NORTHFIELD, Vt. — The Norwich Softball team continued Great Northeast Athletic Conference (GNAC) North Division play on Wednesday afternoon, sweeping Colby-Sawyer in the first-ever meeting between the programs while playing as the road team on its home field.
Game 1: Norwich 10, Colby-Sawyer 1 (5 innings)
The Cadets came out swinging in the opener, scoring four runs in the first inning to seize early control.
Jessica Zalucki (Burnt Hills, N.Y.) reached on a hit-by-pitch to start the game before
Charlii Carbajal Sanchez (Broomfield, Colo.) followed with an infield single.
Madison DeCota (Strafford, N.H.) drove in Zalucki with an RBI single, and two batters later,
Ellie Laroche (Essex, Vt.) reached on a three-base error that cleared the bases. Laroche later scored on an
Emily Munson (Angleton, Texas) sacrifice fly to cap the four-run frame.
Norwich kept the pressure on in the second inning. Zalucki drew a two-out walk and scored on a Carbajal Sanchez RBI double after an eight-pitch at-bat. After DeCota was hit by a pitch, both she and Carbajal Sanchez came around to score on another Colby-Sawyer error.
The Chargers got on the board in the third, but the Cadets put the game away in the fifth. Munson doubled to lead off the inning, and
Delia Mannion (Ramsey, N.J.) followed with a single. Both runners advanced on the throw before
Josephine Whitney (Holbrook, Mass.) delivered a two-RBI single. Back-to-back singles by Carbajal Sanchez and
DeCota later brought home Whitney to trigger the run rule.
Carbajal Sanchez and DeCota each turned in perfect 4-for-4 performances, with Carbajal Sanchez adding a double, two runs, and an RBI, while DeCota scored twice and drove in two. Munson also had a strong showing, going 2-for-2 with a double, a run, and an RBI.
In the circle, DeCota was dominant, tossing five innings while allowing just four hits and one unearned run, striking out seven.
Game 2: Norwich 5, Colby-Sawyer 4
Norwich completed the sweep with a comeback victory in the second game.
Colby-Sawyer jumped ahead with three runs in the first inning, but the Cadets answered with four runs in the third.
Abbigale Williams started the rally with a one-out triple and scored on a Zalucki RBI single. Carbajal Sanchez followed with a base hit before DeCota cleared the bases with a game-tying triple.
Courtney Thomas (Strafford, N.H.) then doubled down the left field line to bring home DeCota and give Norwich the lead.
The Chargers tied the game in the sixth inning, setting up a decisive seventh.
Carbajal Sanchez reached on an error to open the inning, and consecutive singles by DeCota and Thomas loaded the bases. With one out, Munson grounded to second, and DeCota narrowly beat the throw home to score the go-ahead run.
DeCota led the offense once again, going 3-for-4 with two runs scored, two RBIs, a double, and a triple. Thomas added a 2-for-4 performance with an RBI.
DeCota also picked up the win in relief, allowing one run over four innings while striking out two.
Norwich continues GNAC play on Saturday, April 11, traveling to Lasell for a doubleheader beginning at 12 p.m.
