Haverhill, MA (April 1, 2019) – The Northern Essex Community College baseball team picked up a pair of non-conference wins over the weekend defeating Eastern Connecticut State (JV) on Friday and following it up with a win over University of New Hampshire Club Team on Saturday.
Friday:
NECC 8 Eastern CT 3
The Knights rallied to score eight runs over the games final two innings to prevail after Eastern scored three runs in the third inning.
In the top of the sixth, Spencer Brown (Beverly, MA) and Dylan Duval (Middleton, MA) led off with back to back singles and both advanced on a passed ball. Brown would score on a ground out by Kyle Hawes (Lynnfield, MA) for the first run of the game for NECC. After a walk to Andrew Caulfield (Malden, MA) knotted the game up at three on two RBI base hit from Leo Romero (Lawrence, MA).
In the seventh inning the Knights did most of their damage with two outs. Three base hits and three walks all with two outs helped the Knights push five runs across in the final frame. Duval and Hawes both reached on base hits and would find their way home via passed ball and wild pitch. A double from Andy Acosta (Lawrence, MA) drove in two more runs and accounted for the final score.
Hawes, Duval and Brown all recorded multiple hits.
On the mound, Michael Goodin (Dracut, MA) got the win in three innings of hitless relief in which he struck out five batters. Ryan Sharkey (Salisbury, MA) went the first four allowing three unearned runs on five hits.
Saturday:
NECC 15 UNH 8
After falling behind 3-0 after one half inning the Knights responded with four runs of their own in the first on their way to pounding out 17 hits in the game.
Rob Lagasse (Newburyport, MA), Brown and Alex Almonte (Lawrence, MA) all singled before Hawes tied the game up with a bases clearing triple. Romero would ground out to scores Hawes for the fourth run of the frame.
The Knights added three runs in the both the third and fourth innings. Riley Magee (Windham, NH) doubled in a pair in the third after two walks and basehit from Harrison Engstrom (Marblehead, MA). In the fourth Romero had a two RBI triple that drove in Lagasse and Almonte after they reached via walk.
The Knights would add five more runs over their final two at bats highlighted by seventh inning triples from Duval and Brown.
On the mound, LeAngel Vasquez (Lawrence, MA) got the win in four innings of relief as he allowed five runs (three earned) on three hits, five walks and six strikeouts.
The Knights hit the road again on Tuesday as they return to Region XXI at Bunker Hill on Tuesday, and will stay on the road Wednesday in non-conference action at Southern Maine and return to Bunker Hill on Friday. The Knights will return home on Tuesday April 9th at 7:00pm in Region XXI play against Holyoke.
Northern Essex Community College competes as a member of the National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA) and sponsors nine varsity intercollegiate sports including baseball, men's basketball, golf, softball, women's volleyball, men's and women's cross country, and men's and women's track and field. For more information on Northern Essex Community College Athletics please visit the official website of Northern Essex Athletics (www.neccknights.com).