BINGHAMTON – The Purple Tornado claimed a spot in the Section IV tournament for the first time since 2014 with their 5-3 win over Chenango Forks in the second game of a double-header on Monday afternoon.
Like they have done quite a few times this season, Norwich took a first inning lead with two runs in their first trip to the plate of the contest.
Adding one run in the third, the fourth and the fifth inning, the Purple had a comfortable 5-0 advantage. With Marcus Cashman on the mound, Norwich was confident they had the win secured.
In the bottom of the seventh, Chenango Forks’ final chance to produce a comeback, Cashman stuck out two of the first three batters hit faced in the frame.
Chenango Forks’ Sal Frontera singled to center field, giving the home team two runners.
Norwich head coach Rich Turnbull pulled Cashman and put in recent varsity call-up Jordan Jaquette.
With his first pitch of relief left out over the plate, Jaquette gave up a three-run home run to Brett Fisher of Chenango Forks. Fisher’s shot to left field put the home team right back into the game as they were now down by just two runs.
That one pitch struck a cord with Jaquette and he turned it around immediately, ringing up Bryan Haskell in just three pitches to end the game.
The Norwich batters got to Forks’ starter Josh Finch early, recording six hits and four runs.
Cashman pitched 6 2/3 innings, surrendering six with while striking out 14. He went 2-for-4 at the plate with two RBIs to help his cause on the mound.
J.T. Vinal also went 2-for-4 for the day, scoring two runs. Six other Norwich batters recorded one hit in the second game of two.
In the first game, Chenango Forks’ ace Dan Crowningshield shut down the Purple Tornado as he allowed just two hits in the full seven innings of work on the mound. Crowingshield picked up the win as Forks won 9-1.
Those two hits went to Cashman as he went 2-for-3. He was the lone runner to score.
Norwich’s run came in the fourth win Cashman tagged up from third on Eli Rodriguez’s fly out to right field.
