NECC Observer

The student news website of Northern Essex Community College, Haverhill and Lawrence, Mass.

Knights are your District Champs and earn a spot to the NJCAA World Series

On Saturday May 14 the NECC Knights were looking to defeat Monroe Express to  become district champions and earn trip to the NJCAA World Series. In Trinity Staduim in Haverhill, Mass.

The Knights won 13-3 and advanced to the NJCAA World Series for the eight time in school history.

The Knights went one two three in the first inning.

The Knights had Todd Tringale of Saugus on the mound.

Tringale quickly got the first two outs. Joseph Rosario of New York got on base and Ernie Farrell of Corona, N.Y. ground out to the second basemen Chris Bear of Boston for the final out of the inning.

In the top of the second inning with one out in the inning Richard Matos de La Cruz of Boston hit a base hit up the middle. Clay Campbell of Goffstown, N.H., got hit by pitch and the Knights had first and second with one out when Logan Burrill of Amesbury hit the ball towards the third base and got on base on a bad hop. Lucas Berube of Dighton hit a fly ball to centerfield that scored Matos De La Cruz from third. Kameron Levesque of Haverhill on the first pitch he saw he hit an opposite field base hit that scored the second run of the game. Williams’ RBI single made it 3-0. The Knights had first and second with two out with Chris Bear of Boston at the plate when Levesque stole third, Williams stole second in the next pitch. Bear delivered clutch a 2 run RBI single that made it 5-0 Knights as Bear went to second as the ball went behind the catcher. White ground out to second to end the bottom of the second inning.

Tringale had a 5 run lead when he came to pitch in the bottom of the second and retired the three batters that he faced for a one, two, three inning.

In the top of third inning with two outs Campbell singled between left and center and Burill single the first pitch that he saw. Berube was at the plate when the pitcher allowed two passed that scored the sixth run of the game. The catcher got injured sliding trying to get the passed ball He was removed out of the game. Berube made it 7-0 with a base hit. Levesque hit a short roller to the pitcher for the final out of the inning.

NECC Knights team holding the Northeastern District trophy in the pitching mound Photo by Editor-in-Chief/ Sports Editor Jose Rodriguez

NECC Knights team holding the Northeastern District trophy in the pitching mound

In the bottom of the third with one out Tringale walked Quinn Kilroy of Arlington and Juan Jorge of Bronx N.Y. which brought the pitching coach Evan Glew at the mound to talked to Tringale. What ever Glew told Tringale it worked. The very next pitch Rosario ground out to an inning ending double play and Tringale was fired up coming off the mound.

In the top of the third William got things going as he doubled the first pitch that he saw. The Knights had runners in scoring position with nobody out. Bear was at the plate when wild pitch sent Williams to third and Bear walked. The Knights had runners in the corner for White. The Knights put a double steal to score the 8th run of the game. Bear stoled second and Williams stoled home.

Coppola hit an RBI triple to make it 9-0 Knights. Matos De La Cruz of Boston  hit a sac fly at the warning track right at the wall that it almost was a 2 run homer.

That would be it for Rodriguez Bello as Monroe Express brought in a a new pitcher Franklin Caminero of Bronx, N.Y.. Coppola stole second and Burrill struck out to end the inning.

In the bottom of the fourth Tringale gave up a lead off hit to Diaz then he quickly got the first two outs. Salomon Lluveres of Providence R.I, single and Monroe College Express had two men on with two outs when Jose Ramirez of Bronx, N.Y. ground out to Bear at second to end the inning.

In the top of the fifth inning with two outs Williams hit a base hit up the middle and when Bear was batting Williams went to third on a wild pitch from all the way to first. Bear ground out to second to end the top half of the fifth inning.

Tringale on his fifth inning of work got the first two outs quickly. He gave up a single to Juan Jorge of Bronx, N.Y.  as he stole second. A great throw by Berube but Campbell did not come up cleanly to tag the runner to end the inning. Jorge fled out to left field to end the inning.

In top of the sixth inning the Knights did not score for the second straight inning.

In the bottom of the sixth inning the Knights were in trouble. Monroe had first and third and nobody out. Pitching coach Glew came to talk to his pitcher. Lluveres (have you mentioned him before?) hit a fly ball to left field for the first out of the inning. The runner on third came home on a sac fly and the runner on second went to third. Coach Jeff Mejia appealed it on second and the runner was out as the runner tagged up early. The Knights brought Tyler McDonald of Haverhill to the mound. He walked Ruben Ogando of Providence R.I, on a 0-2 pitch. McDonald hit Anthony Gonzalez Jr. of Bronx on the hand. Monroe Express had the bases loaded when McDonald walked Gutierrez to force in a run. Jorge hit a fly ball to second base to end the inning.

The Knights were up 10-2 heading to the top of the seventh inning.

In the seventh inning the Knights had the bases loaded with two outs when Bear hit a grounthd ball to third to end the top of the 7th inning.

The Knights broughtg Alex Sweeney of Raymond on the mound to pitch the seven inning.

Sweeney pitched a 1,2,3 inning.

In the top of the 8th inning Monroe brough Gavyn Soto of New York, N.Y. to the mound. Coppola hit a home run to left field that made it 11-2 Knights. That was the only run for the Knights that inning.

In the bottom of the 8th inning the Knights brought Joseph Settle of Melbourne, Fla., to left field. Monroe Express only scored one run in the 8th. The Knights were up 11-3 heading towards the ninth.

Monroe Express brought a new pitcher to pitch the ninth, it was Ramsel Jerez of New York. Berube hit a ground ball to third but went to second on a throwing error. Levesque hit a high fly ball to the first base side. Itt was enough for Berube to tag to go to third and he scored on a wild pitch while Williams was batting. and Bear walked White hit an RBI double to made it 13-3 Knights. Coppola got hit by pitch. Matos de la Cruz was up with the bases loaded when he struck out looking for the second out of the inning. Campbell flied out to center to end the inning as the Knights left the bases loaded.