Greeneville, TN (May 30, 2023) – The Northern Essex Community College baseball team slugged their way past Herkimer College on Tuesday afternoon to punch their first national semi-finals appearance since 2016. The Knights improve to 37-7 on the season and will face Niagara County Community College on Wednesday at 3:30pm.
After leading the Generals 7-1 going into the bottom of the fifth, Herkimer put up eight runs to take a 9-8 lead before Alex Sweeney (Raymond, NH) was able to come in and stop the bleeding while throwing 4 2/3 innings of no-hit relief while striking out five and walking four. Sweeney earned the win to improve to 6-0 on the season.
Offensively, the bats came alive as the Knights pounded out 19 hits including six of the extra base variety. NECC jumped out to 6-0 lead with three runs in each of the first two innings. Jomar Moreta (Lynn) led off the game with a walk and advanced to second on a single by Kam Levesque (Hooksett, NH). Moreta would score on a single from Cooper Smith (Bloomington, MN), before Richard Matos (Boston) ripped a double down the left field line that scored Levesque and Smith for his first two of a game high four RBI's.
In the second, Kevin Rodriguez (Manchester, NH) scored the first run of the inning as he led off with a single and scored one batter later on a double from Moreta. Moreta came around to score on a wild pitch after advancing to third on a fielding error that allowed Levesque to reach base. Levesque closed out the scoring on a single to left by Anthony Marcano (Boston) who had a game high five hits to go along with three RBIs.
After Herkimer added a run in the third, NECC took their six run lead back in the fourth as Marcano scored on a two out RBI single to the left side of the infield by Kyle Hsu (Brookline, NH).
With Herkimer taking the 9-8 lead in the fifth, the Knights responded with a five spot of their own in the seventh. Rodriguez led off the inning with a double and scored on a single from Joe Settle (Melbourne, FL). Settle scored on a single by Marcano, before Matos put an exclamation point on the inning with a two-run home run estimated at 444 feet over the center field wall.
Single runs in the eight and ninth accounted for the final score.
Tristan Ciampa (Wilmington) started for the Knights and didn't factor in the decision as went 4 1/3 innings allowing seven runs on eight hits.
Wednesday's game will be the second match-up of the season between the Knights and Thunderwolves as Niagara took a 9-8 decision back on March 10th in Lake Bonny, FL.