NECC Knights traveled on the road to face Fisher College JV (Falcons) at Fraser Field in Lynn on March 21, for a 7 p.m. first pitch.

The Knights defeated Fisher JV 16-1. NECC Baseball head coach Jeff Mejia picked up his 200th career win.

The Knights were 9-2 coming into the game while Fisher JV was 13-13 with a 3 game winning streak heading into the March 21 game.

When they got to the field the Knights were preparing before the game, stretching and hitting in the cage.

The umpires discussed the field rules before the game with the managers.

The Knights began the season winning nine of the first 11 games.

“Keep taking one day at a time, one inning at a time to get healthy. We got some guys that are a little banged up right now so we’re ready to stay healthy, keep grinding it out one game at a time,” Mejia said.

Jagger lovinelli of Huntington Beach, Calif., was on the mound for the Knights.

Richie Williams of Georgetown led off the game for the Knights with an opposite field triple to right field.

“I saw him out of the corner of my eye like to go to catch it and it looked like that it went just through his glove right behind him but I did think he was going to catch the ball…” Williams said after the game.

Following a RBI single by Chris Bear of Boston. Bear stole second while Nicholas White of Townsend was batting. The Knights scored the second run of the game on a pass ball while Bear was on third on a 3-2 count on Joseph Settle of Melbourne, Fla., who walked. Settle went to second on a pass ball eventually he stole third. Kyle Hsu of Brookline, N.H., singled to right field that scored Settle from third. The Knights scored 3 runs in the first inning to jump in a fast start, a 3-0 lead.

Iovinelli had a lead before he even could throw a pitch on the mound.

“It is always comfortable knowing that my hitters got my back in every game going out there with a lead it is definitely easier on my mound less stressful don’t have to worry much and do my job,” Iovinelli said. He strikeout two of the three batters in the first inning 11 pitches 7 strikes .

 

Nick Panzini of Methuen got walked and stole second in the second inning the Knights had runners in scoring position when outfielder Williams doubled. It was a hit, a run to drive in the fourth run of the game. Iovinelli strikeout the side in the second inning. Fisher was changing pitchers each inning.

The Knights started a two out rally on a bases loaded walk that drove in the 5th run of the game. Williams connected a bases loaded triple to clear the bases as the Knights were up 8-0.

“I felt very confident. I think I just went up there with a plan to let the ball to get deep in the zone and try to head it to right field. I think there is a little bit of a speed change our time down in Florida and coming back down here so I felt I knew that I have to adjust that before the game and I just felt my approach was pretty solid,” Williams said.

Iovinelli struck out two of the three batters that he faced in the third inning as he was completely in control.

In the top of the fourth inning the Knights first two batters got hit and then it was a pass ball and the runner moved up 90 ft and then Settle hit an opposite field single that scored both runners.

Berube connected with an RBI single, Kevin Rodriguez of Manchester, N.H., hit an opposite field single and then stole second.

White hit a sac Fly to score the 12th run of the game. Williams was on second on an error on the first bases and a fly ball. The Knights scored 4 more runs throughout the game. In fact the Knights scored in each inning of the game, including a 7 run fourth inning.

Iovinelli had a perfect game bid until the fifth when Alejandro Sola of Trujillo Alto, Puerto Rico, led off the fifth inning with a double which then Mejia quickly made the move for a pitching change. Eric Whitehead of North Andover had a clean five innings for the Knights to pick up the win.

Mejia talked to me about the performance of Iovinelli.

“Excellent his second start in a row that his pounding the zone he made some good pitches in tough counts he been a real bulldog for us,” Mejia said.