WILLIAMSTOWN, Mass. – The College of Staten Island softball team plated four runs in the top of the third inning and held on for a 4-2 victory over Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI) in the opening game of the Williams NCAA Regional. With the win, the Dolphins improve to 35-7 overall and advance to the 9am game on Saturday, while the Engineers drop to 25-13 and will play tomorrow at 11am.

Rensselaer opened the scoring in the bottom of the second, when freshman Cam Caswell (Prospect, CT/Woodland Regional) came home on a wild pitch. CSI starting pitcher Alison Meager (Clark, NJ/Arthur L. Johnson) was able to the escape a bases loaded situation by inducing a strikeout and a groundout.

The Dolphins then took advantage of a hit batter, a walk and an RPI error to begin the top of the third. Freshman Patricia Riches (Staten Island, NY/St. Joseph by the Sea) lined a single to center to make it 2-1, before an RBI-groundout scored CSI's third run. Senior Kristy Colangelo (Staten Island, NY/St. Joseph by the Sea) capped the rally with a single through the left side for a 4-1 advantage.

RPI received hits from junior catcher Christine White (Acushnet, MA/Tabor Academy) and senior third baseman Lillian Kolehmainen (Fresno, CA/Bullard) in the fourth, but a strikeout and a groundout ended the threat.

Caudle settled down after the second, finishing with nine strikeouts over 7.0 innings. She allowed just one earned on three hits and five walks.

White and Caswell got aboard with one out in the sixth, but neither advanced past second, thanks to two fielder's choice plays on the infield.

The Engineers broke through for their second run in the bottom of the seventh; following walks to the first two batters in the frame – juniors Rebecca Kienz (Newburgh, NY/Valley Central) and Victoria Greco (Guilderland, NY/Guilderland). After a force at third for the first out, senior Courtney McArthur (Coventry, RI/St. Mary Academy) hit a grounder to short that was thrown wide of the bag at second to allow a run to score. Caudle rolled out to second, moving two into scoring position, before White's line drive to right was caught to end the game.

Kolehmainen went 2 for 3 for the Engineers, while White finished 2 for 4. Caswell was 1 for 2 with a walk and a run scored. Riches was 1 for 3 with a run and an RBI for the Dolphins, with senior Jacqueline Cautela (Staten Island, NY/St. Joseph by the Sea) going 1 for 2 with two walks and a run.

Meagher (9-1) picked up the win, allowing two runs (1 earned) on six hits over 7.0 innings. She struck out three and walked four.

RPI faces the loser of the Williams College/Thomas College game at 11am tomorrow, while CSI takes on the winner at 9am.