Ya Gotta Believe.

Right, Nashua Silver Knights fans?

That was the old New York Mets slogan from their World Series trip in 1973 – hey, we’ve been around a while – and they were a mediocre team that came out of nowhere to win the National League East.

But they probably didn’t start the season 2-15.

No, that’s the gigantic hole the Nashua Silver Knights have to dig themselves out of, and they started the process the other night and continued it on Thursday night with their 8-7 walk-off win over the Brockton Rox.

Yeah, it’s just a two-game winning streak. But there’s hope, right?

“I always had hope,” Silver Knights manager Kyle Jackson said. “It was the hope we could get the team here and see what the team could do. Then you go through a trial period for everybody to get to know each other. So we had early work today with the whole infield, have everybody at their positions to get a feel for what people like to do, so I think they’re coming together.”

OK, we’re getting too hyped up, sure. But last night’s game was one of the reasons you’re glad the Silver Knights are here, providing the city with great entertainment like the thrill of a ninth inning walk-off. Or packing the place with 4,000 screaming school kids on a late May morning and providing a great game.

We contrast that with the nights when Knights pitching walks 14 and the team is non-competitive, like they were for part of the last two weeks until they snapped that nine-game chain of a losing streak that could choke a lot of teams.

The deal is this: The team began the season with players who really didn’t belong at this level, overmatched but needing to play because most of the regulars were playing in college conference tourneys or NCAA regionals. That’s the thing when you start a summer collegiate wooden bat league season as the Futures League does before the college season is really over.

In the last few days, the ‘A’ team has arrived and it seems like they can do more things.

“I agree with that,” Nashua outfielder Shane McNamara said. “We definitely have more players, but we’re still trying to figure some things out. We weren’t taking care of the baseball very well. Trying to make adjustments and every single day come in here and try to get a win.”

You never know what you’re going to see at Holman. Last night the Rox stole nine bases, led 6-1, but still fell short. McNamara tried to make a circus catch in Triple Alley against the right field gate, couldn’t come up with the ball and got his laces caught in the gate. Forget a triple; try inside-the-park home run.

Nashua infielder Cam Kozeal looks for the ball to try to tag Brockton’s Luke Bauer at second base during Thursday night’s FCBL game at Holman Stadium. (Telegraph photo by TOM KING)

But for every miscue, the Silver Knights showed they could overcome. They have fight. They rallied last Friday against the Rox here but ultimatey lost in the Home Run Derby. But the guy who failed to hit a homer in that game-deciding long ball contest, Shane Wockley, has been on fire, hitting three homers with eight RBIs. That’s the player who hit 17 homers for Mount St. Mary this spring that the Knights thought they were getting.

Is this a team that can make that long climb to contend? Many refer to last year’s 5-13 beginning that ended 33-30 with a 4-1 postseason and a title. But it’s a new year. You can’t rely on that happening again, but it would be interesting if it does.

The fans left happy. Kids stayed to run the bases after they watched their heroes run out to the outfield to mob hero Nick O’Connor and douse him with water.

“That,” one fan said as she left, “was a lot of fun.”

“I love walk-offs,” Jackson said.

Especially when the crowd is into it.

“That,” the manager nodded with a wide grin, “is the best part.”

Ya Gotta Believe.

Tom King can be reached at tking@nashuatelegraph.com, or on twitter @Telegraph _TomK.

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