Norwich scored the game-winning run in the bottom of the sixth inning to edge the Albertus Magnus baseball team 5-4 in the first game of the Wednesday afternoon Great Northeast Athletic Conference (GNAC) double-header.
With a 4-3 lead heading into the bottom of the six inning, Norwich (4-21) scored on a wild pitch to take a 5-3 advantage. Albertus tallied its fourth run in the top of the seventh but the Falcons' late-inning rally was cut short as they fell in the one-run contest. With the loss, the Falcons move to 5-16 on the year.
Norwich took a 2-0 lead in the opening frame as Corey Shearer doubled to left center to plate both Cadets. Albertus took a 3-2 lead in the third inning thanks to three hits in the frame. Kyle Calechman (North Haven, Conn.) tallied an RBI single to left to score Fanol Prevalla (Berlin, Conn.) from second to cut the Cadets' lead to one. An RBI single by Malcolm Mendez (New York, N.Y.) tied the game at two as Zak Sokolis (Meriden, Conn.) scored on the play.
The Falcons' go-ahead run was scored on a passed ball as Calechman tallied his team's third run of the contest.
Norwich plated two more runs in the bottom of the fifth inning before scoring the eventual game-winner on a wild pitch in the sixth.
Prevalla led off the seventh inning with a triple to right center before scoring the Falcons' fourth run of the contest on an infield groundout by Sokolis. A single, followed by a hit batter, put two runners on for the Falcons but the Cadets' Don DiBastiani came out of the bullpen and secured the victory for Norwich as he forced a fly out then recorded a strikeout to end the game.
Devin Cilley came into the contest and threw 3.2 innings of work as he allowed one earned run and two hits in his first victory of the season. Brad Hudson started the contest for the Cadets and went 2.2 innings as he allowed three runs and five hits.
Matthew Finkenzeller (Wolcott, Conn.) took the loss in the contest as he allowed 10 hits and five earned runs in all six innings of work.
The Falcons registered seven hits in the contest as Calechman finished the game 3-for-4 with one run scored and one RBI. Prevalla scored two of the Falcons' four runs.
