Workouts began earlier this week at Holman Stadium as the Nashua Silver Knights begin their 11th season tonight at HHS vs. Worcester. (Telegraph photo by TOM KING)

NASHUA – A race stock car with team decals is expected to come zooming out of right field, go around the warning track, and make a special delivery to home plate to the Silver Knights tonight.

It will contain something that clearly represents the emotional ups and downs, determination, and clear accomplishment of the 2020 season – Futures Collegiate League championship rings.

Welcome to the start of the 2021 Nashua Silver Knights season, with last year’s finals opponent, the Worcester Bravehearts – also owned by Nashua owner John Creedon, Jr. – serving as the visitors.

A 5:35 p.m.. ring ceremony commemorating not just the Silver Knights 2020 FCBL championship, the franchise’s fifth its 10 years, but also likely the fact that the Futures League was able to even have a 2020 season in the midst of a global pandemic.

Gates will open for the fans at 5 p.m. and Knights general manager Cam Cook encourages them to arrive at the ballpark no later than 5:30 if possible.

First pitch by one of the heroes of last year’s title run, Knights starting lefty Nick Guarino out of Clark University – tabbed by second year manager Kyle Jackson — will be around 6 p.m., following the festivities.

The pandemic will still be somewhat of a factor, though not as much, as per proposals with the city health department, fan capacity for now will be at 50 percent, or about 1500 fans. That’s for the bowl, but if anyone wants to take lawn chairs and sit down by the left field line or in the picnic area by the left field wall, they can do so and not count toward the bowl capacity, Cook said. Fans will be asked to mask when they are not at their seats.

“Obviously the protocols are in place but its just routine for everyone,” Cook said. “It’s kind of just part of your normal day. You walk in with a mask. You walk in with a mask around Nashua, so there’s not going to be any qualms of having to pull it up to just to get into the ballpark.

Opening Day will probably be the worst the rules are going to have to be. It’s only going to get better throughout the summer, especially with what Mass. is saying, what Connecticut is doing. Things are getting better.

“It’s basically just the same plan as last year, except for 50 percent capacity (doubling last year’s capacity).”

Cook said there will be no differentiation between those vaccinated and not vaccinated, as that brings a whole different task.

Remember this will be the longest season — 68 games– in FCBL history, following the shortest (39 games that began last July due to the pandemic). Nashua will have 34 home dates. There will be eight teams, with Pittsfield returning after sitting out last year, but North Shore (Lynn, Mass.) has left for the rival New England Collegiated Baseball League. However, two former New York Penn League locales, Burlington, Vt. and Norwich, Conn. have been added.

Here at home, concessions will likely be the same offerings as a year ago, with stands open behind home plate and also down the right field line, and there will bea couple of popup beer carts located around the facility. And, a reminder that since it’s Thursday, it will be the team’s first “Thirsty Thursday” with fountain beverages at reducd prices.

Suites sales have been on the rise, Cook said, and are sold out for tonight. “And we have three or four games when we have one suite left,” Cook said, adding that with the Bruins advancing he may have specials for the nights they play in the next series.

Cook is also expecting a good amount of walkup for this year.

“We’re not going to turn people away,” he said. “We’re going to make sure we have enough seats for everybody, and if we’re at capacity, we’ll find out what we have to do to make sure – if we have to put lawn chairs in left field, we’ll make sure everyone gets in. That number is based on the physical seats in the ballpark.”

And amazingly, ticket sales are already on the rise despite the fact the team is opening up nearly a month after a schedule was released.

As of late last week, the team had already sold nearly half of the tickets it had last year. And sponsorships are up.

“I think people are really excited to have it back,” Cook said. “Maybe the word got out more. I don’t know what it was. People are excited to be happy, and go out and do stuff.

“The existing sponsors were confident we were going to get things going. We did it last year. Wasn’t a matter if if, just a matter of when we’d get thngs going.”

The Kids Zone down just behind third base by the bullpen, closed down all of last season due to the pandemic, will be open except for early week games (closed Tuesdays and Wednesdays; Monday normally is a league wide day off except for makeup games).

The only thing not coming back will be the Bounce Castle. Instead a party rental company will supply an inflatable whiffle ball game, with interns making sure all the equipment is sanitized in between each youth using it.

“Just really low contact inflatible stuff,” Cook said, adding there will be some carnival games as well.

RING CEREMONY

Cook and FCBL Commissioner Joe Paolucci will initially hand out the rings to the Creedons and the staff from a year ago. And then Cook, Creedon and Paolucci will hand them out to the players, with about a dozen expected back, either on this year’s roster or, like Title Series MVP Kyle Bouchard, returning for the ceremony.

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The lefty Guarino, who won Game 2 with the team down 1-0 in the series, gets the nod. All he did last season was go 4-0, 1.12, allowing just one run on five hits over six innings in his Game 2 start.

“He is the most ready,” Jackson said, “and for me to know what I am getting from him on the bump can help me with the back end of the game.”

That’s because Jackson has, like most teams right now, a limited roster with just 12-13 pitchers. Guarino had four appearances in a short 14 game Clark season this spring, going 0-2, 4.61.