The 2026 season officially began Wednesday morning at Historic Holman Stadium, as over 2,200 students and fans packed the ballpark to watch the Nashua Silver Knights take on the Vermont Lake Monsters.
The Silver Knights jumped out to an early lead in the first inning when Connor Smith (Gannon) scored on an RBI groundout from Hunter Troiano (Gannon). Nashua added another run in the second inning following a Vermont error to take a 2-0 lead through four innings.
Brown University right-hander Cameron Piwnicki held the Lake Monsters scoreless through four innings before Vermont began to find offensive momentum in the fifth. Piwnicki finished his Silver Knights debut, allowing seven hits across 4.1 innings and 68 pitches before turning things over to the bullpen.
Joshua Florence entered in relief, and Vermont’s offense broke through in the fifth inning. Bennett Hewett delivered a two-run triple to center field that scored Thomas Moss and Elias Huber, helping the Lake Monsters take control of the game.
Offensively, Sam Gettinger (Stonehill) led the way for Nashua, finishing 2-for-3 with an RBI and a run scored. The designated hitter delivered a sacrifice fly in the sixth inning that brought home Peter Keblinsky (Southern Maine) and cut the deficit to one. However, the Knights fell short as the Lake Monsters added two insurance runs late to secure a 6-3 victory over Nashua.
Despite the loss, the Silver Knights showed promise early and will look to bounce back tomorrow morning at Westfield. First pitch is scheduled for 10:30 a.m., with left-hander Dimitri Skourides (Brandeis) expected to start on the mound for Nashua.
