Baseball

Norwich 8, Oxford 7

NORWICH – Norwich’s Colby Griffin hit a walk-off single in the bottom of the seventh Monday night to send Norwich into the finals of the Otsenango Pony League.

Norwich loaded the bases when Justin Lindenthaler was hit by a pitch, Chris Trevisani reached on an infield single, and Brendan McInerney was intentionally walked. Griffin, who had an RBI single in his previous at-bat, lined the pitch from Andrew Golden to right field spoiling Oxford’s comeback bid.

Oxford rallied from a five-run deficit after five innings scoring three runs in the sixth and seventh to extend the game. Jody Smith had a two-run double in the sixth and a two-run single in the seventh. Andrew Golden added an RBI single, and Richard Ryan’s run-scoring single in the seventh plated Smith with the tying run.

McInerney helped Norwich build the early lead with a double and a run scored in the first, and a run scored in the third that gave Norwich a 3-1 lead. Four straight hits in the fifth pushed three more runs across for Norwich (12-0) with Reid Rose driving in one run with a triple, Griffin following that with a ribbie, and Ben Barnes adding an RBI single.

In the sixth, Norwich pinch-hitter Josh Haines doubled and scored on McInerney’s follow-up double.

McInerney was 3-for-3 with two walks, an RBI, and two runs scored to lead Norwich. Rose and Barnes also had three hits.

Golden had three hits to pace Oxford (8-4), who were in their second straight league semifinals game, and Smith had the aforementioned two hits and four ribbies.

Lindenthaler pitched six innings for Norwich striking out six, walking six, while giving up five hits. Barnes came on in relief of Lindenthaler and struck out two to pick up the victory.