CONKLIN – After being tied at 3-3 for four innings, Norwich tacked on another run to lead 4-3 in the top of the fifth. However, the Susquehanna Valley Sabers responded by adding two in the bottom of the frame to take a 5-4 lead.

The Sabers lead stuck for the final two innings of play, taking the win over the visiting Purple Tornado Thursday.

Sus Valley was threatening to score in the bottom of the sixth when Max Huffman sent Justin Bates’ pitch right field with runners on second and third.

The Tornado’s Brayden Supensky dove for the Huffman screamer, coming up with a web game play to save two runs and keeping it withing reach for the Purple in their last at-bat.

The Sabers, however, ended the game with with three straight outs in the top of the seventh.

Norwich got things moving in the first inning, when J.T. Vinal doubled on a 3-2 count, scoring Mike Trevisani from first for one run. Vinal advanced to third on a bad throw, putting him in scoring position for the next batter, Marcus Cashman.

Cashman sent a fly ball to left field, scoring Vinal and resulting in a double. Norwich’s A.J. Little then singled on a 0-2 count out to left field, sending Cashman home for the third run of the inning.

The game was tied at four with Susquehanna Valley batting in the bottom of the fifth when Zach Taro singled on scoring the second run for the frame to take the lead.

Matt Smith pitched the Sabers to victory. He allowed one hit and zero runs over two and two-thirds innings, striking out two and walking one.

Cashman took the loss for Norwich. He went five and two-thirds innings, allowing five runs on six hits and striking out six. Cashman led Norwich at the plate, going 3-for-3 at the plate with two RBI’s.

Vinal and Little went for 1-for-3 with an RBI also. The Purple Tornado out hit the Sabers with six hits to the home teams five.

Norwich is scheduled to host Chenango Valley Friday at 4:30 p.m. In the last meeting between the two teams, CV nabbed a 6-3 win.

Susquehanna Valley 5, Norwich 4

Norwich 3 0 0 0 1 0 0 – 4 6 2

Sus Valley 3 0 0 0 2 0 x – 5 5 1

Marcus Cashman (L), Justin Bates (6) and J.T.Vinal. Josh Rudock, Matt Smith (W,5) and Dan Matthews.

Doubles: (N)Marcus Cashman, JT Vinal; (SV) Dan Matthews (2), Josh Rudock.