It was a scene hard to imagine as recently as a month or two ago.

Fans were seated in groups – family groups, it looked like – on the hill last Friday evening overlooking Harvey Woods Field.

The former Daniel Webster College home field serves as a home for three teams in the New Hampshire COVID Baseball League (NHCBL) and at least one in the New England Independent Baseball League.

It was just a scrimmage between the Merrimack teams from each league. But when Mike Lyna of Merrimack’s NHCBL squad slammed a home run over the right field fence and there were cheers and player celebrations, it felt like a regular summer season or tournament game.

At Holman Stadium, the Silver Knights were holding a Tuesday morning workout under the hot sun.

Baseball’s back in Nashua and surrounding towns. Pass the word. Say it loud, say it proud.

The practices of nine players and a coach, and then bigger groups as the pandemic re-opening phases progressed, are just about done for the youth levels. It’s time for games.

For example, weather permitting, later today Nashua and Merrimack are set to square off in their NHCBL opener. Think Senior Legion-type ball, it will include from the Nashua side several of the players who celebrated a state Legion title last July.

C’mon, thunderstorms, you haven’t been around for days, pick some other time.

Meanwhile, the NEIBL scrimmages are still ongoing, and the expansion of an already existing league, put together by Souhegan coach Tom Walker, is giving high school varsity age and JV-age players a chance to get back out in the summer sun and play baseball. Regular-season games begin next Monday and Tuesday. Locally, you’ll see teams from Hudson, Hollis Brookline, Souhegan (Amherst) and Merrimack, and the Nashua Chiefs are back to at least get a minimal schedule. The Chiefs, who won the NEIBL a year ago, joined this year’s NEIBL fray a bit late due to the fields in Nashua not having been opened when the schedule was made. But they’ll play, too. Their first workout is set for Saturday morning at Ledge Street Field, last we checked. Chiefs coach Mike Coy can’t wait.

“You have no idea,” he said. “I’ve been chomping at the bit. The kids have, too. They can’t wait to play another season.”

And how about Nashua Cal Ripken? Smart move if they can pull it off, turning their cancelled spring season into an August through September deal. Great job to give the younger faction in the city a chance to play.

Nashua Park Recreation Superintendent Nick Caggiano, meanwhile, throws up the caution flag for some of the youth teams using city fields.

“The cleaning and the separating has got to happen,” he said, adding hopefully the Nashua NHCBL team can get some games at Holman now that the Silver Knights have a schedule that starts with a Stadium opener on July 1. “But we’re ready. Play ball. We’re psyched.”

Exactly. Next week there will be multiple teams in action. Baseball as it ought to be, and also as it has to be, in the new normal.

Tom King may be reached at 594-1251,tking@nashuatelegraph.com, or@Telegraph _TomK.

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