NORTHFIELD, Vt. — The Norwich University baseball team returned to Garrity Field for the first time this season Friday afternoon, splitting a Great Northeast Athletic Conference (GNAC) doubleheader with Colby-Sawyer. The Cadets claimed game two behind a go-ahead grand slam from
Michael Sabasteanski (Ashburn, Va.).
Game 1 – Colby-Sawyer 13, Norwich 11
Colby-Sawyer built an early cushion, jumping out to an 8-1 lead through three innings and extending it to 11-1 midway through the contest.
Norwich responded with a furious comeback effort, beginning with a five-run fifth inning — all with two outs.
Alex DeTomasis (East Greenwich, R.I.) scored on a balk before
Michael Davide Jr. (Franklin, Mass.) came home on a wild pitch. Sabasteanski then worked a walk, and
Trevor Lussier (Lyndonville, Vt.) followed with a single to set the table for
John O'Connor (Southington, Conn.), who delivered a two-run double.
Kaden Jones (Newport, Vt.) capped the rally with an RBI single to trim the deficit.
The Cadets continued to chip away in the sixth. Davide Jr. singled, and
Geffen Franus (Leesburg, Va.) reached on an error before Sabasteanski, Lussier, and O'Connor strung together three consecutive hits to pull Norwich within four.
Norwich made one final push in its last at-bats, plating two more runs on a groundout and an RBI single by Franus, but the Chargers held on to secure the win.
O'Connor led the offense with a 3-for-4 performance, driving in three runs and adding a double. Lussier also went 3-for-4 with a run and an RBI, while Davide Jr. finished 2-for-3 with two runs scored and an RBI. Out of the bullpen,
Hunter Lohrli (Wilmington, N.C.) and
Isaac Parker (Jay, Maine) delivered clean innings to keep Norwich within striking distance.
Game 2 – Norwich 7, Colby-Sawyer 2
Norwich carried its late-game momentum into the nightcap, striking first in the opening inning. Sabasteanski reached as part of a string of baserunners before
Jack Medhurst (Thousand Oaks, Calif.) was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded to force in the game's first run.
After the teams traded runs early, the game remained tied until the sixth inning, when the Cadets broke it open.
Medhurst led off the frame with a double to left-center and later scored on an RBI single from
Kevin Ohlsen (Shirley, N.Y.) to give Norwich the lead. Following a DeTomasis single and an intentional walk to Franus, Sabasteanski stepped to the plate and launched a grand slam over the left-center field wall, putting the game out of reach.
Sabasteanski finished 2-for-5 with two runs scored and four RBIs, while Medhurst added a 2-for-3 day with a run and RBI.
On the mound,
Jon Tetzlaff (Goshen, N.Y.) turned in a strong start, allowing just two runs (one earned) over seven innings of work.
James Vinchetti (Cromwell, Conn.) closed out the victory with two scoreless innings of relief.
Norwich continues GNAC play Saturday, April 4, with a doubleheader at Mitchell beginning at 12 p.m.
