Knights

Monday, June 12, 2023

By: Dan Allison | Silver Knights media relations

May 31st. Not just the last day of the month, but also the last time the Silver Knights posted a win. On an eight-game skid, Nashua desperately looked to get a W to start off their week. A win on Monday would be no small task though, with a matchup set against the first-place Bravehearts. Once in a five-run hole, the Knights battled back to tie it 5-5 before Worcester topped things off with a go-ahead run in the ninth to win 6-5.

While the final score shows an exciting ballgame, things weren’t always that way at Historic Holman Stadium. Central CT’s Randy Guzman threw a perfect first three innings for Worcester as it looked like another silent night for the Knights at the plate. 

For the Bravehearts at the plate, the lineup stayed hot to start off. Back-to-back two-run innings in the third and fourth gave them an early advantage, with the Hearts adding another one in the fifth. Worcester’s 1-4 hitters posted three hits and an RBI, with all four hitters coming across to score. In a five-run hole, the Knights were in a rut once again.

Following the Hearts’ one-run addition in the top of the fifth, the Knights' offense awoke. A lead-off single from St. Thomas Aquinas’s Nick O’Connor set the table for Amherst’s Jack McDermott to rope a double into the left-center gap.

Two free passes from Worcester loaded the bases for Mount St. Marys Shane Wockley. On the fourth pitch of the at-bat, a balk from the Hearts brought home the second Nashua run in the inning. Wockley would end up walking to load the bases but UMass Lowell’s Scott Brown would get caught up at third, getting picked off to waste the potential frame.

After a deflating end to a big inning, the game headed to the bottom of the seventh still at 5-2. McDermott would lead off the bottom of the seventh with a base knock, with New England’s Luca Giallongo bringing him over to third on an infield single. Once again in a big spot, in stepped Shane Wockley.

With the Holman spirits still low in a three-run hole, Wockley smoked a high fly ball to left-center. With the center fielder drifting back, Wockley’s shot would bounce off the advertisements above the wall for a three-run home run. After Shane’s second homer of the year, both coming against Worcester, Holman Stadium and the Knights came alive.

Ever since getting knotted at five, both teams entered a stalemate headed towards the ninth. Northeastern’s Michael Gemma got the ball to start the frame, with no easy task as Michigan’s Marc Willi was due up. On the third pitch he saw, Willi slapped his third hit of the game to cap off his big night and lead off the inning. Wheaton’s Kevin Matos followed suit with a single to put the runners on the corners and no outs. 

Shippensburg's Andrew Chronister delivered next in the big spot, bringing around the run to score with an RBI single. Chronister finished the night 4-5 with two RBIs as the Knights now headed to the bottom of the ninth needing to rally.

Giallongo was due up, with the top of the order following him in the perfect spot for a Knights though. Following two quick outs from Giallongo and Wockley, Eastern Nazarene’s Shane McNamara smoked a single down the line to keep the inning alive. Unfortunately, Nashua would strand Shane and the Knights would fall 6-5.

Now on a nine-game losing streak and 10.5 games back, the Knights will try and get back on track versus Norwich. Nashua and the Sea Unicorns are set for a 6:00 PM Monday first pitch at Historic Holman Stadium.