Baseball Trilogy: North Andover, Central, Andover to decide MVC Division 1 title in trio of games this week

May 16—Arturo Gatti and Lowell's Micky Ward had their own notorious "Trilogy" in the boxing ring. A trilogy of a different kind — with the Merrimack Valley Conference Division 1 baseball title hanging in the balance — commences on Monday night (7 p.m.) when Central Catholic and Andover High square off on the new turf at Greater Lawrence Tech.

Both teams are chasing MVC1 leader North Andover, attempting to stay alive in the chase to try and unseat the defending champion Scarlet Knights.

All three clubs are entrenched atop the MIAA's most recent Division 1 power rankings with North Andover (10-3 overall) at No. 6, Andover (9-4 overall) at No. 7 and Central (9-5) at No. 9.

But first things first, there is a battle for the top spot in the league to be settled, and this week we shall see.

North Andover (9-1 in the MVC) will be watching intently as the two teams match pitches tonight. Central is 6-3 in the league and Andover is 7-4. The winner will be alive and kicking. The loser will have its work to do.

Wednesday afternoon, North Andover takes center stage as Scarlet Knights travel to Central (at NECC), then Friday afternoon it will be Andover challenging the Knights on their home turf.

Certainly, with two weeks to go, North Andover sits in the driver's seat.

The Knights have four league contests in all to play. In addition to the aforementioned two games, North Andover hosts 6-6 Lawrence this afternoon then closes out the league campaign on Tuesday, May 24, at home against Methuen.

Any victory will guarantee North Andover a co-championship, and any two wins will mean the Knights again reign supreme among the big boys of the MVC.