Haverhill, MA (May 18, 2024) – A fourteen hit offensive onslaught and 12 strikeouts over six innings from ace Jayden Voelker (Coventry, RI) propelled the Northern Essex Community College baseball to a 12-1 victory over Kingsborough Community College and their 27th win of the season, while punching their ticket to the programs third straight and tenth overall appearance in the NJCAA World Series.
The NJCAA will release the official tournament bracket and seeding on Tuesday morning at 10:00am live on the NJCAA Network, where the Knights will learn their opening round opponent. World Series action is set to begin Saturday May 25th at Falcon Park in Auburn, NY.
Following a scoreless first inning, the Knights plated nine runs over the next three innings, to put the game out of reach as the bats got going and the Wave had no answer for Knights pitching.
Following a pair of base hits from Eric Wainwright (Falmouth) and Manny Castro (Manchester, NH) to open the second inning, both would score on a one out line drive to right field by designated hitter Jacob Carter (Reading). Carter would score the final run of the frame on a fielder's choice from Ryan Brown (Haverhill)
NECC would score a quartet of runs in the third frame, when Max LaLime (Portsmouth, NH) led off with a triple and scored one batter later on a sacrifice fly from Chris Bear (Boston). With two outs in the inning, Wainwright and Castro drew back to back walks before Michael Fabiano (Reading) recorded a home run to left field to put the Knights up 7-0.
LaLime crushed an inside the park home run in the fourth inning to the right field gap with Bear on base after a one out walk.
Bear and Thomas Frato (Reading) would both drive in runs in the sixth inning, while Fratto would add another RBI in the eighth inning to round out the Knights 14 hit attack.
On the mound, Voelker, went six innings striking out the aforementioned 12 batters, while issuing three walks, two hits and one unearned run. Michael Giessler (Peabody) tossed three inning of no hit relief striking out seven batters while allowing just one walk.