NEWPORT, R.I. -- Three members of the North Shore Navigators helped the North Division secure a three-run lead in the second inning and ultimately claim a 6-2 win over the South Division in the 2021 New England Collegiate Baseball League (NECBL) All-Star Game at Cardines Field on Sunday night.

The game, which featured 60 of the NECBL’s top student-athletes from across all 14 teams and more than 40 Major League Baseball (MLB) scouts from every organization, was the main event of an afternoon at Cardines that also featured the exciting Home Run Derby in which the Navs’ Ryan Marra (Brown) emerged from the field and finished second.

Marra earned sole possession of the lead following his opening round at-bat as he belted 14 homers, only being surpassed by the eventual champion in Valley Blue Sox first baseman Luke Franzoni (Xavier). Marra’s 10 long balls in the two-man final round were not enough as Franzoni walked off with the win, though he blasted the longest by any player on the day at 448 feet.

As for the game itself, four consecutive hits built the 3-0 lead that would never be relinquished before Jackson Emus (Princeton) tossed a hitless inning as the first pitcher to relieve North starter Michael Bacica (Keene/Maine). The North Shore righty whose 1.88 ERA is second among NECBL qualifiers allowed an unearned run on a groundout before a strike ‘em out, throw ‘em out double play got him out of the frame without any further damage.

Appearing as a designated hitter, Logan Bravo (Harvard) was the second Navigator to make an impact on the box score in the sixth inning as his first of two at-bats resulted in a two-out RBI single. Second baseman and All-Star MVP Max Viera (Upper Valley/Northeastern) had the first of three straight two-out hits and crossed the plate on Bravo’s knock through the shortstop hole.

Outfielder Joe Lomuscio (Stanford) earned his second NECBL All-Star nod after playing for the Valley Blue Sox in 2019. A team-leading .319 hitter with 20 RBI for the summer, Lomuscio went 0-for-2 at the plate, but recorded a putout on his only chance in center field during the middle innings.

The Navs return to NECBL regular-season action on Monday night as they head to Keene, N.H., to take on the first-place Swamp Bats at 6:35 p.m. from Alumni Field. 

Stay up to date on the latest Navs news all year long by visiting nsnavs.com and following the team on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.