Staten Island, NY – Junior Jennifer Damroth (West Babylon, NY/West Babylon) drove home the game winning run in the bottom of the third inning of the first game of a doubleheader that saw the Hawks win 8-2 and then drop 7-1 to the College of Staten Island Saturday afternoon at the CSI Softball Complex in Staten Island, NY.

The first game was all Hunter, who got on the scoreboard in the bottom of the second inning when a bloop to center field by freshman designated player Christina Baker (Brooklyn, NY/St. Saviour) brought home Damroth and senior outfielder Priscilla Gonzalez-Alicea (Brooklyn, NY/Edward R. Murrow) to put the Hawks up 2-0.

Hunter kept things going in the bottom of the third with freshman short stop Megan McKenna (Rockaway, NY/Midwood) reaching on an error and sophomore catcher Jaqueline Frank (Broad Channel, NY/Stella Maris) hitting a double that advance McKenna to third. Damroth then brought home McKenna and Frank came home on single by Gonzalez-Alicea to give the Hawks a 4-1 lead.

The Hawks tacked on two more runs in the bottom of the fifth with the middle of the lineup once again coming through as Damroth and Gonzalez-Alicea scored via an error and a single by freshman third baseman Victoria Capece (Floral Park, NY/Mary Lewis) giving them a 6-1 lead.

The Dolphins were able to score a second run in the top of the sixth before Hunter answered back with two more runs in the bottom of the sixth to extend their lead to 8-2. Senior right-hander Allyshia West (Owen Sound, ON/West Hills Secondary) closed the game out in the seventh inning to earn her seventh win of the season. Freshman pitcher Krysta Kinsella (New Jersey/Middletown) struck out six batters and gave up five earned runs in defeat.

The roles reversed in the second game, with Staten Island breaking the game open in the top of the third inning with a pair of bunts that loaded the bases and then a single by senior short stop Nicole Estrada (Brooklyn, NY/Bishop Kearney) brought in one run and a double by the designated player Allyssa D'Elia (Staten Island, NY/St. Joseph by the Sea) sent two more runs home. The Dolphins took a 5-0 lead at the conclusion of the inning.

Junior right-hander Nicole Grilli (Brooklyn, NY/James Madison) started the game on the mound, but was relieved by West in the top of the third. Grilli remained in the game, returning to first base where she started game one and and Damroth went back out to right field. Grilli pitched 2.0 innings and allowed two earned runs.

Staten Island scored their final two runs in the top of the fifth inning when senior catcher Marianne Tepedino (Staten Island, NY/St. Joseph by the Sea) sent a shot over the left field fence. Hunter scored their lone run in the bottom of the fifth. Junior pitcher Kari Drew Varriale (Staten Island, NY/Moore) recorded the win on the mound for the Dolphins in seven innings of duty strking out eight batters and giving up the one earned run. West pitched five innings, striking out seven batters and giving up just two earned runs, while the loss goes to Grilli.

Today's matchup was billed to be the battle for first place in the CUNYAC, however after each team picked up a win and loss today along with various other factors, it seems that the final tiebreaker for the top seed heading into the playoffs and the regular season championship could all depend on a coin toss. Regardless, tensions will be high if these two teams meet again in the playoffs. As history dictates, Hunter College and the College of Staten Island have met in the finals of the softball championship tournament 17 times with the Dolphins being crowned the champs nine times and the Hawks eight times.

Hunter is set to return to the diamond on Sunday, when they host the Devils of FDU-Florham for a 1:00 p.m. non-conference doubleheader at the CSI Softball Complex in Staten Island, NY.