Deptford, NJ (May 21, 2021) – The Northern Essex Community College baseball team squared off against the nations top two ranked teams in the final NJCAA poll of the season on day one of the NJCAA North Atlantic District tournament. The Knights picked up a game one win against #2 RCSJ-Cumberland 11-9 before dropping the second game of the day to #1 RCSJ-Gloucester 7-2. The Knights now stand at 21-11 and are in a must win situation for the remainder of the tournament.

The Knights will square off again Saturday morning with Cumberland as they edged Atlantic Cape Community College 3-2 in an elimination game Friday evening. First pitch is scheduled for 11:00am.

Game 1

A two-run home run from Chris Presinal (Sudbury) in the top of the eighth of the inning to put the Knights up 11-7 proved to be the difference as the Dukes were able to score a pair in the bottom half of the inning.

After falling behind 1-0 in the second the Knights put three on the board in the third. Kameron Levesque (Hooksett, NH) led the inning off with a home run over the left field fence. Dylan Duval (Middleton) and Nick White (Townsend) would both score in the inning as well as they reached via an error and bunt single in the frame.

NECC would add another run in the fourth when Jared Coppola (Lynn) was hit by a pitch with two outs and the bases loaded.

Coppola and Logan Burrill (Amesbury) would lead off the seventh with back to back hits and both eventually come around to score on hits by Clay Campbell (Hooksett, NH) and a sacrifice from Joe Muzio (Rockport)

The Knights scored three runs in the eight prior to Presinal's bomb. Duval led the inning off getting hit by the pitch and advanced 90 feet on a single from White. Coppola would walk. Burrill would drive in a run with a base hit and Coppola scored on a sac fly from Campbell.

On the mound, Todd Tringale (Saugus) didn't factor in the decision, but would strike out eight over five innings of work, on three hits and six base on balls. Alex Sweeney (Malden) would get the win with two innings of relief in which he struck out four, walked one and allowed four runs, two earned on three hits. Dallas Vaughan (Haverhill) picked up the two inning save as he struck out four over the final two innings allowing two hits and issuing two walks.

Game 2

A four run third inning in which the Knights made a couple of miscues was all that Gloucester needed in game two. NECC put a single run on the board in both the fourth and fifth innings.

A two out triple from Frank Gulezian (Manchester, NH) scored Presinal in the fourth. Coppola would drive in White with a base hit in the fifth after White had a base hit of his own and advanced to third on a botched pick off attempt from the pitcher.

Levi Burrill (Amesbury) went six innings in taking the loss on the mound, he struck out three, walked five and allowed nine hits and six earned runs.

Over the two games on the day, NECC combined to pound out 21 hits. White and Coppola were the lone Knights to record multiple hits in both games.