The Knights won both games of a doubleheader against Eastern Connecticut State University JV on Sunday, March 27, which was their home opener at Trinity Stadium in Haverhill.
The first game was 15-2 and Game 2 was 7-0 .
“It is always a pleasure to play here, a great field (Trinity Stadium) and they take really good care of us generally excited every time we get a chance to play baseball,” Coach Jeff Mejia said.
First pitch was at 11:57 a.m. Dallas Vaughan of Haverhill was on the mound. With one out he gave up a triple to Emmanuel Zaiter to left center field. He then gave up a RBI single to Petterson Irby. Eastern JV only scored one run as they were heading to the bottom of the first inning.
In the bottom of the first, Richie Williams of Georgetown walked. A single by Chris Bear of Boston followed by an RBI single by Jared Coppola of Lynn. Joseph Settle of Melbourne, Fla., brought home the second run of the game followed by a triple by Clay Campbell of Goffstown, N.H., to bring home two more Knights runs. The Knights scored 4 in the first inning and they were on top 4 to 1.
In the second inning Vaughan struck out the side.
“Dallas did great a little shaky at the beginning. He settled in like he normally does. He gave us a complete game …” Mejia said.
A new pitcher for Eastern JV was pitching when Kameron Levesque of Hooksett, N.H. reached on a throwing error by the shortstop. Williams hit a single up the middle that scored the 4th run of the game. Nicholas White of Townsend hit a double that scored two more runs. The runner was in scoring position for Campbell when he walked on a wild pitch to bring home the seventh run of the game. The Knights were up 9 to 1 heading to the top of the third inning.
In the third inning Vaughan gave up a leadoff walk but Eastern JV did not score. Levesque hit a liner opposite field single. When Williams was at the plate Levesque stole second. Williams cleared the bases with an inside the park home run to make it 11-1. Coppola was fouling off pitches. It was a great battle but he got struck out looking. Campbell made it 12-1 on an error by the second baseman. The Knights made it 13-1 on a walk to Kyle Hsu of Brookline with the bases loaded to force in a run.
In the fourth inning Vaughan pitched a 1,2,3 inning.
A new pitcher for Eastern JV was pitching when Williams hit a single and White hit a triple to score Williams from first. The Knights scored two more in the fifth to have a 15-1 lead.
Vaughn gave up two hits to the first two batters in the fourth inning, a chop roller to the catcher. He threw it to third and the third baseman Coppola couldn’t catch the ball for the
forced out at third. As a result the bases were loaded and Eastern JV scored on a bloop single to right field for the second run of the game.
Vaughn said after the game he felt relaxed because he knew his team has such a good defense.
“….my catcher is good, just knowing that you have guys around you able to make plays, not try to do it too much, let them do the stuff for you,” Vaughan said.
