Merrimack Valley Life

Knights of Glory

NECC extends its storybook season with the program’s eighth trip to the NJCAA World Series


At 41-2, the NECC baseball team headed to Greeneville, Tennessee, for the NJCAA World Series. Courtesy photos

At 41-2, the NECC baseball team headed to Greeneville, Tennessee, for the NJCAA World Series. Courtesy photos

Only by Northern Essex Community College standards is an 8-2 record con­sidered an icy start.

Nonetheless, the formidable Knights baseball program suffered its only two 2022 setbacks (thus far) during the late-winter chill of March, succumbing to both Herkimer College and Hudson Valley by narrow margins.

What followed the 6-4 defeat (to Hud­son Valley) on March 18 has been utter­ly astounding, as the Knights rattled off an electric 33 straight victories en route to yet another NJCAA World Series ap­pearance.

A convincing 13-3 beatdown of Mon­roe College of the Bronx, New York, brought the Knights’ record to 41-2 and earned them the trip to the World Series in Greeneville, Tennessee, as the No. 3 seed in the eight-team tourney. They were scheduled to play their first game May 28 against Herkimer College, after Haverhill Life when to press. This is the eighth time that the NECC baseball pro­gram has made it to the World Series and seventh time since 2012.

After two March defeats, the Knights had soared through a 33-game winning streak going into the World Series.

After two March defeats, the Knights had soared through a 33-game winning streak going into the World Series.

“It’s been a wonderful thing to watch,” said Paul Sartori, the beloved Haver­hill High School coach and cultivator of much of the Knights’ young talent. “They’ve worked so hard for this, and now they’re playing for the national championship. It really doesn’t get any better than that.”

The Knights’ dazzling pitching trio of Jack Swarbrick, Tyler McDonald and Dallas Vaughan are all Haverhill prod­ucts who benefited from Sartori’s tute­lage.

Vaughan, a fiery righthander, posted a 7-1 mark with the Knights this season, fanning 48 batters while maintaining a nifty 1.38 ERA. Vaughan’s flawless ninth inning on May 14 helped catapult the Knights to Greeneville. In September, the Saint Anselm baseball program will become the beneficiary of Vaughan’s tal­ents.

“He was terrific in high school,” re­called Sartori. “He makes us coaches better at what we do just by going out on and throwing strikes. And he does it with such confidence.”

NECC claimed the NJCAA Region 21 title with a victory over Community College of Rhode Island.

NECC claimed the NJCAA Region 21 title with a victory over Community College of Rhode Island.

McDonald bolstered the NECC bull­pen with a 1.29 ERA. The 6-foot-1, 190-pound freshman collected five saves while compiling 22 strikeouts in 14 in­nings. He helped rescue NECC from a perilous sixth inning in the win over Monroe.

“I was very fortunate to have Tyler pitch for me last year,” said Sartori, who also helms the Kingston Night Owls of the North Shore Baseball League. “Ty­ler is one of the main reasons the Night Owls won the championship last season. He’s such a tough competitor.”

Swarbrick, a 6-foot-3 sophomore, tamed opposing bats with 19 strikeouts in 11 appearances while posting an im­pressive 2.51 ERA.

“He is even better in college than he was in high school,” said Sartori. “He’s matured and developed over the past year, and I’m very happy to see the re­sults.”

Cole Farmer’s sensational high school career segued into the collegiate ranks, where he has served as a key utility player for NECC.

“If anyone is more motivated to play baseball than Cole, I have yet to see it,” said Sartori, who bid adieu to the 5-foot- 11, 175-pound Farmer last June. “He had a great senior year for me last year.” Haverhill’s Ryan Brown lends his unique defensive prowess to the Knights’ cause.

 

 

“Ryan’s a gazelle in the outfield,” said Sartori. “Anything hit his way, he’s guar­anteed to make a play on it.”

The Knights hope their remaining trek is a triumphant one, as coach Jeff Mejia’s crew makes its first appearance in the tourney since 2018.

“I’m certainly in their corner for this one,” said Sartori. “We’ll keep our fin­gers crossed and hope they can go all the way.”

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