BROCKTON, Mass. ---- The Massasoit baseball team opens up Region 21 play on Saturday, with its home opener hosting the Community College of Rhode Island for a doubleheader, slated to start at 12 PM at Columbo Field.
The Warriors enter Saturday coming off a doubleheader sweep vs. NHTI last weekend, earning a pair of 3-0 victories vs the team from the Granite State. Overall Massasoit sits at 3-7 on the young season.
The pitching duo of Ian Nadeau of Brockton and Francisco Navarro of Panama each fired complete game shutouts, with Nadeau tossing a one-hitter. Big hits during the twinbill featured a two-run homer by sophomore Aidan O'Neill of Halifax in game one and a two-run single from Brockton's Richie Wood in game two.
For his one-hit, 10-strikeout performance, Nadeau was named NJCAA Division III Pitcher of the Week, marking the first Warrior to earn the award since Jake Stearns back in 2016.
On the season, the Warrior offense has been led by Nadeau hitting .333 and Luke DiTondo (Marshfield) registering a .276 average. Wood tops the team in RBI with eight and O'Neill leads Massasoit with a .438 on-base percentage out of the leadoff spot.
CCRI sits at 6-8 overall and 2-1 in league play, having split with Quinsigamond CC last weekend and defeating Northern Essex midweek.
The Knight offense boasts a team batting clip of .307, led by Nick D'Ambra's league-best .436 average. CCRI has clubbed 43 extra-base hits, including seven homers so far this season.
CCRI is also aggressive on the base paths, having swiped 29 bases and yet to be caught.
Following the doubleheader with the Knights, Massasoit will play four-straight games on the road before hosting Southern Maine CC for a twinbill on Sunday, April 7th.
