Bronx, NY - The College of Mount Saint Vincent's softball team kicked off their 2023 campaign on the road on Friday, taking on nearby non-conference rival Lehman College in the program's first two games of the year. The Dolphins overcame the rainy weather in impressive fashion, winning the first game 3-1 before cruising to a nine run shutout in game two. 

The pair of victories gave new head coach Kevin Carbon his first two wins at the helm of the CMSV squad. 

Senior Katie Hutter resumed her role as team ace, as the senior started the first game and picked up the win in impressive fashion. The Carle Place, New York native went five innings for the Dolphins, striking out eight while allowing just one hit along the way. 

The CMSV offense, which featured five newcomers, took a little while to get going, but saw clutch hits late in the contest to secure the win. After reaching base just two collective times in the first three innings, the Dolphins finally got things going in the fourth. After senior Jocelyn Vega reached base for the second time and advanced to second on a passed ball, sophomore outfielder Sierra Romero did enough to drive in her teammate to give her team a one run lead. In the top of the seventh, the Dolphins received two more insurance runs off the bats of Vega and freshman Nichole Reyes, who secured the first RBI of her collegiate career with a double down the left field line to drive home Celine Vaughn. 

Junior hurler Charlotte Kelly relieved Hutter in the fifth and picked up the save after allowing one run on three hits over the final two innings of action. 

Game two saw the offense break out in a major way. After failing to score in the first three inning, Simone Caruso got things going for Carbon's squad when her two-RBI single to right field gave the Dolphins a 2-0 advantage. Hutter carried her pitching momentum from game one into the batter's box in game two when her double to center field drove home Vega and Caruso, brigning CMSV's lead to four. The Dolphins tacked on five additional runs in the fifth innings, thanks in large part to Caruso, Ruby Acosta, Kaitlin Cirillo and Yasly Mendoza, all of whom plated runs in the final inning. 

On the other side of the field, freshman Savannah Autobee dominated in her first start at the college level, as she pitched a complete game shutout with eight punch-outs in just five innings of work. 

With Opening Day behind them, the Dolphins set their sights on Myrtle Beach, South Carolina where they'll spend Spring Break. The team kicks off the action this coming Sunday with a pair of games against the University of Maine-Farmington and SUNY Poly.