The Muhlenberg baseball team opened the 2018 season on a high note, picking up a pair of wins in chilly, rainy Washington, D.C. The Mules defeated Southern Vermont, 8-0, and Gallaudet, 12-4.

Sophomore Matthew D'Ambrosia pitched eight innings of four-hit ball in the opener as the Mules began a season with a shutout for the first time since 1965, when they blanked Dickinson 1-0 in their first game.

This is the 17th time Muhlenberg has opened a season 2-0, but only in three others years – 1926, 1927 and 2012 – did they win their first two games by at least eight runs.

D'Ambrosia (pictured above) struck out a career-high nine in the best start of his career. He allowed only two runners to reach third base and faced the minimum three hitters in five of his eight innings.

Freshmen Jake Lebovitch finished off the shutout with a scoreless ninth.

Muhlenberg scored three runs without the benefit of a hit in the bottom of the second, piecing together three walks, an infield error, a catcher's interference and a bases-loaded hit batsman.

Sophomore Billy Brittingham knocked in two runs with a two-out double in the sixth, and the Mules put the game out of reach with three in the eighth, with sophomore Jack Avallone and junior Kenny Freid hitting RBI singles.

Sophomore John Serruto had a pair of doubles in the game.

The Mules opened the second game by sending 10 men to the plate and scoring five runs in the bottom of the first – the first of their four multiple-run innings.

Senior Eric Reitmeyer capped the first inning with a two-run single and was one of many hitting stars for Muhlenberg.

Junior Matt Riebesell led off the eighth with a home run and also doubled. Brittingham singled, doubled and scored three times; junior Justin Revel singled twice and stole three bases; and juniors Stephen Koester drove in a pair of runs.

Junior RJ Hennessey earned the win by pitching five scoreless innings in relief. He allowed only one hit and struck out four, including all three batters in the top of the ninth.