Hunter & Staten Island Advance to CUNYAC Softball Title Game

Top Seeds to Meet Friday in 13^TH Head-To-Head Conference Final

Bronx, NY – Number one seed Hunter College (24-11) and number two seed College of Staten Island (27-10) won their CUNY Athletic Conference / Subway Women’s Softball Tournament semifinal games to advance to Friday’s championship final at Lehman College. The defending champion Hawks shut out tournament host and fourth seed Lehman 9-0 in the opener while Staten Island beat third seed John Jay College 6-5 in the nightcap.

Hunter got a dominating pitching performance from freshman Cynthia Cabrera, who allowed just one hit – a leadoff single – in five innings on the mound, while striking out four and walking only two. Senior shortstop Jezel Rodriguez and junior third baseman Cagla Boz drove in two runs apiece for the winners.

“I am very proud of our team as they played clean, smart, and cohesive softball,” said Hunter head coach Betsy Hipple. “We didn’t let our guard down. We just have to play our game, one out at a time. It should be a great final on Friday.”

Lehman (13-17), which also fell to the Hawks in last year’s CUNYAC Championship game, got its only hit on a leadoff single by junior pitcher Erika Noriega. Sophomore third baseman Stephanie Rodriguez walked twice to round out the Lightning’s baserunners.

After Staten Island let a 5-2 lead slip away in the top of the seventh inning, freshman catcher Danielle Urti led off the bottom of the frame with a clutch double to deep left field. Freshman first baseman Julie Lowe followed with a line drive to shallow left field that scored freshman Andrea Montourri, pinch running for Urti, and gave the Dolphins a 6-5 win.

“After John Jay tied it up, I told our team we had to stay with it and prove we had the moxie to win,” said Staten Island head coach Gina Battista. “It’s been a long season and I knew that we had it in us to fight back and win. Looking ahead to Friday, the rivalry between our programs is big and the season won’t be rewarding unless we beat Hunter in the final.”

John Jay (20-12) gave up three runs on three errors in the bottom of the fifth inning before finally mounting a late charge in the top of the seventh. Freshman centerfielder Kimberly Grabkowitz capped the Bloodhounds furious flurry with a three-run triple that tied the score at 5-5 and set the stage for the dramatic conclusion.

The CUNY Championship game is slated for Friday, May 3, at 4:00 pm on Lehman College’s South Field. It will mark the 13th time in the event’s 22-year history that Hunter and Staten Island have met in the final. The winner earns an automatic bid to the NCAA Division III Championship Tournament, which starts next week.