NEW BERLIN – The battle of the top two teams in the Otsenango Pony League happened Thursday night. Norwich left the field in New Berlin as the lone team with a perfect record following a 9-5 win over Unadilla Valley.

With a pitching duel taking place at the start, the game was 3-2 with Norwich leading as the two teams headed into the top of the fifth inning.

Mike Hagen picked up a lead-off single to start the at-bats for Norwich in the frame. Teammate Torin Lawrence bunted the ball back to the pitcher of UV. Unable to field the ball cleanly, Lawrence reached the base paths as Hagen advanced to third.

Now with one runner in scoring position, Norwich’s Kaden Collins stepped to the plate. Seeing four straight balls, Collins walked, adding another runner on the bases. One of the four pitches went wild and Hagen was able to score for the first run of the inning.

Blaine Orlando hit a ground ball down the third baseline. With Lawrence on his way home to score, UV’s third baseman Colin Grant fired the fielded ball home and prevented the score at home. Collins and Orlando were now on second and third.