Knights

 

Silver Knights drop third in a row to start homestand

Mark Colley


The Nashua Silver Knights dropped the first game of a six-game homestand Tuesday night, losing 7-5 to the New Britain Bees and extending their losing streak to three games to start the season.



Tied 3-3 heading into the top of the ninth, a lead-off walk followed by three straight hits — plus two more hits later in the inning — gave the Bees a 7-3 lead before Nashua’s last at-bats.



While the Silver Knights loaded the bases with one out and scored two on an errant throw to first, the game ended when Kevin Skagerlind’s hot shot hit Nashua baserunner Ben Jerome for the third out.



“I think that’s a first in my career,” said Nashua manager Kyle Jackson. “It was a hard hit ball, it’s tough to get out of the way of one of those. It just shows they're going to compete until the end.”



Silver Knights right fielder Patrick Casserly started the inning with a single and eventually came around to score. In the fourth inning, Casserly also hit his first home run of the season.



Casserly said he popped out on a changeup in his first at-bat but got the same pitch in his second at-bat and didn’t miss.



“I was able to get a good swing on it,” Casserly said.



Despite Casserly’s home run and the late-inning heroics of the bottom of the lineup, the Silver Knights’ lineup still hasn’t clicked. But it showed improvements on Tuesday; after striking out 32 times in the first two games, Nashua only struck out six times against the Bees. Their seven hits was the most of any game this season.



Still, on two occasions, Nashua grounded into double plays with runners in scoring position, effectively ending rallies that could have led to big innings.



Jackson said the long layoff between the end of the college season and start of the Futures League season is to blame for the offensive issues.



“It’s a timing issue, having a layoff, whether it was two months, a month or a couple weeks,” Jackson said.  “Their swings just haven’t been there. I think tonight showed a lot better at-bats. They didn’t strike out as much. They put the ball in play.”



The three consecutive rainouts of games over the weekend didn’t help either. After opening the season at home last Thursday, the Silver Knights didn’t play again until Monday night against the Worcester Bravehearts.



“We haven’t had much consistency so far with the games so spread out,” Casserly said. “Now, with this next six-game home streak this week ... we’ll turn that around and get the bats going.”



Jackson expressed a similar sentiment, explaining that players will improve and learn from each at-bat or inning pitched.



There were bright spots that shone in Nashua’s lineup. Sam McNulty had two singles in four at-bats, while Sam LaChance hit a double. On the mound, Matt Poff had a solid start, giving up two runs in five innings



“[We’re] on a three-game losing streak, but I told them, we started 0-3 last year and we won the championship,” Jackson said. “It’s coming along. It’s a slow process.”



PATRICK CASSERLY


Approach to homer: Got him on first at-bat with changeup, flew out to centre. “Gave it to me again, and I was able to get a good swing on it.”



Approach going into homestand: “The hitting is coming around and our pitching was much better today, so I think we’re in a pretty good spot.”



Single in the 9th: “Mindset there was to just get on base any way I could. [Bees pitcher] was throwing pretty hard, he had a really good fastball, and I hit one hard up the middle, bounced off his glove and I got on.” Hit the fastball.



Hitting struggles; do the rainouts hurt the pace and tempo of the lineup? “It was a little difficult, because we haven’t had much consistency so far with the games so spread out. Now, with this next six game home streak this week and heading into next week, we’ll turn that around and get the bats going.”



KYLE JACKSON



Relation between rainouts and lack of hitting: “It’s a timing issue, having a layoff, whether it was two months, a month or a couple weeks. Their swings just haven’t been there. I think tonight showed a lot better at-bats. They didn’t strike out as much, they put the ball in play … It’s coming along. It’s a slow process, especially coming off of college where some have been off for a month.”



9th inning rally: “That’s a different way of ending a ballgame, that’s for sure. I think that’s a first in my career. It was a hard hit ball, it’s tough to get out of the way of one of those. It just shows, they’re going to compete until the end, which is good as a coach.”



“Youre on a three-game losing streak, but I told them, we starting 0-3 last year and we won the championship.”


Homestand: “Just improving tonight. Each night, I don’t think they’re looking at the losses. I think of how well they’re improving each game and each at-bat, each pitch … I think if they can just keep improving game after game, it’s gonna turn around. I think once they get that win off their back, I think we’ll start to roll.