NECC’s eighth annual Speechapalooza event is Thursday, April 21 from 1-2:30 p.m. in Lecture Hall A in the Spurk (C) building. Hosted by NECC Public Relations students, Speechapalooza was created in the hopes of bringing back the sense of community so many of us have lost because of the pandemic.
As a student in a Public Relations course this semester, I have gotten a behind-the-scenes look into what goes into making those events — the ones we always see in our weekly newsletters—come to life. From press releases and venue booking, to flyers and mass-texts, I have come to learn that planning an event is no easy act. Add on the pressure of this being the first in-person Speechapalooza in two years, and you’ll understand the chaos that has been this planning process.
Throughout this process, we as a class have worked through our beginner confusion, as well as our mid-semester stress to create a solid plan for Speechapalooza. One of these fellow classmates, Leiliana Igartua, a NECC journalism major, has always been the person to plan family events and keep everyone on track.
When her Public Relations class began the process of planning this year’s Speechapalooza, Igartua knew her organizational and planning skills would be put to good use; she was given the title of PR Director.
As PR Director of Speechapalooza, Igartua was responsible for overseeing all communication with others on the team as well as participants and advisors. She also played an integral role in the creation of flyers and other promotional tactics.
This event acts as many of our first involvement in a professional event, and with this comes responsibilities and chaos. “It’s nerve-wracking,” Igartua shares, though she finds comfort in being part of a team.
“I enjoy working as a team with my fellow classmates” said Igartua. “If I ever came across a challenge, all I had to do is send them an email and we all get to work to fix it.”
This year’s Speechapalooza planning has been quite the contrast from the past two years; the pandemic had once again changed the trajectory of an event, which has been around for nearly a decade. Igartua shares that one of the best parts of this process has been sharing the same space with classmates. “From seeing the venue we will host this event in, to brainstorming in class, we are definitely creating some fun memories together in our classroom!”
Though the arrival of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020 put a damper on in-person events like this one, we are more than excited to share a space with our fellow students and amplify our voices!
NECC Knights Baseball team went to Florida during spring break.
They played 11 games and went 9-2 including going undefeated the first five games.
This was their best start since the 2015 season.
Coach Jeff Mejia told his players “We worked really hard when it’s game day when we’re playing games relaxed and let yourself play you’re best don’t get too high don’t get too low battle no matter the situation cause you always going to face adversity during baseball season, it’s a long marathon…” he said.
During the trip Coach Mejia told me that Matos Richard de la Cruz of Boston and Logan Burilli of Amesbury got hurt.
“Both of them we lost due to injury during Florida looks like Richard is going to be back in another week which it is great and it’s a good possibility we pick Logan back up before playoff run it is always hard when you lose a player we have another player that he is hurt because he is sick…” Mejia said.
de la Cruz has an injured wrist, Mejia said.
Logan’s injury was diagnosed with a clean break of forearm that they casted in his due to take the cast off the first week of April which it will give him a month to rehab before the playoff,” he said.
Lucas Berube during the trip in Florida he was hitting 2 of his last 23.
Coach Mejia and his coaching staff are not worried in his recent struggles because they feel confidence he will turned around. “… He probably had seven line drive right at guys in the first few games of the season so that happens Lucas got he deals with failure very well and he understand baseball what his done defensively behind the plate makes it valuable as any player we have in the team and his hitting it’s going to come I am not to concern about it,” Mejia said.
He also said “We played solid defensive our pitching was really good and you always can get better you never get perfect in baseball…”
On March 15 NECC Athletic Director Dan Blair was named National Association of Collegiate Athetic Director of the year.
They only give that award to one person of each division of each athletic department.
This school year the women’s volleyball and the men’s basketball team went to the region 21, but finals eventually they lost.
“It is a nice honor to received honestly I think it’s an award for the whole college with the administration support, student, coaches, faculty and staff, none of it would’ve been all possible so the college provides everything the students and coaches I’m just guiding the ship,” Blair said.
He never thought off winning this award.
“I’m pleased to be recognized with the other winners across all seven divisions and to be recognized with some of the folks of Division 1 at NCAA 4 year level. It is great and you know I look forward whenever the award presentation is out in June I’m looking forward to go to the convention again its going to be my first time since 2019 in person, when we had it in person so just to see people again to it is exciting,” he said.
One of his first people he told when he won the award was his wife “I think the president’s office found out before I did, the first award. I think first person that I told was my wife and I’ll tell her other people… she told some people and then some other athletic director in the league they got the public announcement the same time I did they reach out to me as well…” he said.
I asked Dan Blair if he is comfortable where he is at right know in the Athletics Department.
“ I don’t think I am speaking to myself, I think I am speaking small college athletic director all around New England and all around the country honestly we need more female student athletes,” he said.
“We’re always trying new things to get them, we’re heading in the right direction but it can always be better. I wish I can get every women athletic program in the college to be successful and competitive as our volleyball program for women that’s kinda the bench mark for all the women’s program here were making stuff in the right direction…” Blair said.
First pitch for the Knights game 2 of a doubleheader was at 2:50 p.m. on April 2. The Knights were looking for a sweep after winning the first game. The Knights defeated Quinsigamond Community College 16-0.
In the first inning, the Knights’ Kevin Rodriguez of Manchester, N.H., walked. Chris Bear of Boston ground out for the second out. Rodriguez was on second base when Nicholas White of Townsend hit a double that landed in front of the left field. Rodriguez had to move just 90 feet not knowing if the left fielder would catch it or not. The Knights had a runner in scoring position with one out when Jared Coppola of Lynn hit a deep fly ball between right center field on the warning track that scored Rodriguez from third. Joseph Settle of Melbourne, Fla., hit an RBI double. Richard Matos De La Cruz of Boston hit a groundball to short for the third out of the inning.
The Knights had Todd Tringale of Saugus on the mound. The last time he pitched he threw a no hitter on March 27. Tringale walked Jose Curet of Worcester. He struck out Steven Thomas of Worcester swinging Colin Fitzgerald of Auburn ground out a short roller to the pitcher. Tringale threw it to first in time for the out. Luis Rodriguez of Maynard hit a ground ball to the first baseman for the final out of the inning.
Jarred Coppola of Lynn at the plate with runners in scoring position. Photo by Editor-in-Chief/ Sports Editor Jose Rodriguez
In the second inning Coppola hit a single through left field. Lucas Berube of Dighton got in first on a throwing error by the shortstop. Clay Campbell of Goffstown, N.H., went to third. The Knights had runners in the corners with nobody out when Kyle Hsu of Brookline N.H., hit a double that scored Campbell to make it 3-0 Knights. Rodriguez struck out with runners on second and third. Bear connected for a 2 RBI double to make it 5-0 Knights. White connected with an RBI single to make it 6-0. Coppola was at the plate when White stole second and Coppola struck out looking on a high pitch. Berube hit a fly ball to center field for the third out.
Quinsigamond’s Brandon Hart of Spencer ground out to the shortstop Campbell for the first out of the next inning. Tringale strike out Benjamin Borrero of Worcester looking for the second out of the inning. Tringale then struck out Jordan Molina of Webster.
In the third inning Matos De La Cruz got a base hit. Campbell got hit and stole second. Berube hit the ball under the glove of the third baseman that scored 2 more Knights runs and the Knights were up 8-0. Berube went to third on a wild pitch. Hsu scored the ninth run of the game, he hit a double as Rodriguez was up and he hit a fly ball to first for the first out of the inning. Bear made it 10-0 with a double down the third base line. White hit a 2 run home run to make it 12-0. Coppola got a base hit. Settle hit into a fielders choice. Matos De la Cruz struck out looking for the third out at the top of the 3rd inning.
Quinsigamond’s Mick Sullivan of Dudley bunted on the third base line. Coppola didn’t have a great grip when he was going to pick it up and the runner was safe without a throw as it was a error on the third baseman Coppola. Sullivan stole second. He struck out the next two batters. He issued a walk to Stephen Thomas of Worcester and Colin Fitzgerald of Auburn ground out to Campbell for the final out of the third.
In the fourth inning Campbell was at the plate when he groundout to the shortstop for the first out of the inning. Berube flied out to right and Hsu singled to right field. Rodriguez on the first pitch that he saw hit a double that scored Hsu from first. The Knights were up 13-0 when he hit a ground ball to
shortstop. The shortstop dove to catch the ball but he threw to first wild and the Knights had first and third with 2 out when White scored a 3 run home run to make it 16-0.
“I made a little adjustment between games, fouled, got into my legs more and definitely off the bat I knew it was gone…,” White said after the game.
Coppola flied out to the first baseman to end the inning top of the 4th. Tringale strike out the side.
In the fifth inning Settle hit a line drive to the third baseman for the first out of the inning. Matos De La Cruz doubled off the wall. Campbell hit a groundball to second over the leaping try of the Quinsigamond player and on to right field for a hit. Hsu hit a fly ball to the right field for the third out as.
In the bottom of the fifth, Tringale was on the mound. He was on his way pitching a no hitter in just six days apart from his last start. Tringale struck out Molina. He walked Sullivan and Jeremy Rodriguez of Worcester hit a ground ball to first for the second out of the inning Tringale complete dhis no hitter by Jose Curet of Worcester grounding out to short to end the game.
“Throughout the whole game I had a feeling but my main goal is just to stay on my pitches and execute every pitch,” Tringale said after the game. “I think the biggest thing that been working for me is just trusting my pitches just making sure I hit my spots trusting my catcher when he makes the call and then execute the pitch.
On April 2 the Knights traveled to Worcester for a double header against Qunsigamond Community College.
The first pitch was at 11:55 a.m. The Knights won game 1 of the doubleheader 5-2.
The Knights also won the first game of the series on Friday.
“It is always important to get off to a good start. Whenever you can win game 1 it puts you in a driver’s seat of a series. Certainly it was good to get game 1 in,” Coach Jeff Mejia said.
Steven Thomas of Worcester for Quinsigamond was on the mound. The Knights Nick Panzini of Methuen led off the game with a walk. Chris Bear of Boston ground out for a double play. Nicholas White of Townsend ground out to shortstop. The Knights went quiet in the first.
Knights in action against Quinsigamond Community College Photo by Editor-in-Chief/ Sports Editor Jose Rodriguez
The Knights had Alex Sweeney of Raymond, N.H., on the mound. Jose Curet of Worcester groundout to Clay Campbell of Goffstown, N.H., for the first out of the inning. Neyffi Sanchez of Worcester hit a single to right field. Thomas hit a fly ball to the center fielder Joseph Settle of Melbourne, Fla., for the second out. Sanchez stole second. Colin Fitzgerald of Auburn hit the ball to the opposite field to right field to end the inning. Both teams were scoreless in the first.
In the second inning Jared Coppola of Lynn struck out looking for the first out of the inning. Joseph Settle flew out to center for the second out. Richard Matos De La Cruz of Boston in his first at bat of the game after missing a few games due to an injury hit an opposite field double off the wall on a 3-2 count.
“Great great just having him back let’s see how he feels tomorrow and if he feels good tomorrow he will be hitting BP (batting practice) on Monday and he will be good to go,” Mejia said.
The Knights had runners in scoring position for Campbell flied out to the left fielder for the third out of the inning. Sweeney walked the first two batters and struck out the next two batters. Sweeney escaped out of trouble as Quinsigamond did not score.
In the third inning Luis Colon of Lawrence ground out to the pitcher for the first out of the inning. Kyle Hsu of Brookline hit a double off the wall and the Knights had a runner in scoring position with one out.
A few pitches later Hsu got caught stealing at third. Panzini walked and stole second. Bear was at the plate when there was an error by the shortstop. He didn’t grab the ball cleanly and he saw Panzini was heading home. Panzini stopped and the shortstop threw the ball at third and Panzini was in a run down. He managed to score on a throwing error by the third baseman.
Bear went to third. White hit an RBI single and he stole second while Coppola was at the plate. The left fielder misread the ball because of the sun and White scored from second and Coppola was on second when Settle flied out to the second baseman. The Knights scored 3 runs and they were up 3-0.
Sweeney walked Jose Curet of Worcester. Curet stole second and Sweeney walked Sanchez, leading off the 3rd inning walking the first two batters he faced. Mejia went to the mound to control his pitcher.
Thomas was batting when Sanchez stole second. Quinsigamond had runners in scoring positions on second and third when Sweeney left a pitch up and Thomas hit a single to left that scored two runs. An error by Panzini in left field allowed the bases to be loaded for Quinsigamond. Sweeney struck out Luis
Rodriguez of Maynard swinging. Brandon Hart of Spencer was at the plate when he hit a ground ball to first that Quinsigamond traded an out for a run.
Quinsigamond reloaded the bases when Benjamin Borrero of Worcester walk edand Jordan Molina of Webster struck out and Quinsigamond left the bases loaded. The Knights were up 3-2 heading to the fourth inning.
In the fourth inning Matos De La Cruz struck out looking, Campbell hit an opposite field single in front of the left fielder. The pitcher had really close eyes on Campbell as he was threatening to steal. The Knights had the hit and run. Campbell was going to second while Colon hit a ground ball to the shortstop. The shortstop threw the ball to first for the first out of the inning. A throwing error by the catcher when he throw the ball to third while Campbell was going allowed him to score and the Knights were up 4-2 when Hsu hit a line drive up the middle. Panzini grounded out to first to end the top of the inning.
The Knights had a new pitcher Tristan Ciampa of Wilmington. Ciampa struck out Mick Sullivan of Dudley in three pitches. Curet hit a ground ball to the pitcher. Ciampa under handed threw the ball to first for the second out of the inning. He walked Sanchez and he stole second. Thomas ground out to White for the third out.
In the fifth inning, Bear was at the plate when he hit a line drive to the first baseman for the first out. White doubled between right center field. Coppola flied out to the left fielder for the second out. Settle ground out to third. The third baseman didn’t come up cleanly and everyone was safe. The Knights had runners in the corners when Matos De La Cruz strike out.
When Quinsigamond was up, Firtzgerald struck out. With one out in the inning, Luis Rodriguez was batting. He hit the a ground ball over the leaping Coppola and the ball went to centerfield. Brandon Hart of Spencer walked and Benjamin Borrero of Worcester struck out looking. Ciampa struck out Molina to end the inning.
In the sixth inning Campbell struck out looking. Kevin Rodriguez of Manchester, N.H., was in to pinch hit when he struck out looking Kyle Hsu flied out to the left fielder.
The Knights had a new pitcher to pitch the sixth inning Jack Swarbrick of Haverhill came in to pitch. Sullivan got hit by a pitch Curet bunted with one out in the inning. Sanchez hit a double down the corner and Quinsigamond had runners on second and third. Thomas ground out to the pitcher. Swarbrick checked the runner at third before throwing to first for the second out of the inning. It was a passed ball on the catcher. Berube run to get the ball he throw it to the pitcher and the runner was out at home and Quinsigamond did not score in that inning.
In the seventh inning Panzini was at the plate when he singled the first pitch that he saw. Bear was at the plate when Panzini stole the base. It was a productive out for Bear as he fly out to right field and Panzini taged up to third. White scored the fifth run of the game on the sac fly as the Knights traded an out for a run. Campbell was out on a slow roller on the first base line. The Knights had a 3 run lead and were 3 outs away from a win. Swarbrick was in for his second inning of work. Fitzgerald flied out to left field for the first out. Rodriguez flied out straight to Settle in center field for the second out of the inning. The Knights were one out away from winning game 1. Swarbrick pitched a 1,2,3 inning as the Knights defeated Quinsigamond 5-2.
On April fools day NECC Knights faced Quinsigamond community college the first game of a 3 game set over the weekend.
The Knights had Jayden Volker of Coventry on the mound — last time he pitched was against Central Maine on March 26 when Volker throw a no hitter. The Knights defeated Quinsigamond 21-1.
I asked Mejia how he is going to put the right players in the field as the Knights is playing 3 games in the next 2 days “ We are in great tip tok shape very very thorough program so fatigue is not a issue it will not be a factor at all” he said.
First pitched was 6:57 with one out in the inning Jarred Coppola of Lynn made a diving catch at third to robbed Neyffi Sanchez of Worcester of a hit for the second out of the inning. Volker pitched a 1,2,3 inning in the first.
Brandon Hart of Spencer was pitching for Quinsigamond. Nick Panzini of Methuen reached first in a throwing error by the shortstop and he didn’t waste no time as he stole second. The Knights had runners in scoring position with nobody out Chris Bear of Boston hit an inside the parker 2 run home run as the Knights were up 2-0. Nicholas White hit a triple and scored on an error as the ball went into the Knights dugout. Coppola ground out for the first out of the inning and Joseph Settle of Melbourne strike out. Clay Campbell of Goffstown N.H. hit a double over the first base head Campbell was left stranded at second after Kyle Hsu of Brookline, N.H. groundout to second to end the inning.
NECC Knights first conference division game of the season. Photo by Editor-in-Chief/ Sports Editor Jose Rodriguez
On the second inning Volker walked the first batter to lead off the inning. Coppola throw the ball to second which it was a throwing error as the ball went to center field and the runners were in the corner with nobody out. Voelker got him self out of trouble without scoring a run.
Lucas Berube of Dighton hit a solo home run on the first pitched through left field that he saw to make it 4-0 Knights “It feels good the boys be rollin all year long and I’m just having fun seeing the ball well and doing my thing,” Berube said. followed a ground roll double of Kameron Levesque of Hooksett, NH Panzini hit a RBI single to make it 5-0 Knights.
Chris Bear walked the Knights had bases loaded with nobody out when Coppola hit a ground ball for a double play to make it 6-0 Knights.
The Knights scored the 7 run on a wild pitched when Campbell was batting and settle moved to second when Campbell hit a base hit up the middle to make it 8-0 Knights. Berube hit a high fly ball and the catcher and the pitcher miscommunicate as the ball landed in front of them that scored the 9 run of the game. Levesque hit an opposite field bloop double that scored 2 more Knights run that made it 11-0. Knights put an 8 spot on the second as they really had a comfortable 11-0 run.
On the third inning Volker strikeout the first 2 batter after giving an opposite field single but he managed record the three outs via strikeout. Bear reached on first on a error by the shortstop as he dropped the pop up.
White hit a double and the Knights had second and third and nobody out for Coppola at the plate and he made it 12-0 Knights the second baseman dropped the ball when Settle was at the plate the Knights had the bases loaded when Campbell was at the dish he made it 13-0 when he got ground out from first and the run from third scored.
Hsu struck out. Berube walked the Knights had the bases loaded for Levesque when he hit a bases clearing double that made it 16-0 Knights a throwing error by the third baseman he throw the ball to first wide Panzini went to second and Levesque scored made it 17-0 Kevin Rodriguez came off the bench and he walked Mejia send Luis Colon of Lawrence to pinch hit for White.
Quinsigamond brought a pitching change it was Benjamin Borrero of Worcester Colon strike out to end the inning. The Knights were up 17-0 heading to the 4th.
Volker night was over as Mejia uses his bullpen for the 4th Tyler McDonald of Haverhill was on the mound McDonald strikeout the side for a 1,2,3 inning.
Coppola got hit in the first pitched that he saw Settle and Campbell walked Knights had bases loaded and nobody out when Hsu walked to force in a run. Knights made it 19-0 on a walk and Levesque hit a groundball short roller to make it 20-0 on an infield hit. The Knights managed to score one more run inning the Knights left the bases loaded Colon hit a line drive right at the pitched for the third out of the inning.
On the 5th inning the Knights were 3 outs away from the win with one out Quinsigamond had first and second, they scored the first run over the leaping try of Campbell with 2 outs in the inning.
“It feels good it feels really good that’s what you want to do when you play in conference game hit the ball and pitched well and we did that all night,” NECC Knights asistant head coach Evan Glew said.
On March 30, the red hot 14-2 Knights entered the game against Fisher College JV at Fraser Field in Lynn with a six game winning streak. When the Knights faced Fisher JV on March 21, the Knights won 16-1. On March 30 the Knights defeated Fisher JV 12-2.
At 6:48 p.m. the umpires were at the field.
Before the game Coach Jeff Mejia said he believed that Fisher was going to change the game plan a little.
“ Yeah, we already talked, he’s got some different guys that weren’t here last game that will be playing for them this game, so I am expecting a really competitive game,” Mejia said.
The Knights had Jack Swarbrick of Haverhill on the mound to start.
Knights doing their pre game routine before facing Fisher College JV. Photo by Editor-in-Chief/ Sports Editor Jose Rodriguez
In the first inning, Fisher College had Cameron Lataille of North Smithfield, R.I., on the mound. Richie Williams of Georgetown got hit by a pitch and Chris Bear of Boston singled. The Knights were set up first and third and no one out for Nicholas White of Townsend at the plate. White he drove the first run of the game a deep fly ball to right field at the warning track that scored Williams from third and Bear tagged on the sac fly to third. Jarred Coppola of Lynn hit a double to left that scored the second run of the game. The Knights were not done yet. Joseph Settle of Melbourne, Fla. brought home the third run of the game as Coppola and Settle hit back to back doubles. The Knights got three runs in the inning and left Settle who was stranded at third.
Swarbrick struck out the first two of the three batters in the inning. The third batter grounded out, for a clean one two three inning.
Fisher went to the bullpen early as they put Brayane Garre of Puerta Plata, Dominican Republic, on the mound in the second inning. The first two batters were out after Kevin Rodriguez of Manchester, N.H., and Kameron Levesque of Hooksett, N.H., grounded out.
Williams walked and stole second when Bear hit an opposite field single between second and third that brought the 4th run of the game.
Swarbrick walked Alejandro Sola of Trujillo Alto, Puerto Rico, in four pitches and he didn’t waste no time in the wheels as he stole second. Jeremy Renta of Cagus, Puerto Rico, hit an opposite field single. There was a great out field assist by Levesque throwing out Sola at the plate. Renta stole second with 2 outs in the inning, Swarbrick struck out Janiel Laracuenta of Cagus, Puerto Rico, looking to finishthe inning.
In the third inning the Falcons brought Bryan Montanez of Arroyo, Puerto Rico, on to pitch after Coppola ground out for the first out of the inning. Settle walked and stole second. The Knights had a runner in scoring position with less then two outs when Clay Campbell of Goffstown, N.H., walked. The Knights had first and second with one out when Lucas Berube of Dighton popped out to the catcher. The Knights were trying to double steal when the catcher throw out Settle at third for the final out of the top of the third. The Knights brought in a new pitcher, Jagger Iovinelli, of Huntington Beach, Calif., Fisher’s Diego Melendez of Toa Alta, Puerto Rico, hit off a lead-off single with one out in the inning. Iovinelli started a double play on his own. Jose Neris of Caguas, Puerto Rico, ground out to Swarbrick. He hrew to second the shortstop. Campbell threw the ball to White to complete the double play.
In the fourth inning Fisher brought in Nomar Rosario of Fajardo, Puerto Rico, on the mound. Levesque hit a booming double in right center field and Levesque stole third with two outs in the inning. Bear struck out as the Knights wasted an opportunity and they did not score.
Fisher’s Luis Lopez of Catano, Puerto Rico, hit a single that the right fielder almost caught in a leaping try. Iovinelli threw the ball to first as Lopez was in a rundown but it didn’t matter because the second base umpire called a balk on Iovinelli. The Falcons scored the first run of the game on a double over the head of Levesque followed by an RBI single up the middle by Renta. Falcons cut the deficit in half. Laracuente hit a single through left and the Falcons had men on first and second with 2 outs when Swarbrick strike out Melendez looking.
In the fifth inning Jose Cruz Jr. of Carolina, Puerto Rico, was on the mound for the Falcons. White hit a base hit up the middle and he stole second the very next pitch. Coppola walked and the Knights were in business on first and second with nobody out. The Knights were looking for a double steal and this time it paid off as both runners successfully moved 90 feet. Settle reached on first by error and the Knights had the bases loaded and nobody out when Campbell hit a rocket right field that scored 2 runs as the Knights had runners in the corners with nobody out. Lucas Berube of Dighton successfully sacrificed to bring home the 7th run of the game as the Knights traded an out for a run. Levesque was at the plate with 2 outs and Campbell went to third on a passed ball.
The Knights were leading 7-2 as they moved on to the bottom of the fifth Tristian Ciampa of Wilmington was on the hill for the Knights. Williams almost made an unbelievable play on a leaping catch to rob Neris of extra base hits, instead Naris was on second with a double. Sola struck out looking and the Falcons didn’t scored.
On the sixth inning Gerado Mollina of Levittown, Puerto Rico was on the mound for Fisher when he hit Williams and he stole second. Bear hit an RBI triple and the Knights were up 8-2, which brought an opportunity of White to score the 9th run of the game and he did just that. White ground out to second for a productive out that scored White from third. Coppola hit a line drive bullet that was caught by the third baseman for the second out of the inning. Settle singled and he stole second. Campbell double over the leaping shortstop Fontanez. It wasn’t deep enough for Settle to score from second so he stayed at third. The Falcons made a pitching change as Evan Delilo of Peabody came to pitch and a 1-2 count on Berube he flied out to the right fielder Ben Sawyer of Portland, Maine to end the top of the sixth inning.
Ciampa was about to work a 1,2,3 inning not following Laracaurente single on a ground ball up the middle that Campbell almost made a terrific play robbing Laracuente of a base hit, but unfortunately it didn’t go that way but it didn’t matter as Melendez ground out to third and Coppola made a terrific play and with a strong arm he threw it to first to get the final out of the inning.
In the top of the seventh inning William Carpetner of Brentwood, N.H.,
was pitching for the Falcons as Kevin Rodriguez of Manchester, N.H, hit a double through left center field. Rodriguez got caught stealing at third. Levesque and Nick Panzini of Methuen walked. Panzini was pinch hitting for Williams. Bear scored 2 runs on a single that advanced to second and third on the throwing error.
“I was trying to get a barrel at the wall hit good pitches,” Bear said after the game.
White walked which brought the Fisher manager out from the dugout for a pitching change. The Falcons brought Elvin Perez in to pitch. The Knights scored the 12 run on a wild pitch advanced White to second
Settle struck out. Thomas Cattaneo of Guilford, Conn., was on the mound for the Knights he only gave up a hit during the seventh inning and a strikeout as the Knights defeated Fisher JV 12-2.
In Game 2 Todd Tringale of Saugus was on the mound. He struck out the side. The Knights shutout Eastern Conneticut State JV 7-0. The Knights went quietly as well in the first inning of game 2. Two of the three batters for the Knights struck out in the inning.
Tringale walked the first batter in the second inning. White made a diving play at first base. He knocked the ball down and stepped on the base to rob a hit off Eastern Connecticut.
Eastern Connecticut JV was changing pitchers every inning of both games of this double header. With one out, Settle walked. Campbell struck out.
Lucas Berube of Dighton was batting and the pitcher threw a wild pitch and Settle stole second. Berube took advantage of the runners in scoring position, hitting an opposite field single to score home the first run of the game.
Tringale’s impressive performance. Photo by Bryan Thomas
In the third inning Tringale struck out two of the three batters.
In the bottom of the inning Bear and White grounded out as the Knights left the men on third and they did not score.
In the fourth inning Kevin Rodriguez of Manchester, N.H., made a nice catch to throw out the runner on first. The next out was a ground out to Campbell at shortstop. Tringale struck out the next batter to end the inning.
Coppola began the bottom of the fourth with a triple between left center field. Settle walked. The Knights had runners on the corners. Settle stole second and Campbell walked. The bases loaded when Berube was at the plate as he ground out for a fielder’s choice and Rodriguez ground out to the second baseman, he bobbled it and the run scored, the Knights got the third run on a double steal. The Knights got their fourth run on Panzini’s infield single. Williams flied out to center field to end the forth.
In the fifth inning Tringale began with a strike out. He walked a batter and Tringale kept throwing to first to keep a close eyes on the runner. Tringale did a good job so the runner didn’t steal. Tringale got the third out on a strikeout. White got walked. Coppola get on base on an error and Luis Colon of Lawrence pinch hit for Coppola. Colon got out in second but White took advantage and he went home for the fifth run of the game. Settle ripped a triple that he almost
hit it out through left. Campbell knocked in the fifth run on a single to right Campbell got out on second trying to steal.
In the top of the six inning Bear made a nice play at second and White scooped the ball at first for the first out of the inning. Tringale struck out the batter for the second out and Nick White caught a pop out to first base. The Eastern JV pitcher walked Williams. Panzini hit an opposite field single through right field the Knights scored one run that inning.
Tringale only needed three outs for a no hitter. He walked the lead off batter in the seventh inning. That didn’t hurt Tringale as he struck out two of the three batters in the inning. Tringale pitched a no hitter, striking out 13 batters as the Knights won the second game of the doubleheader, 7-0.
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.
NECC Knights baseball player Chris Bear at the plate. Photo by Bryan Thomas
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.
In Game 2 of a doubleheader with Central Maine Community College, the Knights were looking to finish off what they started in game 1.
The Knights won Game 2 8-0, a one hitter performance of Alex Sweeney of Raymond, N.H.
In the first inning Richie Williams of Georgetown walked and stole second when Chris Bear of Boston singled to left center field. The Knights scored the first run of the game on a double steal with runners in the corner. Williams was waiting for the catcher to throw to second so he could score from third in the first inning. Nicholas White of Townsend connected on an opposite field double to the corner on left and White went to third on a pass ball. Joseph Settle of Melbourne, Fla., walked. The runners in the corner for Kyle Hsu of Brookline, N.H., hit a sac fly that scored White from third. Settle didn’t re-tag the second base as he was going back to first on the fly out as a result. Central Maine appealed it and Settle was out for not re-tagging.
“Yep yeah it happens you know he did everything right the ball was deep enough he rounded second well he just missed it on his way back to first base…,” Coach Jeff Mejia said.
Alex Sweeney was on the mound for game 2 of this double header. Sweeney struck out two of the three batters that he faced for a 1,2,3 inning.
Nick Panzini of Methuen walked and stole second. The Knights had runners in scoring position with no one out. Kevin Rodriguez of Manchester, N.H., struck out. Panzini went to third on the wild pitch and the next pitch Will Bean of Milton, Maine, threw it was a wild pitch that allowed Panzini to score. Kameron Levesque of Hooksett, N.H., walked and Richie Williams hit a come backer to the pitcher that threw to second to try to get the forced out, instead it was a throwing error. The Knights had the runner on the corner when the Central Maine manager made a pitching change and brought Hunter Warren of Phillips, Maine, to pitch. Williams stole second and Chris Bear hit a 2 run single to make it 6-0. Hit and run for the Knights, Bear was stealing second and White hit a base hit up the middle. Runners were in the corner when Jarred Coppola of Lynn was at the plate. White was running when Coppola hit a base hit that scored the seventh runner of the game. Coppola was called out for interference with the shortstop on a fly ball.
NECC Knights celebrating a win Photo by Editor-in-Chief/ Sports EditorJose Rodriguez
“Yeah it happens….It was a pop fly the shortstop kinda misread it, or the wind possibly took it, so Jared was trying to get around him and that kid jumped back to try to catch the ball. It was contact so it is automatic interference call once again the umpire got it 100 percent right,” Mejia said.
Sweeney gave up a single in the first and he was trying to steal second when Sweeney stepped off the rubber, he threw to second and the runner was out. Corey Armstrong of Monmouth, Maine, got hit by a pitch and Caleb Valliere of Sabattus, Maine, ground out a double play to the pitcher.
In the third inning the Knights didn’t score as Warren struck out two of the three batters for a clean 1,2,3 inning. Sweeny stuck out the side to end the third inning.
In the fourth inning with one out Bear hit the ball to left field. Warren threw the ball to first and the first baseman didn’t caught it. It went passed him and that allowed Bear to go to second White singled and stole second without a throw. Coppola hit a sac fly to center field that made Bear score from third to make it 8-0. Settle struck out for the third out of the inning.
Central Maine went 1,2,3 in the fourth inning.
In the top of the fifth inning with two outs Rodriguez walked and stole second. Levesque singled to right field. The runners were first and third when Levesque went to second on a passed ball not that deep for Kevin Rodriguez to score from third. Williams ground out to the third baseman.
In the bottom of the fifth a nice defense play by Rodriguez took away a base hit from Corey Armstrong of Monmouth, Maine, as Central Maine went 1,2,3 again.
In the sixth inning after the first two hitters for the Knights got out Coppola, Settle and Hsu walked. Panzini hit a high pop out to the second baseman and the Knights didn’t score that inning. Sweeny retired the side in order.
In the top of the seventh inning with one out Levesque walked and with two outs in the inning he stole second on a throwing error by the third baseman Caden Truman of Norway, Maine. White grounded to end the inning.
Coppola told me how they were able to beat this good Central Maine team.
“We played as a team, we start together, we hit the ball like what we did really well we played solid defense and overall it was a good win,” Coppola said.
Sweeney pitched a complete game shutout striking out six batters and giving up just one hit.
