Bishop Guertin's A.J. Holmes shows the form he used to one-hit Concord while striking out 11 in the season opener Monday at Holman Stadium. (Telegraph photo by TOM KING)

NASHUA – The weather on Monday had that May feel, and so did Bishop Guertin High School pitcher A.J. Holmes.

Holmes was in mid-season form for the Cards’ season opener at Holman Stadium vs. Concord, striking out 11 and allowing just one hit in a 10-0 BG win that ended via the mercy rule in the bottom of the sixth.

Holmes, who was one of the state’s best high school football players in the fall, didn’t play any winter sports and instead focused on his pitching craft with a lot of indoor workouts and throwing sessions, and yesterday it certainly showed.

“Oh yeah, definitely,” Holmes, who is bound for Merrimack College in the fall, said. “I played catch with these guys, we were all getting each other ready. It (Monday) was about what I expected. I definitely got into a rhythm early. The fastball was working – and I just knew I had a good defense behind me so I didn’t have to worry about anything.”

In fact, the player who got a hit for the young Crimson Tide, Cam Burbank, was erased on a first inning-ending double play.

“I don’t think we turned one all last year,” Cards coach Scott Painter said. “(Holmes) is good, same guy he was for us last year. Pounds the zone, throws pretty hard, slider’s pretty good. He came in ready to go.”

And BG swung the bats, pounding out 11 hits, including Kolby Piper’s shot over the Concord outfield that plated the game’s final two runs in the sixth, his third hit of the game as he drove in a run with a double in the first, when BG plated four, and another in the fifth. Ethan Druin had a two-run single in the first, while Tyler Parks doubled in a pair in the second. Liam Ireland had two hits and an RBI.

“We’re athletic, we’ve got a bunch of guys that can play different positions,” Painter said. “We hit. We’re athletic, and the guys like to run.”

Bishop Guertin’s A.J. Holmes shows the form he used to one-hit Concord while striking out 11 in the season opener Monday at Holman Stadium. (Telegraph photo by TOM KING)

Bishop Guetin infielder Gavin Santos throws to first to complete a double play after forcing Concord’s Cam Burbank at second in the first inning of Monday’s season opener at Holman Stadium. (Telegraph photo by TOM KING)

Meanwhile, the Tide are in a different place, young and certainly weren’t a match for Holmes this early in the season.

“We’re in a new process, young team,” Concord coach Scott Owen. “We haven’t seen (good pitching) enough. (Holmes) pounds the strike zone, hits his spots, has a good philosophy and it’s tough even when you are good hitters.”

The Cards have a game vs. Trinity on Wednesday and then are back at Holman next Monday vs. city rival Nashua South, with Holmes likely going. But when he doesn’t, Painter feels he has the pitching, with Logan Kosko and Ben Geiger having varsity experience from a year ago.

“It’s high school baseball, right,” he said. “If guys throw strikes, and play defense, you’re going to win more than you lose.”

And remember, May will be here before you know it, and then June.