Softball:

The CCRI Lady Knights Softball team traveled to play the Northeast District Championship against Dutchess Community College on Saturday. The series was a best of 3. Rhode Island and Dutchess stayed low scoring through the first 4 frames of the game, until CCRI finally broke through in the 5th for 4 runs and were able to come away with a 6-1 game 1 victory.

Now, another win would win the Knights their 2nd consecutive trip to Nationals. After starting the game down 1-0, CCRI responded in the bottom of the third when Zoe Battersby tied the game with a solo home run to left field on an 0-2 count. This extends her career record and school record to 17 homers. In the fourth inning, the Lady Knights pulled ahead for good?Motta singled to drive in two runs, and Brianna Grenier grounded out to bring in another, extending the lead to 5-1. Motta also singled in the first and sixth innings. The hit in the 6th inning captured Motta?s 100th career hit, a milestone that belongs to under a dozen Knights in history. Sophia Valentini earned the win for CCRI, allowing just one run on five hits across seven innings while striking out three and walking one.

CCRI wins their second consecutive region and district championship and will return to the World Series next weekend, where they finished 2nd last year. The selection show will be later this week, where the #6 Nationally Ranked Knights will find their first round fate.

Baseball:

CCRI Baseball began playoffs last Thursday with a home game against Massasoit. The tournament is double elimination. The Knights took care of business in a high scoring, 13-7 win. They moved into the winners bracket with the win to face Northern Essex, who beat Bunker Hill. The Knights put together a competitive game, leading 2-1 until the 4th where NECC took a 4-2 lead and did not look back. They won the game 6-4, sending CCRI to the losers bracket final. They would end up facing Massasoit once again after they beat Bunker Hill. This game was competitive and was 5 to 5 after 4 innings. CCRI took advantage in the 5th and were able to close the game out with a 10-6 win.

The Knights have 1 loss headed into the championship series against Northern Essex on Monday at 9 am. The Knights must win out in order to win the Region. If they lose the first game, Northern Essex wins the Region, but if CCRI wins, it will force a decisive game 3.