Knights

Nashua’s return to Historic Holman Stadium presented an opportunity for a feat the Silver Knights have already notched off twice this season: winning five games in a row. With the New Britain Bees coming into town to open Nashua’s three game weekend slate, the Knights looked to stay hot on Friday night.

In a game that went south quickly for Nashua, the Knights fell to the Bees 9-4 for their first loss in a week. Preparing for a strong pitching performance from Nashua’s staff that was headlined by Tulane’s star Jonah Wachter, the Bees had their way with the Knights arms in a nine-run performance.

New Britain opened the scoring right from the jump, posting three runs in the top of the first. Wachter was jostled early with five hits in the first, including two RBI singles by Ohio State’s Tyler Pettorini and MIT’s Teddy Schoenfeld.

While the final tally makes it look like Nashua succumbed to New Britain’s offensive display, the Knights did respond to the Bee’s three spot with a huge four run second inning to take a brief lead. Nashua loaded the bases on two singles and an error ahead of Amherst’s Jack McDermott coming to the plate. In a war of an at bat from McDermott, the Pennsylvania native smoked a deep drive that one hopped the right field wall for a two RBI ground rule double.

Eastern Nazarene’s Shane McNamara, whose name has been all over the headlines as of late, kept up his recent tear with a two RBI double following McDermott. After two, Nashua battled back for a 5-4 lead.

Looking to take control of the ballgame, Nashua fell back behind as New Britain started to sprint away with the lead. With Wachter exiting the game after just four innings of work, the Bees capitalized on the Knights calling to their bullpen.

New Britain put up two more big offensive innings, scoring three in fifth and two in the sixth. UMass Boston’s Craig Corliss and Bowdoin’s CJ Brito-Trinidad spearheaded the Bee barrage, with Corliss’s two RBI single and a huge two run blast from Trinidad to make it 8-4.

Another Bee run would come across in eighth, continuing the Nashua pitching staff’s night of horrors. Four of the five Knights who took the bump all gave up at least one earned run, giving up nine runs for their highest total in almost three weeks.

No magic was cast on an epic Nashua comeback, with the Knights dropping their four-game win streak in the 9-4 loss. Needing to rebound quick with first place Vermont coming into town for two, the Silver Knights will be back at it against the Lake Monsters for a 6:00 PM Saturday first pitch.