Telegraph photo by TOM KING Former Bishop Guertin standout Stephen McLendon made his first mound appearance in over a year for the Nashua Silver Knights on Sunday at Holman Stadium.

NASHUA – Stephen McLendon has always been a Silver Knights fan.

“I’ve always wanted to play for this team since I was younger,” the Bishop Guertin alum from Nashua said. “I used to come to games all the time.”

Now McLendon is doing more than just coming to Silver Knights games, he’s pitching in them. The Babson sophomore made his mound debut in an inning of relief Sunday at Holman Stadium.

“It felt awesome,” he said. “My first appearance, it was awesome, it was good to be out there.”

McLendon hadn’t pitched in over a year, his senior season at Bishop Guertin. He played shortstop for Babson in three games before the season was cancelled, and there were plans to have him also be used as a reliever. Thus, with Nashua, that’s what he is.

His first appearance was mixed. The good news is he struck out the side. The bad news was he issued two walks and hit a batter with the bases loaded to force in a run, but it was unearned.

Last year McLendon tore his labrum midway through his senior season at BG. But it was his non throwing shoulder, so all he could do was pitch and not hit

“All I could do was pitch,” he said. “In pitching, I was having some success, and it carried through to college (where he can come out of the pen).”

Thus it was great for him to finally take the mound after nearly 14 months.

“It’s been a while, but it was nice to be out there,” he said. “Just getting some comfortability, and just getting the feel of things. I’m sure next appearance will go much better.”

McLendon is one of three Bishop Guertin alums on the Knights. His former teammate, Brett Anderson, is on the injured list to start as he recovers from knee surgery. Jordan Hiscoe, who will be a junior at AIC, appeared in relief the other night.

“It’s awesome,” McLendon said. “I hadn’t played with Hiscoe in four years. Brett and I played together for three years, we had a good time, he’s a great player. I love playing with them.”

XXXXXXX

Today the Knights take their first road trip, a 5 p.m. game at Brockton. So how will the transportation details be handled due to the pandemic?

To give you an example, North Shore players drove to the opener at Holman on Thursday night, while on Friday Brockton players had a coach bus.

Today, Nashua will do a little of both. Some who live nearby to Brockton will drive, others will take a school bus rather than a coach.

“It’s split,” Silver Knights general manager Cam Cook said. “Obviously the bus capacity is a little bit less than it normally is. School bus so we can use the windows down, all the players wear masks. No food, no drink on the bus. Probably a quarter of the team is just driving themselves.”

And some players who know they won’t be pitching or playing won’t travel at all, Cook said. On the bus, he added, it’s one player for a bench. The bus capacity is about 25.

The furthest trip will be New Britain, Conn., and the team will use a coach bus then so the amount of players can be increased. Another longer trip is Westfield, Mass., but Cook said that will be school bus/drive.

XXXXXXXX

The first weekend with all the safety protocols went well, Cook said.

“It’s been smoother than I would have expected,” Cook said. “The staff has been awesome, ushers, and obviously it’s all hand on deck. Myself, Katie (assistant GM Arend), the (owners John) Creedons Jr. and Sr. have been in full usher mode so everyone knows what’s going on, they’re very involved, which is helpful.”

Cook said the team has had very good cooperation from fans.

“Very rarely do we have to tell someone to put their mask on, or they’re walking the wrong way,” he said. “People, I think they’re just happy we have this, they’re not taking it for granted. They’re following the guidelines, getting to the seat and enjoying baseball.”

The team capped tickets during the day for Opening Night, not having walkup, but they had full walkup the next two games and Cook said they likely will going forward, give or take a game or two.

XXXXXX

Nashua sends righty Jack Dicenso to the mound on Tuesday vs. Brockton – he lives about a half hour away in Norfolk, Mass. – and then it should be righty Josh Roberge on Wednesday at 6 p.m. at Holman vs. New Britain.

It will be the expansion Bees’ first Holman appearance.

Newsletter