NORTHFIELD, Vt. – The Norwich University softball team saved its best for last in a Great Northeast Athletic Conference doubleheader against the University of Saint Joseph on Saturday afternoon.

The Cadets walked off with a 3-2 win in 10 innings in game one and rallied for five runs in the bottom of the seventh to walk off again in game two with a 9-8 final.

In game one the Cadets struck first in the bottom of the third when junior Taylor Morris (Haverhill, N.H.) ripped an RBI single to left field that scored fellow junior Justina George (Wallingford, Conn.) from third base to make it 1-0.

The Bluejays responded in the top of the fifth when freshman Sarah Ercoli reached on an error that allowed senior Coleen Ecsedy to score all the way from first base to tie the game 1-1. Ercoli then came around to score on an RBI single by junior Haley McCall to take a 2-1 lead.

Norwich tied the game in the bottom of the frame on an RBI double by senior Melissa Rome (Enfield, Conn.) that plated freshman Sarah Perry (New Bedford, Mass.) to make it 2-2.

The game remained in a deadlock until the bottom of the tenth inning when George drew a leadoff walk. George and sophomore Jordan Day (Andover, Mass.) executed a double-steal to put the winning run 60 feet away. Rome was then intentionally walked to load the bases and Perry stepped to the plate. She lifted a single to centerfield that gave the Cadets a thrilling 3-2 win.

Senior Corrine Baita (Rochester, N.H.) picked up the win for Norwich after allowing two runs (unearned) on three hits over 10 innings. She struck out 11 batters and surrendered just one walk to improve to 6-8 on the season.

Junior Patti Sciglimpaglia took the loss for the Bluejays after tossing nine innings. She allowed three runs (two earned) on six hits, struck out 10 batters and gave up five walks. Her record now stands at 10-6 on the year.

In game two the Bluejays jumped out to a 5-0 lead in the top of the first on a two-RBI double from P. Sciglimpaglia and a three-run homer by junior Mary Sciglimpaglia.

They tacked on single runs in the top of the second and third innings to stretch the lead to 7-0 before Norwich could muster any offense.

The Cadets rallied for three runs in the home half of the fourth when Morris scored on a fielding error, junior Angie Hershberger (Felton, Calif.) scored on a fielder's choice and George ripped an RBI single to the shortstop to cut it to 7-3. 

Norwich tacked on another run in the fifth when George drew a bases-loaded walk that made it 7-4.

M. Sciglimpaglia launched her second home run of the game, a solo shot, in the top of the seventh to put the lead at 8-4 entering the Cadet's final at bats.

George continued her offensive display with an RBI double to center to spark a Norwich rally. Sophomore Jordan Day (Andover, Mass.) lifted a sacrifice fly to center to make it 8-6, but it served as the second out of the inning. 

The Cadets then got an RBI single from Perry and an RBI double to left from Rome to knot the game at 8-8. After a single by Morris, Hershberger delivered in the clutch with a walk-off single to give Norwich an improbable 8-7 win in front of a raucous crowd.

Baita picked up her second win of the day in a relief effort as she pitched four innings and allowed one earned run on four hits. She fanned five batters and didn't give up a walk. Her record improves to 7-8 on the year.

Junior Danielle Circosta took the loss for USJ after throwing 1 and two-third innings and allowing five runs (three earned) on six hits. She didn't allow a walk and struck out one batter to fall to 2-3. 

The games served as senior day for Baita and Rome, as it was their final regular season games played at home. 

The Cadets now stand at 10-20 overall and 8-14 in the GNAC while the Bluejays fall to 15-15 overall and 11-9 in conference.