HAVERHILL – If you’re looking for a reason to ditch your Saturday routine and do something genuinely fun, I’ve got your answer: go watch the Northern Essex Community College Knights take on Monroe (Bronx) University for the Northeast District Championship this weekend at Haverhill Stadium.
Yes, there’s no shortage of baseball on TV this time of year, but there’s something about catching a high-stakes college game in person, right in your backyard.
Let’s start with the facts:
NECC, ranked No. 7 in the country, is riding a 12-game win streak and has taken 26 of their last 27. This isn’t just a good team—they’re a force.
Their ace, Jack Kelleher of Haverhill, is the kind of pitcher every scout wants to see. He’s 6-foot-4, 240 pounds, with real pro potential, and he’s in the conversation for Division 3 Pitcher of the Year.
And it’s not just the fastball—Kelleher’s got a plus-slider and plus-changeup, which, in baseball speak, means opposing hitters have some work to do.
But even if you’re not a stats person, there’s a lot to love about this group. Every single starter is hitting over .300 this season, and two of them—David Castillo (.453) and catcher Jake Yngber (.419)—are sitting well above .400.
They just swept their Region 21 championship games last weekend, and they did it the hard way: coming from behind in all three.
Coach Jeff Mejia has turned winning into a habit at NECC, but even he says this might be his most well-rounded group yet.
The NECC dugout is loud, the energy is contagious, and the confidence is real—but never cocky. “They don’t panic,” Mejia says, and last weekend proved it.
“Everyone here wants to play at a four-year school,” said Mejia. “They understand the importance. We have had a lot of schools following us. And they are so many more at the World Series. I’m really proud of their energy and support for each other.”
If you’ve got a kid who loves baseball, this is the kind of game that can light a fire. There’s real college talent on both sides, and plenty of coaches from big-name schools will be in the stands, watching closely. No. 13 ranked Monroe (Bronx) isn’t just showing up to make up the numbers, either—they’re tough, with their own ace and a reputation for defense and speed. This is playoff baseball, and nothing’s guaranteed.
“Like last weekend, this is going to be hard,” said Mejia. “They have a great ace like we do. They play really good defense. And they run a lot. We have our work cut out for us.”
Jack Sarno of Byfield, who was originally going to pitch in the opener before it was postponed from Friday, will get the ball in Game 2 on Sunday at 11 a.m. He is 6-1 with a 3.09 ERA.
North Andover’s Dom Pefine will be on-call for Game 3, if necessary. He has had “ace” stuff this year at 6-2 with a 1.51 ERA.
Game 1 is Saturday at 1:30 p.m. at Haverhill Stadium. Game 2 is Sunday at 11 a.m., and if it goes to a third, you’ll want to be there for that, too.
Bring a friend, bring your kid, bring your glove if you want to feel like you’re part of it. I’m telling you: the baseball is that good.
You can email Bill Burt at bburt@eagletribune.com.