Knights

Wednesday, July 12, 2023

By: Dan Allison | Silver Knights media relations

Riding high off their third straight victory against Vermont, the Knights had to stay locked in for a Wednesday matchup with the team in front of them on the standings in the Pittsfield Suns. Nashua, who has not faced Pittsfield since June 18th, would look to gain some ground on their sixth-place opposition.

Nashua, in another hot start at the plate, pieced together a 7-4 victory to win their second straight. A second straight ballgame with a four-run first inning catapulted the Knights to a win with Assumption’s Alex Meesig holding off any potential comeback via a hitless three-inning save.

In the opening frame, the Knights got on the board almost immediately following a leadoff walk from New England’s Luca Giallongo with Amherst’s Jack McDermott bringing him around to score. Giallongo’s 20th stolen base put him in scoring position, as McDermott’s 17th RBI of the summer put Nashua up 1-0 just through two batters.

Nashua would bring around three more in the frame, including a two-RBI single from Mount Saint Mary’s Shane Wockley. Working with a lead early, Nashua’s starter in SNHU’s Trevor Anibal went to work. 

Anibal pitched solid in his four innings of work but some defensive misplays in the field brought around two unearned Sun runs to make it 4-2 in the third. Despite Pittsfield cutting the lead in half, Nashua’s offense would stay hot and answer with two runs of their own in the bottom half. SNHU’s Kyle Lavigne gave his teammate Anibal some insurance with an RBI single in the two-run frame.

As the game sat a 6-2, Pittsfield would stay resilient with another two-run inning coming in the fifth. Both teams would keep trading blows offensively, with Bucknell’s Matt Alexander doubling to center to bring home the seventh run of the ballgame. 

Both offenses would stay active, with Pittsfield staying hot on the trail for a possible comeback. But with the Nashua leading only at two in the seventh, Meesig took over the bump and delivered. 

Meesig tossed a scoreless and hitless three frames with four strikeouts, coming in as just the answer Nashua needed to fend off the Suns. In the ninth, Meesig would notch another K in a quiet frame for Pittsfield as Meesig’s performance let the Knights ride off into the sunset for their sixth win in their last eight.

Now with two wins in a row, Nashua will head back on the road for a doubleheader against the Suns. Pittsfield and the Silver Knights are set for a Game 1 5:30 PM first pitch on Thursday night.