Panthers manage just five hits against Cadets

            NORTHFIELD, Vt. – Junior David Maxfield (Randolph, Vt.) reached base in all five plate appearances Monday afternoon as Norwich University defeated Plymouth State University, 9-4, in a non-conference baseball game at Garrity Field.

            Norwich scored nine runs, second-highest total this season, on 11 hits and took advantage of four Plymouth State errors.  Maxfield walked twice and had two singles and a double to lead the Cadets, while senior Dustin Fleming (Bridgeport, Vt.) and junior Mitch Blair (Danby, Vt.) each contributed two hits and an RBI.  Norwich, 2-26, has won two of its last three after an 0-25 start, while PSU is now 12-22.

            The Cadets held a 3-0 lead through seven innings, as sophomore Ben Kleiner (Cheshire, Mass.) started and pitched shutout five innings, allowing just three hits and a walk.  Senior Austin Shaw (Yarmouth, Maine) led the bullpen unit with two scoreless innings of relief.

            The home team took the lead when Fleming singled home a run in the fifth inning and two runs came home in the sixth on a balk and a passed ball.  PSU manufactured a run in the top of the eighth to get on the board, but Norwich put up six runs in the bottom of the eighth to open up a 9-1 lead.

            Plymouth State tacked on three runs in the ninth on two walks, a hit-batter and a single, but it was too little, too late for the Panthers.  Sophomore Ryan Wakefield (Sanbornton, N.H.) was a tough-luck loser for PSU, working five innings and allowing just one run on four hits and four walks, striking out seven.

            PSU's game scheduled for Tuesday against New England College has been cancelled and will not be made up.  The Panthers are scheduled next to host Middlebury College Wednesday at 3:30 p.m. Norwich is slated to host Saint Michael's on Wednesday. 

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