Cautela (Staten Island, N.Y.), who entered the week ranked No. 2 nationally in ERA, and sophomore righty Alison Meagher (Clark, N.J.) earned the wins, allowing no earned runs in the two games.  

GAME 1: Staten Island 6, New Jersey City 1
Cautela struck out five, walked none and allowed one unearned run and four hits in 7.0 innings while improving to 13-2. She threw 70 pitches. CSI led 3-1 before scoring three unearned runs in the fifth inning when NJCU committed three of its four errors in the game.
 
The Dolphins had 13 hits, led by freshman first baseman/catcher Jamie Holmes (Brooklyn, N.Y.) who was 3-for-4 with two runs and a pair of doubles. The first three batters in the lineup, Cautela, sophomore second/third baseman Antoinette Galbo (Brooklyn, N.Y.) and freshman shortstop Patricia Riches (Staten Island, N.Y.) each had two hits while Cautela and Galbo collected two RBIs apiece. Riches entered the day ranked No. 3 in Division III in batting average.
 
Sophomore catcher/third baseman Hannah Gavin (Bordentown, NJ/Bordentown) (Bordentown, N.J./Bordentown) scored NJCU's lone run. Sophomore right-handed pitcher Christina Mezey (Jersey City, NJ/Saint Dominic Academy) (Jersey City, N.J./Saint Dominic Academy) took the loss (7-17). She only allowed three earned runs, striking out four against two walks over 100 pitches.
 
CSI had eight hits in the first three innings. After stranding two runners in the first, CSI broke through with two runs in the second on a two-run single by Galbo that made it 2-0. Holmes, with her second double in as many at bats in the third added a third run.
 
Cautela was overpowering, striking out two batters in the second and third innings. NJCU got a run back in the fourth. Gavin reached on a fielder's choice. Freshman shortstop/first baseman Naomi Olacio (Bayonne, NJ/Hoboken) (Bayonne, N.J./Hoboken) singled to center and when the ball was bobbled, Gavin came home to cut it to 3-1.
 
But CSI broke it open in the fifth when NJCU committed three errors. All the unearned runs came in after the second error of the inning, including a two-run single to center by Cautela. The errors overshadowed a brilliant defensive play in left as Squeo threw out a runner going first to third with a perfect strike of an outfield assist.
 
GAME 2: Staten Island 10, New Jersey City 0 (6 innings)
Staten Island scored four runs in the fourth inning and three more in the fifth and sixth while outhitting NJCU 12-5. Meagher threw a 75-pitch, five-hit shutout, striking out four without issuing a walk in the win (6-1). It was the 14th shutout thrown this year by CSI.
 
Squeo was 2-for-3 with her fourth triple of the season and threw out a runner at the plate to keep a scoreless game intact. Freshman right fielder Keyonne Ingram (Trenton, NJ/Trenton Central) (Trenton, N.J./Trenton Central) doubled.
 
Galbo was 2-for-4 with two runs and two RBIs and Holmes hit her fifth homer of the season, going 2-for-4 with two RBIs and one run. Freshman first baseman Christina Ceverizzo (Staten Island, N.Y.) scored three times.
 
After NJCU used two force plays to get out of the second inning after a leadoff error, Squeo led off the second with a triple but was stranded there and NJCU was not able to threaten again.
 
In the third, Cautela doubled off the left field fence just below the 200' sign down the line. Riches singled to left and Cautela tried to score but Squeo threw a perfect strike to the plate and freshman catcher Arianna Scrimo (Kearny, NJ/Kearny) (Kearny, N.J./Kearny) applied the tag to keep it scoreless.
 
But CSI broke through with three runs in the fourth—three after a two-out dropped foul ball error extended the inning. A two-run single by Galbo made it 3-0 before she scored on a wild pitch—one of three runs CSI scored on an errant pitch.
 
CSI added three runs in the fifth inning on four hits. After a pair of singles, two wild pitches allowed the fifth and sixth runs to score before Holmes homered to left. Leading 7-0, the Dolphins added three more runs in the sixth on four hits, including RBI singles by Meagher and Holmes.
 
Senior righty Brittany Paulikas (Fords, NJ/JFK-Iselin) (Ford, N.J./John F. Kennedy Memorial) suffered the loss in game two, falling to 3-2 on the season.
 
OF NOTE:

• 47th and 48th meetings in the 'Bayonne Bridge Series'; Staten Island leads, 31-17.
• Brittany Paulikas (Fords, NJ/JFK-Iselin) had one hit in game one and now has 93 career hits—seven shy of becoming the 14th member of the softball 100-hit club and the first to reach the milestone in only three seasons.
• The doubleheader was the makeup of postponements on March 26 and April 9.

 
WHAT'S NEXT?
NJCU will host The College of New Jersey in New Jersey Athletic Conference action. That doubleheader was moved to Friday, April 28 due to rain.
 
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