Knights Defeat No. 2 Herkimer in Second Game of College World Series 6-5!

05.26.19

Greeneville, TN – May 26, 2019: The CCRI Knights baseball team took to the field against the No. 4 tournament seeded and No. 2 nationally ranked Herkimer College Generals on Sunday afternoon. Both teams needed a win to stay alive and the back and forth game eventually went the Knights way as they won 6-5. The win improves CCRI's season record to 27-11 overall, 15-1 in Region XXI play and 14-1 in League play.

A hot day with temperatures creeping into the 90s was made hotter by a must win game for the CCRI Knights. Herkimer also needed a win to stay alive and struck first with a run in the bottom of the second. CCRI quickly answered scoring twice in the top of the third. Back to back triples by freshman Anthony Ramos (Cranston, RI) and sophomore co-captain Nick D'Ambra (Coventry, RI) respectively combined the first run. Sophomore co-captain Zack Odsen (Providence, RI) then batted in D'Ambra with an RBI single to give the Knights a 2-1 lead.

The Generals scored solo runs in both the third and fourth innings to take back a 3-2 lead. This was answered when CCRI scored three runs in the top half of the fifth inning. The first run was brought in by freshman David Meech (Douglas, MA) with an RBI single. Sophomore Joey Barter (Coventry, RI) followed this with a matching RBI single to give CCRI a 4-3 lead. The final run of the fifth inning came off of a pass ball that scored Nick D'Ambra to make it CCRI five, Herkimer three.

Herkimer drew within one run, scoring a solitary run in the sixth. The Knights grabbed an insurance run in the top of the ninth when Joey Barter struck again, this time a double down the left field line that scored Alex Martinez (Cranston, RI) to make the game 6-4. Herkimer was able to steal one run to draw within striking distance and with two outs, winning run at second, CCRI closer Peter Cohen (North Attleboro, MA) sealed the game off, forcing a grounder to first base ending the game with CCRI on top 6-5.

The Knights had four separate pitchers throw on Sunday with sophomore Cristian Woods (East Providence, RI) getting the start and went five innings in which he allowed five hits and four runs of which only two were earned. Woods added in five strikeouts in route to his sixth win of the season. Sophomore Zack D'Andrea (Warwick, RI) came in for three innings of relief in which he allowed just one hit and no runs with three strikeouts to maintain the CCRI lead. Freshman Riley Beard (North Kingstown, RI) threw one third of an inning, conceding one hit and one run. Peter Cohen came in for the final two thirds of an inning, walking one batter but holding the bats silent, no hits or runs to earn his second save of the season and CCRI their first victory of the 2019 NJCAA DIII College World Series win.

At the plate, CCRI combined for 10 hits. Leading that charge was Nick D'Ambra as he went 2-3, a triple and a single with two runs scored and one RBI. Anthony Ramos was 2-4 on the day with a triple and a single, two runs scored and one stolen base. Joey Barter had a team leading two RBI including the game deciding run as he batted 2-5, a double and a single. David Meech was 1-4, a single with one RBI and a run scored. Alex Martinez went 1-4, a single and a run scored. Zack Odsen continued batting in runs as he contributed a 1-5 performance, a single and one RBI. Sophomore Ray Aponte (East Providence, RI) rounded off the offense as he went 1-4 with a single.

The CCRI Knights baseball team will play on Monday, May 27th at 1:00 p.m. against the loser of the game between the No. 3 seeded and No. 1 nationally ranked Cumberland County College Dukes and the No. 2 seeded and No. 8 nationally ranked Brookhaven College Bears.

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The Community College of Rhode Island, New England's largest comprehensive community college, enrolls nearly 15,000 students in credit courses and thousands more in non-credit and job training classes. Its athletic program boasts 12 varsity programs and an academic support program for all student-athletes.