NECC Knights played in the Division 3 Junior College World Series for the fourth year in a row.

For the fourth year running the Northern Essex Community College Knights baseball team played in the National Division 3 Junior College World Series. And while they gave it the “old college try”, they went up against the top two seeds, they bowed out with a pair of losses.

In the opening game, North Reading’s Ryan McAuliffe took the ball against No. 1 seed Tyler Junior College of Texas.

The big right-hander kept his team in it, going eight strong innings and striking out seven, but the Knights fell, 5-1.

North Reading’s R.J. Warnock and Georgetown’s Colby Ingraham had two of the three NECC hits.

NECC fell to the No. 2 Wood Ducks of Century College in Minnesota, 10-7. Ingraham drove in four runs in that one, as both he and Warnock had two hits apiece. Warnock worked double duty, tossing 2.2 scoreless innings of relief ball as the Knights fought to the bitter end.

Northern Essex finished up the season with an impressive 28-4.

After a perfect 15-0 record in the Region XXI competition, they emerged from the Region XXI Baseball Tournament unscathed, with a perfect 3-0, toppling Holyoke Community College 17-7 in the title game. That victory extended the Knights’ winning streak to 23 consecutive games dating back to March 18.

Ranked eighth nationally, this was the Knights third World Series trip under head coach Jeff Mejia.

“We were really excited to go back,” Northern Essex head coach Jeff Mejia said. “It was a new location this year. It was another great experience for this team.”

The Knights joined seven other junior colleges in Kinston, N.C., from May 23-29 for the NJCAA World Series.

 “It’s been a great run,” Mejia said.