NORTHFIELD, Vt. – The Norwich University baseball team hosted Southern Vermont College in its home opener on Thursday afternoon.

The Cadets defeated the Mountaineers 14-7 in a back-and-forth offensive battle.

After Southern Vermont struck first for a 1-0 lead in the top of the first inning the Cadets instantly answered for four runs in the home half of the frame.

Junior Tim Haggerty (Medfield, Mass.) picked up an RBI single, freshman Mike Lesco scored on an error and sophomore Drew Caldwell (Hanover, Mass.) began his huge offensive day with a 2-run single to give the Cadets a 4-1 lead after one.

The Mountaineers came back with with three runs in the top of the second to knot the game at 4-4 and added another in the top of the third and fourth innings to take a 6-4 lead.

The Norwich offense exploded for seven runs in the home half of the fourth, with six runs coming with two outs.

Lesco picked up an RBI groundout, freshman Dustin Spatz (Bernville, Pa.) scored on a wild pitch, junior Matt Sirois (Southington, Conn.) picked up an RBI single and freshman Jacob Drew (Gilford, N.H.) was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded for an RBI.

With the bases still loaded Caldwell ripped a three-run double to left field, clearing the bases and making it 11-6 Norwich.

Junior Brandon Pedley (Northfield, Vt.) chipped in an RBI single in the fifth inning to stretch the lead to 12-6 and both Drew and Flanagan scored on an error in the sixth to stretch the lead to 14-6.

The Mountaineers got one run back in the top of the eighth inning, but that capped the scoring at 14-7.

Cadet freshman Mike Ortiz (New Britain, Conn.) picked up the win to improve to 1-0 on the season after throwing one inning of relief. He allowed one earned run on one hit and one walk.

Junior R.J. Henle took the loss for the Mountaineers allowing 11 runs on nine hits and five walks. He struck out two batters and falls to 1-2 on the season.

Freshman Kevin Lynch (Randolph, Mass.), Haggerty and John Flanagan all registered two-hit games while Caldwell went four-for-five with five RBI's.

Norwich improves to 2-18 on the season while Southern Vt. falls to 12-14.

The Cadets are next in action on Saturday when they host Albertus Magnus College in their first home conference games of the season. First pitches are set for 1 and 3:30 p.m.