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By Bruce Bosley
PBR NE Scout

PBR New England is eagerly anticipating bringing the New England states the best high school coverage throughout the region.

We will have the 2016 Scout Blog, Spotlight Games, Inside the Recruitment Articles, Unsigned Senior Spotlights, The Recruiting Trail, All-State Selections, Full Coverage of the State Tournaments as well as numerous other articles throughout the spring.

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To view the full list of 2016 Team Previews that we have already completed, please click here.

For insider information and scouting notes from the PBR staff during the 2016 spring season visit the 2016 New England Scout Blog by clicking here.

Interested in attending a PBR New England event? Check out our schedule by clicking here.

PBR New England Spotlight Game: Essex vs Rice Memorial

South Burlington, Vt.-- Sophomore Maverick King (RHP/IF 2018) hurled five strong innings and junior Nicholas McGovern (OF/2017) went 3-for-4 at the plate driving in three runs as Essex topped two-time defending D-I champion Rice Memorial, 6-3, at Rice's Mike Pearo Field Thursday afternoon.

The Hornets (5-3), ranked ninth in the latest PBR Vermont Power Rankings, now have won two straight and three of four after opening the season 2-2. Rice Memorial (2-4), ranked eighth in the same poll, dropped its third game in its last four.

The Green Knights have been hampered by injuries to two of the state's top senior pitchers and Division I commits, Will Hesslink (LHP/1B; 2016 Boston College) and Henry Conroy (RHP/IF; 2016 Iona), who have yet to pitch this season seeing time only in the Rice infield. Also one of the state's top hitters, Hesslink, who will attend Avon Old Farms next year prior to BC, has played at first base and will likely return to the hill this season while rehabbing an injury from this past hockey season. Conroy has opened the season at second base and his mound status this spring is uncertain. 

Essex scored an unearned run in the first off freshman righty Griffin McDermott (2019, RHP/SS) before McGovern's line single to center plated two more in the top of the second. In both innings McDermott battled out of jams to limit the damage. Essex added two more unearned runs in the top of the fourth before Rice answered in its half as Hesslink led with a single, moved up on another hit by lefty hitting junior Dylan Beyor (OF, 2017) and scored on a passed ball.

King led the fifth pulling a line single to right, moved up on an infield out, and trotted home on another rope to center by McGovern to make it 6-1. Rice answered on a long sacrifice fly by Hesslink in its fifth and added another in the sixth but could not pull closer.

King went five innings for the victory allowing four singles, walking two and striking out six with just one of the two runs off him was earned. Five of his six Ks were on the Green Knights caught looking. Elijah Baez (RHP/SS, 2016; Lackawanna Pa. JC), went 2-for-4 with two steals for Essex and pitched the last two frames striking out four and walking just one.

McDermott was the tough luck loser for the Green Knights, whose six errors and a passed ball made just two of the six runs earned. The freshman allowed seven hits, one walk and struck out five. Also for Rice, Jack Levinsky (2016, C/SS) went 2-for-2, scored a run and had a sacrifice.