On Mother’s Day May 8, the NECC Knights faced Community College of Rhode Island (CCRI) Knights  in the championship game for the Region 21 tournament in  Fraser Field in Lynn.

The NECC Knights defeated CCRI 13-1 to become Region 21 champions.

Todd Tringale of Saugus was on the mound for the NECC Knights and for the CCRI Knights it was Jacob Sanantonio of Carston R.I.

First pitch was at 12:04 p.m. Tringale walked the leadoff hitter Dylan Barlow of Warwick, R.I. but Tringale settled himself by striking out the next three hitters.

The CCRI first baseman Rafael Rodriguez of Providence, R.I. got injured when Richie Williams stepped on him. Carlos Molines Berrocal  of Montreal Canada came in the game to play left field as Marcus Bothelo moved from left field to first base.

The Knights had Williams on first when Jarred Coppola of Lynn hit an RBI triple that scored the first run of the game that followed with Richard Matos de la Cruz’s RBI single.

The Knights were up 2-0 when Clay Campbell of Goffstown N.H., struck out swinging and both runner moved up as the Knights double steal. Lucas Berube of Dighton  ground out to the shortstop as the Knights left runners on second and third as they were trying to break the game open early on.

Tringale strike out two of the three batters that he faced in the second inning.

In the bottom of the second  Kyle Hsu of Brookline N.H.,  lead it off with an infield single. Kameron Levesque of Hooksett N.H.,  was at the plate when Hsu was between first and second. The  catcher threw the ball to the first baseman and Hsu went to second and advance to third on a low throw by the second baseman. Levesque walked as the Knights of Northern Essex had runner in the corner with no one out when Richie Williams was at the plate when Levesque stole second. Williams walked and it was a wild pitch that allowed Hsu to score to make it 3-0 The Knights Bear ground out to a double play that scored the fourth run of the game. White hit a triple. He was left stranded at third as Coppola ground out to short to end the inning.

Tringale struck out two of the three batters that he faced as Tringale worked himself a 1,2,3 inning.

Berube connected a double to left field with two outs in the inning. Hsu hit a line drive to the first baseman and jumped in mid air and almost caught the ball. Instead the runners were in the corners for Levesque as Hsu stole second. Levesque walked as the Knights have the bases loaded for Williams. Sanantonio threw a wild pitch that scored the fifth run of the game. Bothoth runners moved up 90 feet. Williams flied out to right field to end the inning.

In the top of the third Tringale pitched a 1,2,3 inning.

In the bottom of the third inning Bear reached on base on an error on the shortstop which brought White to the plate that he already had two triples heading into his third at bat of the game. White hit an opposite field double to the left field wall that scored the sixth run of the game. Coppola reached on a the ball that landed between center and right field. Matos De la Cruz knocked home the 7th run of the game on a sacrifice fly. Campbell double over the head of the left field the Knights had the runner in second and third when the pitcher throw a wild pitch that allowed the 8 run of the game.

CCRI Knights change their pitcher they bring in to pitch Matt Winn of Cranston, R.I., to Berube the first pitch that he saw he hit a fly ball to left field that knocked home the 9 run of the game.

On top of the 4th inning Santonio reached on a error on Hsu that couldn’t came up with the scoop cleanly with one out in the inning. Charos Pena of Providence R.I. ground out to a double play to end the inning.

In bottom of the fourth with two outs in the inning, Bear walked, which brought White at the plate where he was he is already 3 for 3 with three extra base hit. White reached on first on the shortstop he bobbled it and couldn’t came up cleanly. Coppola walked. The Knights had the bases loaded with 2 outs when Matos de la Cruz struck out  swinging to end the inning.

In the top of the 5th inning after Tringale quickly got the first two out. He walked he walked Dylan Barlow and he struck out Caleb Harri, he made him to chase on a high pitch to end the top of fifth.

CCRI Knights brought Nate Campbell of Johnston, R.I., to pitch the bottom of the fifth. Campbell got things going for the Knights with a base hit and Berube walked and the Knights got two runners on with nobody out. Luis Colon of Lawrence came to pinch hit for Leveque. He e hit a sacrifice fly that scored the 10th run of the game and the Knights were up 10-0. Williams single to extend the Knights lead 11-0 Kevin Rodriguez of Manchester N.H., came and pinch hit for Bear as he hit a fly ball to short to end the inning.

Jack Swarbrick of Haverhill came in the ball game to replace Tringale. Joseph Settle of Melbourn FL.,  came to replace Levesque on right field and Nick Panzini of Methun came and replace Berube behind the plate.

After Swarbrick got the first out of the inning on a strike out he walked the next two batters that he faced. The pitching coach Evan Glew came and Swarbrick got his rhythm back striking out Molines Berrocal on a 1-2 pitch. Swarbrick hit Pena while Bothelo was batting Swarbrick allowed a wild pitch that scored the first run of the game for CCRI. On a 3-2 pitch Bothelo strikeout on a high pitch that would’ve been ball 4.

CCRI brought Dlyan Barlow  of Warwick R.I. to pitch in the 7th inning. The Knights went quickly as they did not score.

On top of the inning the eighth Knights  brought Thomas Catteneo of  Guilford, CT to pitch. He pitched a 1,2,3 inning and a great catch by Hsu in first robbed a base hit to end the inning.

In the bottom of the 8th inning Nick Panzini of Methuen doubled then Hsu hit a double as the Knights went back to back double to drive home the 12th run of the game. Two outs in the game Williams walked the Knights had two runners on for Rodriguez he scored the 13th run of the game on a fly ball error that the third baseman dropped the ball. White hit a fly ball to right fielder and made the sliding catch to end the inning.

Catteneo just gave up a hit to the lead off batter then he retired the next three batters that he faced with a line out and two ground out as the Knights defeated CCRI to win the Region 21 championship.

After the game Coach Mejia told me “it was great. It was a good feeling, the boys worked really hard for that. You know the players are the ones who won championship this team is a tight team, they finished a complete season undefeated in New England…” he also mentioned “I just told them to enjoy it. This his school has been playing baseball since the early 80s and it’s only the ninth time in school that we were able to win a regional championship…” Mejia said.

Nick White was named the Most Outstanding Player of the Region 21 Tournament.

“I was definitely surprised I didn’t play on Thursday I was out with a little shoulder issue I came back and continue doing what I am doing. I am happy to have it, very blessed,” White said.