Telegraph photo by TOM KING North Shore's Logan Bravo slides into third ahead of the throw to Nashua's Luke Beckstein at third during the Silver Knights' 4-1 loss in the FCBL opener for both Thursday night at Holman Stadium.

NASHUA – In Kyle Jackson’s mind, everyone was a winner on Thursday night, even though his Nashua Silver Knights dropped a 4-1 season opener to the North Shore Navigators at Holman Stadium.

“It’s not the outcome they wanted,” the Silver Knights manager said of his players. “But for me it’s a win because we just played baseball. I like to win, but for these kids to get on the field and compete, you can’t ask for anything more than that.”

Still, a win would have been nice, and the 550 fans – the team capped the ticket number – could have done without a 45 minute rain dely in the sixth inning. Meanwhile, eight North Shore pitchers combined to hold Nashua to just two hits. One of those was a solo bomb over the right field billboards by Jared Dupere in the first inning that tied the game at 1.

“I think it shows,” Jackson said. “That four or five months off, not seeing live pitching. You can do the intersquads, but you don’t have the same intensity when the pitchers are throwing. Now that a game means something, you have jitters, fans cheering you on.

“Kudos for (the organization) for even getting this game in.”

They go at it again tonight at Holman vs. Brockton at 6. Last night, Nashua starter Geoff Mosseau (0-1) took the loss, as he wild-pitched a run home in the top of the first and gave up a two-run single to Nashua nemesis Sal Frelick in the top of the second. The Navigators had seven hits in all.

“They’re all, that lineup, it’s good,” Jackson said.

That lineup added an insurance run in the seventh on former Knight Alex Brickman’s sac fly.

Dupere just missed an opposite field homer in the fifth.

“His swing has gotten better,” Jackson said. “He’s been working on the outside pitches because pitchers know he loves to pull.

“They’re (his hitters) only going to get better. You can see how late the swings were, just timing issues for the hitters. ..

“Hey, we get back (tonight).”

Which the Knights hope will turn into a win-win.

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Thursday marked the return of former Silver Knights shortstop Cody Morissette of Exeter, a star at Boston College who lost his spring season due to the pandemic and then was set to play in the Cape Cod League before it was cancelled. He wanted to return to Nashua but at the time, Jackson didn’t have a roster spot and Morrissette signed with North Shore instead.

“A week later I had a spot open,” Jackson said. “But he already signed. He’s playing, which is good. He’s a great piece, but I love our team.”

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Tonight Nashua sends Bedford righty Joe Quintal (Fordham) to the hill. After an off day Saturday, another Bedford arm, righty Pat Harrington, gets the start vs. Worcester at Holman on Sunday at 3 p.m.

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