WEYMOUTH, Mass. — The Norwich University baseball team continued its season-opening road swing Saturday afternoon, splitting a pair of seven-inning games against Wentworth in the first-ever meetings between the two programs.

Backed by outstanding starts from Carson Rath (Glens Falls, N.Y.) and James Vinchetti (Cromwell, Conn.), the Cadets claimed the opener before falling in a tightly contested pitcher's duel in game two.

Game 1 – Norwich 4, Wentworth 0
Norwich handed Rath an early lead and never looked back, manufacturing a run in the top of the first inning. Dillan Garza (San Antonio, Texas) drew a four-pitch leadoff walk and promptly stole second before advancing to third on a groundout. Geffen Franus (Leesburg, Va.) then lifted a sacrifice fly to bring Garza home and give the Cadets a 1-0 edge.

With Rath in full command on the mound, Norwich added insurance in the fourth. Franus worked a leadoff walk and moved to third on a single by Michael Sabasteanski (Ashburn, Va.) before Trevor Lussier (Lyndonville, Vt.) lined an RBI single to stretch the lead to 2-0.

The Cadets added two more in the sixth to put the game away. Sabasteanski and Jack Medhurst (Thousand Oaks, Calif.) reached to give Norwich two runners aboard with two outs before Kevin Ohlsen (Shirley, N.Y.) ripped a two-run double down the left field line, scoring both runners and pushing the advantage to 4-0.

Rath was dominant from start to finish, firing a one-hit complete-game shutout. He allowed just one walk and induced 15 ground-ball outs while facing only 24 batters.

Sabasteanski finished a perfect 2-for-2 with a run scored, while Ohlsen drove in two with his sixth-inning double. Franus contributed a run and an RBI, and Lussier added an RBI single.

Game 2 – Wentworth 1, Norwich 0
Game two turned into a classic pitcher's duel, with Vinchetti matching Wentworth starter Aaron Masson nearly pitch for pitch.

Neither side found much offensive rhythm until the Leopards broke through in the bottom of the sixth inning, scoring the game's lone run with two outs.

Norwich threatened in the seventh when Dominic Dumont (North Berwick, Maine) and Ohlsen were hit by back-to-back pitches to put the tying run aboard, but Wentworth escaped the jam to salvage the split.

Vinchetti was outstanding despite the loss, allowing just one run on four hits over six innings. He did not issue a walk and struck out two.

Franus, Sabasteanski, and Medhurst each recorded a hit for the Cadets in the contest.

Norwich returns to action Tuesday, March 17, when the Cadets travel to Massachusetts Maritime for a 4 p.m. first pitch.