JOHNSON CITY, Tenn. – Survive and advance.
The Northern Essex Community College baseball team, seeded sixth in the NJCAA World Series, jumped out to a 13-2 lead after two innings and hung on for a 13-9 win over seventh seeded Caldwell Tech (NC) to advance to the elimination bracket semi-final on Monday at 3:15 p.m.
NECC will play the loser of tonight’s game between Dallas-Eastfield and Alexandria Tech (MN).
The Cobras jumped on the scoreboard with a pair of runs in the top half of the first inning before NECC, immediately responded with six runs in the bottom half of the inning and another seven runs in the bottom of the second inning.
Jaren Megan would lead the first inning with a double to the wall in right center and scored one batter later when David Castillo took a 2-1 fastball over the 20 foot wall in left center to tie the game.
“We’re down 2-zip, needing a little jump, and Jaren hit a rocket on the first pitch, which really got our dugout going,” said coach Jeff Mejia. “Two pitches later, David, of course, blasts it over the wall. It was a bomb. Both of those guys were huge in the first inning.”
With one out, the Knights loaded the bases on back to back singles from Owen Derocher and Jack Aylward, plus a walk to Kade Masselli. Marbel Soriano gave the Knights a lead they would never relinquish as he smoked a two RBI down the left field line and Lawrence’s Stephen Diaz drove in the final two runs of the inning with a single down the right field line.
Megan led the second inning off the same way did the first with a double to center and scored on a Jake Yngber single. Derocher added an RBI on a double to left field that scored Castillo and advanced Yngber to third.
An Aylward sac fly plated Yngber, followed by a well placed bunt from Masselli allowing Derocher to score from third. The Knights closed out the scoring as the final three runs of the inning came on a pair of wild pitches and a throwing error from Caldwell.
Caldwell struck back for a pair of runs in the fourth, with three more in the sixth and solo runs in the seventh and ninth. NECC threatened on multiple occasions but could not add any additional runs.
On the mound Jack Sarno started on tossed 4 innings allowing four runs on six hits, striking out eight and walking five. Eric Bridges came on to toss 1.2 innings allowing three runs on four hits before North Andover’s Dominic Pefine closed out the game with 3.1 innings of four-hit baseball allowing two runs while striking out six.
“Jack sat for a long time in those first two innings when we scored six and then seven runs,” said Mejia. “He was rock solid for us, knowing we had the lead. He’s come through in so many big games and this was another.”
The win was the 32nd of the year for NECC improving the 32-9, the Knights’ first World Series win since 2023 when they finished third in the tournament.
“We really needed this win and honestly, we hit the ball as hard in the last half of the game, but didn’t have anything to show for it,” said Mejia. “Jaren, David, Dom … I could go on and on guys we needed today. I’m very proud of our team. We still have some good arms available.”
Castillo, who will be a Div. 1 player next year, will leave the shortstop position and get the ball on the hill for Monday’s do or die game.
“He’s one of the best players in the country,” said Mejia. “He throws the ball hard. He’s got two good breaking balls — slider and curve — too. We feel good about where we are. It would be nice to start strong again on Monday.”