BENNINGTON, Vt. – Southern Vermont College Baseball started its 2013 home schedule with a 7-0 win over Norwich University Wednesday afternoon at Bill Epstein Field. The Mountaineers got run support for freshman right-handed starter Adam Michaud (East Hampton, Conn.) who went 7.2 innings on the mound, allowing no runs on just five hits.
Southern Vermont improved to 5-6 on the season while Norwich drops to 1-6.
The Mountaineers took to the board first after a scoreless opening frame with hard hits up the middle. After SVC sophomore shortstop Chris Nicastro (Cranford, N.J.) walked to lead-off the inning and stole second, senior right fielder Dave Northup (Richmond, R.I.) pushed him to third with a shot to right. He promptly stole second to put two in scoring position for freshman third baseman Quinten Scott (Ashaway, R.I.). A grounder to Norwich freshman shortstop Brian Baker (Keene, N.H.), who was playing back, allowed Nicastro to score and Northup to advance to third. A single up the middle by senior catcher Corey D. Briggs (Wood River, R.I.) brought in the senior captain and put SVC ahead 2-0 early on.
A 6-4-3 SVC double play in the top of the third got Michaud quickly back in the dugout and able to keep his arm warm. He would surrender a walk in the fourth, but that would be the most that the Cadets would get through the middle innings of the contest as Michaud retired Norwich's sides in order in both the fifth and sixth.
The Mountaineer bats provided Michaud with a little extra cushion in the bottom of the fifth and sixth, first with a lead-off triple by D. Briggs who was then batted in with a grounder to Baker by freshman second baseman RJ Pingitore (Amsterdam, N.Y.).
In the next inning, a single by sophomore left fielder Roland Hernandez (Pico Rivera, Calif.) knocked in sophomore Jared Hayen (Esperance, N.Y.) who entered as a pinch runner. Nicastro, who had gotten on base with a single to left, then came around to score after taking third on a double steal and crossed the plate on another Scott grounder to the left side to make it a 5-0 Mountaineer advantage.
Southern Vermont would threaten a big inning in the bottom of the seventh as the Mountaineers loaded the bases with no outs, but Norwich senior right-hander Sam Philbrook (Rochester, Mass.) was able to work out of the jam without giving up a run.
Michaud's day would come to an end in the eighth after letting up a pair of hits, but sophomore reliever Owen Chizek (Gloversville, N.Y.) finished up the inning and the game without letting up a run. The Mountaineers tacked on an additional two in the bottom of the eighth with a two-run double by Pingitore to score sophomore center fielder Sal Sciara (Massapequa, N.Y.) and Northup.
Michaud garnered his first win of the season (1-1) while Cadet starting freshman Billy Whaley (Northfield, Vt.) took the loss (0-3).
Sciara, Hernandez and D. Briggs were each 2-4 on the day with D. Briggs scoring a run and knocking in another. Pingitore finished 1-4 with three RBIs and a walk, and Nicastro went 1-3 with two runs scored and a walk. Despite being 0-3, Scott added two RBIs to his season total. Michaud struck out six batters while only walking two in his outing, and Chizek struck out one in relief.
Cadet senior right fielder Dustin Shimkus (Collinsville, Ill.) was 2-4 on the day, and sophomore catcher Jordan Britton (Haverhill, Mass.) went 1-2.
The Mountaineers continue a string of five games in four days with a 1 p.m. game at Gordon College Thursday, a contest being made up from Tuesday. Norwich also plays Thursday, visiting Daniel Webster College for a 3 p.m. start.