The Community College of Rhode Island baseball team won the Region XXI championship earlier in the week, the Knights doing so with some help from a few city players.

CCRI earned the title with a 9-7 victory over Northern Essex Community College Knights on Monday morning. Trailing 5-3 after five, the Knights scored twice in the sixth and three in the seventh to take the lead for good.

Former East Providence High School pitcher Cristian Woods, a sophomore for the Knights, earned the win after he threw eight innings, allowed 12 hits and four earned runs with four strikeouts.

CCRI also defeated Northern Essex, 15-4, previously in the winners’ bracket final of the double elimination tournament. The Knights reached the title round following an 11-2 win over Quinsigamond Community College. Another former East Providence High School standout, Ben Sears, took the decision on the hill. Sears, a freshman, allowed five hits, three earned runs and had 10 strikeouts. Still one more local CCRI product, Ray Aponte, drove in three runs for the Knights while going 1-2 with a home run and two runs scored.

CCRI’s season record improved to 24-10 overall, 15-1 in Region XXI play. The Knights next vie in the District F finals against the Suffolk County (N.Y.) Community College Sharks in a best of three series. The games will be Friday, May 17, at 3 p.m., Saturday, May 18, at noon and if needed Sunday, May 19, also at noon. The games will be played at the Medford Athletic Complex in Medford, N.Y. The Sharks enter the finals with a 26-5 overall record and 15-1 in Region XV play.

The seven district winners from around the country, plus one at-large selection, advance to the National Junior College Athletic Association Division III championship tournament May 25-30, in Greenville, Tenn.