Aided in part by the superb pitching performance of city native Ben Sears, the Community College of Rhode Island baseball team swept the Suffolk County (N.Y.) Community College Sharks in a best of three series for the District F championship Saturday, May 18, in Medford, N.Y.
The Knights now join the six other district winners from the across the country and on at-large selection in the National Junior College Athletic Association Division III championship tournament May 25-30, in Greenville, Tenn.
CCRI, who earlier last week won the Region XXI title with the help of city natives Christian Wood and Ray Aponte, defeated Suffolk County by the scores of 9-3 and 7-1. Sears was the winning pitcher in the second game, throwing all seven innings, striking out 13 and allowing just the one run while scattering five hits to the Sharks.
The Knights improved to 26-10 overall for the season.