VERO BEACH, Fla. – The Norwich University baseball team opened its 2019 season in a twinbill against Wheaton College (Ill.) on Saturday afternoon, in Vero Beach, Fla.

The Thunder swept the Cadets with a 15-1 win in game one and an 8-2 victory in game two.

In game one, the Thunder got on the board early with two runs in the top of the first inning for a 2-0 lead. Wheaton plated six more runs in the top of the fouth for an 8-0 edge before Norwich plated its first run of the game.

Sophomore right fielder Nate Gehringer (Northampton, Penn.) led off the bottom of the fourth with a single to left field. Junior designated hitter Brady Doherty (Sandwich, Mass.) followed with a walk to put two runners on. After an NU strikeout junior third baseman Chris Dayos (Temecula, Calif.) reached on a fielder's choice that cut down Doherty at second. Gehringer came around to score on a throwing error that also allowed Dayos to advance to second. The lone run was all the Cadets could push across home in the inning and trailed 8-1 after four.

The Thunder added four runs in the fifth and three in the seventh for the 15-1 final.

Offensively, Norwich was led by senior centerfielder Kevin Lynch (Randolph, Mass.), who went 2-for-3 with a single and a triple. Doherty, Gehringer and senior first baseman Jacob Barlow (Newburyport, Mass.) collected the other Cadet hits.

On the mound, senior Jake Ryan (Arlinton, Mass.) took the loss for NU to fall to 0-1 on the season. He allowed eight runs (five earned) on 10 hits in 3 and 1/3 innings on the mound. He walked one batter and fanned one as well. Juniors CJ Davis (South Berwick, Maine), Jake Godbee (Ormond Beach, Fla.) and freshman Derek Kroese (Lakeville, Mass.) combined to pitch the remainder of the game.

In game two, Wheaton got on the board in the first again, leading 2-0 after one inning. The Thunder added one run in the second and four in the fourth for a 7-0 lead. 

In the top of the fifth, NU got the bats going as Lynch ripped a two-out double down the left field line that plated freshman catcher Cameron Chamberlain (Marlborough, N.H.) (who had reached base on a walk earlier in the inning) to make it 7-1.

Wheaton plated a run in the bottom of the fifth for an 8-1 lead before the Cadets added one run in the top of the sixth. Doherty started the rally with a one-out infield single. He then stole second before sophomore shortstop Jacob Parizo (Groton, Conn.) walked to put two runners on. Barlow then reached first on a throwing error that allowed Doherty to score.

Lynch and Doherty both finished with two hits on the game while sophomore left fielder Koby Foster (Estill Springs, Tenn.) posted a single as well.

Freshman Tanner Raymond (Southbury, Conn.) fell to 0-1 on the year after allowing seven earned runs on 10 hits in four innings of work. He allowed two walks and struck out two batters. 

Sophomores Chris Henderson (Stafford, Va.) and senior Peter Madsen (New Boston, N.H.) combined to finish the game for NU.

The Cadets fall to 0-2 to start the season while the Thunder improved to 4-0. Norwich is next in action on Sunday, March 10^th, taking on Marywood at 11:00 a.m. and 2:00 p.m.