Knights

Wednesday, July 17, 2024

By: Dan Allison | Silver Knights media relations

After two off days following a tough winless weekend in Vermont, the Silver Knight loaded the bus for a Wednesday night matchup in Brockton. Nashua, currently on a four-game skid, looked to get back on track against a team they hadn’t seen in over a month. But despite a new venue, the same woes hurt the Knights as the Rox scored seven combined in the sixth and seventh innings to take the win 11-10.

It was a tough night for the Nashua pitching staff, with four of the five pitchers giving up two earned runs or more. Northeastern’s Cam Keaveney, who was excellent in his last start in Norwich, ran into trouble with the Rox as he allowed two earned runs on five hits in two and ⅓ innings.

With the pitching in a slump, it was up to the offense to battle it out, and battle they did. Nashua scored three runs in a single inning three times in the matchup, including the ninth to pull within one. The “oldtimers” in SNHU’s Shane McNamara and Richmond’s Brady O’Brien both had three RBI nights, as Central Michigan’s Drew Loikits put two to his name as well. 

Northeastern’s AJ Aschettino and Keene State’s Tommy Ahlers both had two-hit nights at the top of the lineup, setting the table for the rest of the Knights to capitalize. Nashua responded to Brockton twice by grabbing the lead back in the third and fifth, leading 6-4 entering the sixth frame.

In a boxing match of a game, the Rox tried to make Nashua throw in the towel in the sixth. Brockton pushed across five runs after Nashua just took back the lead while adding two in the seventh for good measure.

Nashua has been all too familiar with late-game pushes from the opposition, as they took matters into their own hands. Stonehill’s Nate Kearney cut into the deficit with an RBI single to make it 11-7. Time was running out, but the Knights' offense stayed in the fight. Aschettino and Ahlers led off the ninth inning with a single and a double to put runners on second and third with nobody out. 

Shane McNamara, who has already grown a legend to his Silver Knight name, added another signature moment to his catalog with a two-RBI single to make it 11-9. O’Brien walked following the at-bat with Shane moving to third on a wild pitch, setting up Loikits for a sacrifice fly and now a one-run ballgame.

11-10, one out and a runner on second. It's a scenario too good to be true, with the Knights seemingly down and out just a few short innings ago. Nashua was on a tear but alas, all things must come to an end. Northeastern’s Will Fosberg moved O’Brien to third on a flyout and with the tying run 90 feet away, a tough strikeout of SNHU’s Nater Wachter in a gritty at-bat closed the door on the comeback and gave Nashua their fifth straight loss.

Tough loss after tough loss, the Silver Knights will look to rewrite their wrongs with a home matchup against Worcester on Thursday. First pitch at Historic Holman Stadium is set for 6:00 PM.