NORTHFIELD, Vt. – The Norwich University baseball team fell 9-3 to Castleton University in non-conference action at Garrity Field on Tuesday.

Castleton struck for two runs in the top of the first inning and three more (a Nick Swim three-run homer) in the second to take an early 5-0 lead before Norwich got on the board in the bottom of the second.

Freshman Jacob Drew (Gilford, N.H.) hit a sacrifice fly to right field that scored junior Matt Sirois (Southington, Conn.) from third base to cut the lead to 5-1. It  was his first career RBI for the Cadets.

The Spartans answered with three more runs in the top of the fourth inning to stretch their lead to 8-1.

The Cadets got another run back in the home half of the sixth inning on an RBI groundout by senior Brian Baker (Keene, N.H.) that plated freshman Kevin Lynch (Randolph, Mass.) from third. 

Each team scored a run in the seventh with the Norwich score coming after junior Kyle Lamorey (Northfield, Vt.) tripled with one out and came around to score on a wild pitch during the next at-bat.

That capped the scoring as Castleton took the 9-3 final.

The Spartans got a strong starting performance from junior Luke Salerno who tossed seven innings allowing three runs (two earned) on six hits. He didn't walk a batter and struck out five to improve to 4-0 on the season.

Norwich junior Brian Albert (Wappingers Falls, N.Y.) took the loss to fall to 0-4 on the year after allowing five runs (four earned) on five hits and three walks in two innings of work. He struck out one batter.

Freshmen Chandler Whipple (Solon, Ohio) (two innings, three runs (two earned), Anthony Carter (Woburn, Mass.) (three innings one earned run) and Peter Madsen (New Boston, N.H.) (two innings, no runs no hits) all pitched in relief for the Cadets.

Lynch, Baker, freshman Mike Lesco (Somers, Conn.), junior Tim Haggerty (Medfield, Mass.) and sophomore Drew Caldwell (Hanover, Mass.) all registered hits for the Cadets while Lamorey finished with two. 

The Spartans improve to 18-9 with the win while the Cadets fall to 3-22. 

Norwich is next in action on Wednesday for a GNAC doubleheader at Anna Maria. Those games are set for 4:00 and 6:30 p.m.