Yaphank, NY - The University of Mount Saint Vincent's baseball team has a new man at the top of their hits leaderboard in program history. In game two against Old Westbury, graduate student Eric Zimmermann's second inning double gave him 185 career hits, good for first all time in program history, surpassing two-time Skyline Conference Player of the Year Jake Blinstrub to achieve the honor. Zimmermann's milestone capped off a series for the Dolphins that saw them split with the Panthers - a 10-7 loss in game one and a 16-12 victory in game two. 

The Dolphins are an even .500 in conference play (4-4) with an 8-13 overall record this season. 

UMSV got off to a hot start in game one, as sophomore two-way talent Will Granata put his team on the board in the top of the first inning with an RBI double, just the start of a career day for the second-year Dolphin. Old Westbury would respond almost immediately, with a seven run second inning seemingly putting things out of reach for the Dolphins. The Panthers would tack on three more runs between the fourth and sixth innings, but UMSV wouldn't go away quietly. Zimmermann and Granata would strike back-to-back home runs in the top half of the seventh to bring the score to 10-4, and would be followed by Jason Albert bringing home two runs due to an error. 

Unfortunately for the Dolphins, their comeback attempt would fall short. Zimmermann, Granata, Stephen Marinez and Drew Knight would each record two hits. Both Alex Alvarez and Ivan Navarro would strike out three batters each across 4.1 combined innings of relief. 

The Dolphins offense picked up where they left off in game one, with the team scoring six runs in the second inning alone. First up was Dom Porto, whose RBI single with the bases loaded drove home two runners. Zimmermann would collect an RBI with a double, and that would be followed up by a three run shot from Granata, bringing his RBI total to five up until that point. By the top half of the fifth inning, the game would be knotted up at six, with the Panthers scoring a pair of runs in each of the second, third and fourth innings. UMSV would get back in the run column at that point, with Granata, Marinez, Porto and sophomore shortstop Johnny Brucato combining to drive in four runs. 

Old Westbury would continue to chip away, but the Dolphins would have the answers. In addition to a two RBI triple from Albert, Granata would crush two more home runs to put the finishing touches on the win. The sophomore finished game two going 5-for-6 at the plate with eight RBI. Marinez, Porto and Brucato would have three hits apiece in the win as well. 

Joe Decandia, Justin Dutzer, Shawn Ryan and Michael Iocco would combine for nine innings for head coach John Torres, and the foursome accumulated 10 strikeouts. Iocco picked up his first save of the 2024 season as well. 

The Dolphins will look to carry momentum into tomorrow with another conference double header, this time against Maritime.