NORTHFIELD-- The Norwich University baseball team used a pair of dominate pitching performances by freshman Billy Whaley (Northfield, Vt.) and senior Sam Philbrook (Rochester, Mass.) and some small ball to pull off a doubleheader sweep of GNAC foe, Lasell, Wednesday at Garrity Field in the Norwich home opener.

The wins propel the Cadets to 5-17 overall, surpassing all of 2012's win total and gives Norwich four wins in conference play, up from just one a year ago. Lasell falls to 11-17 overall and drops to 7-7 in league play.

Game one got off to an auspicious start for Whaley, who worked around three walks in the opening frame to avoid damage. Whaley was effectively wild all day, racking up seven strikeouts to go along with eight free passes in 6.2 innings to pick up his second win of the year.

The Cadets picked up two runs in the bottom of the first inning to jump out to a lead thanks to three doubles-- by freshman Brian Baker (Keene, N.H.), senior Dustin Shimkus (Collinsville, Ill.)and freshman Cody Lindell (East Cranston, R.I.). 

Whaley gave back an unearned run in the second inning before the Cadets added one in the third and one in the fourth courtesy of an RBI single by Sean Gerich (Chicago, Ill.). Norwich tacked on one last insurance run in the bottom of the sixth after a triple by Devin Cilley (Tunbridge, Vt.) led to another RBI for Gerich, who drove him home with a sacrifice fly.

The top of the seventh was tense for the Cadets after Whaley loaded the bases with two outs before senior Brad Hudson (Eugene, Ore.) came into pick his first save of the year after one run scored.

Whaley gave up just six hits on the day while the Cadet offense came to life. Shimkus and Lindell each registered multi-hit games.

In Game two, Norwich tallied just one hit but still put up two runs en route to the victory. 

The Cadets scored one in the first after Gerich led off the game with a walk and advanced to third off a hustle play on a sacrifice bunt by Baker. Shimkus brought Gerich home with an RBI groundout to give the Cadets the early lead.

Philbrook was brilliant in the nightcap, scattering just five hits to go along with eight strikeouts for his second win of the season as well. He only got stronger as the game went on, locating everything he was throwing. He surrendered just one run on a fielders choice in the last inning.

The Cadets second run and game-winning run scored in the fifth inning after junior Charles Schaub (East Hampton, Conn.) stole third and advanced home on an errant throw by the catcher.

The Cadets will be back home on Saturday against Rivier in GNAC play.

                                                                        --CADETS--