Sports

Knights topple Quincy 11-1

 
Startring pitcher Brayan Garr firers a pitch
Startring pitcher Brayan Garr firers a pitch Photo by Sports Editor Daniel Henrick

A solid night at the plate from Chris Bear of Boston, MA helped lead The Knights past Quincy community college 11-1 on April 16. The run-rule victory improves NECC to (13-11) this season and (7-2) in regional play. 

Brown, Max Lalime of Portsmouth, NH and Griffin Ruffner of Exeter, NH did the most damage at the plate. The trio combined for 6 RBIs (runs batted in) on six hits. Laime and Bear each swiped a bag on the base paths in the game. 

“We’ve seen similar pitching, so I just stuck with the approach that coach has been talking to us all year about.” Laime said. 

Lalime’s offensive performance earned praise from assistant coach Jeff Mejia Jr. 

“Max is an amazing athlete; he is an explosive player. When he plays. To his capabilities he will look like the best player on the field,” said Mejia. 

Brayan Garre of Monte Cristi, DR got the start. The freshman collected two strikeouts and yielded one run on three hits over four innings of work. 

“My curveball was on early. I avoided contact so they weren’t really touching me” said Garre “(Eric) Wainright behind the plate helped establish the zone with me and stay locked in” 

A single to center field from Bear and a pair of walks by Thomas Fratto of Reading, MA and Eric Wainwright of Falmouth, MA loaded the bases for The Knights, threatening early. However, NECC squandered the early opportunity with a fly out to right field from Michael Fabiano of Reading, MA to end the threat. 

In the second inning The Knights once again threatened to score but didn’t waste this opportunity. The knights grabbed complete control of the game, scoring seven runs on six hits. The run was capped off by a two RBI double ripped down the left field line by Ruffner. 

The Knights added to their lead in the third inning with a pair of runs from Lalime and Manuel Castro of Manchester, NH, 9-0 Knights.  

In the fifth inning head coach Jeff Mejia elected to use his bullpen going with Francis Comeau of Plymouth, MA. Comeau tossed a clean inning by striking out the side. 

The bottom fifth inning once again featured traffic on the base paths. Fratto crushed a single into right field. Then Followed back-to-back hits batsman to load the bases. Fabiano grounded into a fielder’s choice at first to score Castro to lead 10-1. A sacrifice fly from Ruffner scored Fratto and ended the game with a mercy rule.