Knights cruise into winners bracket of Region 21 Tournament

Haverhill, MA (May 5, 2022) - The Northern Essex Community College baseball team picked up their 29th straight victory on Thursday night in the opening round of the Region 21 Tournament with a 12-1 victory over Community College of Rhode Island.

#3 NECC 12 CCRI 1

• The Knights jumped out to 2-0 first inning lead when Richard Matos (Boston) crushed his team leading 10th home run of the season an estimated 448 feet into the 10th row of the football bleachers in the left center. The two out shot followed the triple from Jared Coppola (Lynn)
• After a scoreless 2nd, the Knights blew the game open in the with a six run third inning, aided by five base on balls by CCRI pitching, a hit batsman and an error in the outfield. After Chris Bear (Boston) led off with a single he came around to score when the next three batters were walked or hit by a pitch. Coppola would score when the left fielder misplayed a flyball off the bat of Joey Settle (Melbourne, FL). Matos would give the NECC a 5-0 lead when he crossed the plate on a sac fly from Lucas Berube (Dighton). Two more bases loaded walks would make the score 7-0 before Bear grounded into a fielder's choice in his second at bat of the inning to drive in Kyle Hsu (Brookline, NH).
• CCRI got their run in the top of the 4th before, the Knights plated four more in the bottom half of the inning. Matos and Clay Campbell (Goffstown, NH) led off the inning with back to back walks, and would both come around to score on a double to left off the bat of Berube. Hsu would come up next and hit a two run homer to give the Knights the 12-1 lead.
• Dallas Vaughan (Haverhill) threw the complete game that was halted after 5 innings by the NJCAA run rule. He allowed one run on four hits, while striking out five and not issuing a free pass.