Knights

Wednesday, June 19, 2024

By: Dan Allison | Silver Knights media relations

24 hours after being unable to seal the deal in a heartbreaking loss at Holman, the Silver Knights left no doubts on Wednesday night with a pullaway 10-5 win in New Britain. Nashua and the Bees battled early with three lead changes in the first five innings before the Knights delivered the final blow with a five-run eighth frame.

Nashua’s heart of the order, after a quiet night on Tuesday, revved up again with six RBIs and four hits. Central Michigan’s Drew Loikits and Keene State’s Tommy Ahlers led the way as they combined for five RBIs, accounting for half of the Knights’ runs. 

It was not smooth sailing out of the gate for Nashua although, with the Knights struggling to get going early. Nashua was held to one hit through the first four innings, going 1-2-3 in the first two. 

Penn State’s Will Perkowski pitched well in his fourth appearance, only allowing one run on one hit in three innings. New Britain sneaked across another run after Perkowski’s exit to hold a 2-0 lead early.

UMass Lowell’s River Hart stepped up to the plate to lead off the fifth. Needing a spark and needing it in a hurry, Hart delivered a mammoth shot over the left-field scoreboard to make it 2-1. Hart’s blast put him back on top as the league’s home run leader at a much-needed time for the Knights.

Hart’s espresso shot of a solo homer did wake up Nashua, adding three more in the inning to grab the lead 4-2. After getting back on track, Bullpen woes hurt the Knights soon after with the Bees responding with a three-run bottom half.

On the verge of letting another game get away, the Silver Knights buckled down and tied the game in the next half-inning with Southern New Hampshire’s Nater Wachter coming around to score on a wild pitch following a double. 

Assumption’s Mike Crowley was excellent out of the bullpen in a pivotal portion of the ballgame, going two and a third innings with just one hit and three strikeouts while keeping the game deadlocked at five. 

In the eighth, Siena’s Jeff Valdez came up clutch once again against New Britain with an RBI single to break the tie. Pace’s Ben Tullo followed suit with an RBI knock off his own before Loikits delivered the knockout blow with a two-RBI single.

Following Crowley’s great outing, Nashua’s bullpen continued the trend. AIC’s Anderson Cuello Batista tossed a shutout eighth before Lehigh’s Liam O’Hearen struck out all three batters in the ninth to cap off a resilient Knights victory.

Needing a win to erase the sour taste in their mouth, the Silver Knights will look to stay in the win column after now winning their last three of four. Nashua will head to Worcester on Thursday night for the back half of their two-game road trip, first pitch is set for 6:30 PM.