NORWICH – The Norwich Purple Tornado baseball team is back for the 2025 season, under new head coach Zach Alpern. Norwich also debuted its new turf field on Tuesday night against Chenango Forks.

Norwich fell 14-8 to Forks to start the season.

Norwich outhit Forks 6-5 and did have a 6-4 lead after the third inning. However, Forks tied it and took the lead for good in the top of the fourth, making it 8-6 and adding on in the sixth and seventh. Norwich scored two additional runs in the bottom of the sixth.

After being down 4-0, Norwich scored six runs in the bottom of the third inning. With one out, Michael Brunick hit an infield single to third to get things rolling before Kolbey Redenback hit a hard ball to center and both Brunick and Redenback advanced as Forks was getting the ball in.

With runners in scoring position, Kaden Downey had grounded into a fielder’s choice but everyone was safe and Brunick came in to score. Redenback scored on a wild pitch on Jaxson Francis’ at-bat as Downey came in to score on a passed ball during Graham Burton’s at-bat.