By Kevin Mills,Staff Writer

GRAY – For its first taste of live action, the St. Dom’s softball team didn’t need much time shaking off the winter doldrums.

The Saints jumped out to a 5-0 lead in the first two innings Monday and kicked-off the season with a convincing 15-0 win over Gray-New Gloucester.

“Overall, the pitching was there,” said St. Dom’s coach Dan Samson. “The defense was solid. They made the plays when they needed to make the plays. They didn’t throw the ball around. For us, it’s a good win because they’re a Class B team. They’re going to be worth points.”

The Saints had a number of new faces in the lineup but produced a solid performance nonetheless.

Emily Goss held the Patriots to just three hits. Despite rainy conditions, she struck out nine and walked just one.

“Emily was on, that makes a big difference,” said Samson. “She pitched a good game.”

Goss got plenty of support in the field and at the plate. Catcher Jaime Dorion and first baseman Laura Robitzek made some fine defensive plays. Freshmen Robyn Kennedy and Sam Morency were solid in the field debuting at third and short, respectively.

“I think we both were nervous,” said Kennedy.

The Saints also had nine hits and had eight different players drive in runs. Dorion had four RBIs while Kennedy and Abby Gilbert each drove in a pair.

“The kids hit the ball,” said Samson. “That was kind of nice.”

The Saints built an early 5-0 lead with the help of two Patriot errors. G-NG finished the game with five miscues.

“Hitting, I’m not too discouraged about, but my fielding, I’m pretty discouraged,” said G-NG coach John Moody, who had just five regulars returning this year. “That made a huge difference.”

Elisha Dorso, the first batter of the game, reached on an error. Kennedy followed with a double down the rightfield line. She came around to score on a dropped third strike. Gilbert, who also reached on an error, scored on a Dorion single.

In the second, Dorso walked with two outs. Kennedy doubled again for a 4-0 lead. Gilbert followed with a run-scoring single.

“It was nice,” said Kennedy of her two doubles. “I was kind of surprised actually. I hit them before on an all-star team a couple years ago. I hit them like that. I was happy that they went out there.”

The Patriots couldn’t dent that early lead. Nicole Ryan had a hit in the second inning, but the Patriots only added an infield hit from Ali Olmstead in the fourth and a double by Olivia Ryan in the sixth.

“My feeling is if we see her midway through the season, we get hits,” said Moody. “Right now, everyone is in the same boat. No one has seen a lot of live pitching.”

The Saints added two more runs in the fifth. Dorion and Danielle Jamison plated runs on fielder’s choice plays. In the sixth, an error on a Michela Kelly hit and a Dorion walk with the bases loaded made it 9-0.

The Saints added six runs in the seventh on six walks, two hits and one hit batter.

“It was a good start,” said Kennedy. “It’s a good confidence builder.”