Knights

Photo: Kailey Lane/Nashua Silver Knights

Following a split in the doubleheader the day prior, the Silver Knights now had one more home game before busing up to Vermont for a two-game stint. Westfield, now facing off against Nashua for the third time in two weeks, came into Holman to finish their three-game road trip. In a game where Nashua cruised, the Knights avoided a late inning collapse and won 4-3.

Endicott’s Gabe Van Emon took the bump for the red and black, making his first start of the season in his very first game on the team. New England’s Shayne Audet got the start for the Starfires, looking for his first win of the season and to end Westfield’s two game skid.

In similar fashion to their second game against Worcester, the Knights jumped out to an early lead in the first. After two quick outs, Vanderbilt’s Ray Velazquez belted his second homer of the year into the left field billboards. After one, Nashua was up 1-0.

In his debut for the Knights, Van Emon did not disappoint. Endicott’s lefty arm tossed six strikeouts in four and ⅓ innings. Van Emon mowed through Westfield’s lineup, until three consecutive singles by the Starfires set up Westfield with bases loaded with one out as they ended Gabe’s day.

Worcester State’s Cole Glassburn came in to try and aid the Knights out of the jam. In Glassburn’s first batter, Nashua got right what they needed with a 4-3 double play to end the inning.

In the bottom half of the same frame, the Knights started to add some insurance. With two outs in the inning, Northeastern’s Carmelo Musacchia legged out an infield single to keep the inning alive. In the nine spot, Niagara's Brady Desjardins moved the order back to the top with a single of his own. Two runners now were aboard for Nashua with Amherst’s Jack McDermott up to bat. On the fourth pitch of the at bat, McDermott laced a ball through the infield and into center to bring home Melo. A clutch hustle play by Melo to get aboard evolved into another Knights run, giving them a bigger lead at 2-0.

With already one Nashua homer in the game, Wake Forest’s Chris Katz joined in on the fun with a towering blast to left field in the sixth. As Nashua’s pitching staff kept getting the job done, the Knights lineup helped pad the lead and gave Westfield a steeper hill to climb.

In the bottom of the eighth, McDermott notched his second hit of the day with a leadoff double. Velazquez joined McDermott in the two-hit department, moving Jack over to third. Runners were now on the corners with Eastern Nazarene’s Shane McNamara due up. McNamara produced in his plate appearance, bringing home McDermott on a sacrifice fly.

Heading into the ninth, the Knights were up 4-0 and were looking to lock down back-to-back shutout victories. Unfortunately for Nashua, the second place Westfield Starfires never say die. With a runner on first, Marist’s Nathan Lincoln sent a deep drive to the wall for an RBI triple to break up the shutout. Right after Lincoln, Skidmore’s Jackson Hornung kept up his dangerous reputation with an RBI triple of his own. After being up four, the Knights lead was now cut in half at 4-2.

Plymouth State’s Noah Wachter was called into the game to help wrap things up. Looking to bounce back after two blown saves, Wachter came in with his “Party Like A Rockstar” pump up jam playing as rain started to pour on Holman. Trying to get his team a win (and out of the sudden rain), Wachter battled. After a Nashua error brought a home run to make the game 4-3, Wachter got the last two outs needed with two strikeouts to take the W 4-3.

Nashua can now take a deep breath, avoiding another late inning collapse. Moving to 12-17, the Knights will now head up to Vermont to take on the Lake Monsters for two on Thursday and Friday. First pitch on Thursday will be at 6:35 PM in Burlington, VT.