Carter Chrystie leads off for Norwich with a bunt and beats the throw to first. (Photo by Morgan Golliver)

NORWICH – The Norwich “B” team welcomed Sidney for the second game of the 2023 PONY League season. The Purple Tornado, sporting white jerseys, stood their ground in the first few innings to stay with Sidney, but fell in the latter part of the game 18-7.

Sidney put up four runs in the first inning, but that didn’t discourage Norwich from scoring runs themselves. The Purple Tornado answered back with three runs as Carter Chrystie led off with a bunt single and Ethan Willis followed with a single of his own. Bo Brown moved the runners over with a sacrifice groundout and Pierce Sherman drove in Chrystie with a groundout RBI.

Willis scored during Brooks Boland’s at-bat just prior to the opposing pitcher’s wind-up and was called safe at the plate. Norwich attempted a few steals of home, but were called out the next few times. James Sprague only needed one pitch in his at-bat to hit a hard single to left field to drive in the third run.

Brooks Boland and the Norwich defense kept Sidney quiet with a clean second inning, setting up a chance for the offense to produce more runs. Patch Mulwane led off the bottom half of the inning with a hard ball to the infield that the third baseman couldn’t play, while the next two batters were walked. Mulwane scored the game’s tying run on a fielder’s choice and Spencer Colley scored the go-ahead run on Willis’ groundout.

Unfortunately, Norwich’s one-run lead was only brief as Sidney tied the game at five and held the Purple Tornado in the next inning. Sidney’s offense then produced three runs in the fourth, four runs in the fifth, one in the sixth, and five runs in the seventh to seal the victory. Norwich scored two final runs on wild pitches.

Brooks Boland got the start on the mound for Norwich and went four and a third innings, where he struck out four batters. Bo Brown and Ethan Willis pitched at least one inning of relief in the loss.

Norwich (0-2) looks to bounce back as they host Delhi on Thursday at 6 p.m.

Box Score:

Runs by Inning: R H E

SID:

4-0-1-3-4-1-5 18 16 4

NOR:

3-2-0-1-1-0-0 7 5 5