Reliever Shea Ryan has been a nice surprise for Nashua Silver Knights manager Kyle Jackson. (Courtesy photo by Chloe Tardif/Nashua Silver Knights)

NASHUA – Let’s face it, the Nashua Silver Knights have struggled mightily out of the game in 2021.

And they don’t want to struggle at the gate, either.

Winning and losing can be offset with attendance with some of the other entertainment offered at Knights games, but there are only so many Fireworks Fridays during the course of a season.

Saturday night the Knights had a healthy crowd at Holman Stadium, but the 9-4 loss to Norwich dragged on.

What’s been happening? The team, which begins its third full week tonight at 6 with the first Holman Stadium appearance ever of the Vermont Lake Monsters, is in a state of flux, with regulars who have been playing with their college teams in their post seasons on the way back, and players signed to temporary contracts on the way out.

“We’re trying to figure ourselves out,” Silver Knights manager Kyle Jackson said. “Guys are coming in, guys are leaving, it’s a rotating thing.”

The team should be complete by Thursday when one of last year’s top pitchers, Griffin Young, returns on Thursday.

But this is much different than last year. The FCBL was the only game in town around New England for college players, and reaped the benefits with Division I talent all around. Nashua was treated to a potent middle of the lineup (think Dom Keegan) and players who had experience.

This year’s team isn’t at that point.

“I’ve talked to a couple of them, and they now understand what Division I looks like, Division II and Division III,” Jackson said. “And where this league is competition wise. Last year was a big step for the league talent wise, and I think this year is just as good.”

And Nashua?

“I’m waiting on my roster,” Jackson said. “You can look at the lineup, and the top six have always changed.”

But there’s more. The Futures League season was just 39 games a year ago, thanks to a pandemic season that didn’t start until early July. This year it’s gone from a sprint to a marathon, almost doubling that total (68 games).

Thus the 15 games that has Nashua batting a woeful .198 does not give a true indication. Check back in a month from now.

“This is not college, it’s a 60 something game season,” Jackson said. “Mentally and physically, you have to prepare yourself. I’ll get a lineup one day, figure it out.”

When Young arrives, though, that’s it for the pitching staff. So any experimenting Jackson is doing now will soon take hold permanently.

“What you see is what you have,” he said. “They are starting to find their roles. Some guys have surprised me.”

He puts reliever Shea Ryan (2.70 earned run average) in that category, plus Ryan Hohmann (2.07).

“It all starts with first-pitch strike,” Jackson said. “That sets the tone for everyone.”

There are some players on the Knights that were here a couple of years ago, such as lefty reliever George Welch of Derry, who are finding it’s a different FCBL than in 2019.

Jackson said he talked to Welch when the team was in Pittsfield late last week, and his message was clear.

“I said ‘You’re fastball doesn’t work all the time now,'” Jackson said. “Two years ago, when he was throwing against D-III guys, you could throw your fastball and not worry about off-speed.

“You have to be able to throw your off-speed. And I think that’s what a lot of these guys are realizing: ‘I can’t get away with my fastball.’ Hit the corners and hit your speeds.”

Meanwhile, Jackson wants to see his team hit its stride. After tonight, Nashua is at Norwich on Wednesday then hosts Pittsfield and Vermont again Thursday and Friday, then a home-and-home with Norwich Saturday (road) and Sunday (Holman).

“The talent is there,” Jackson said. “I like our roster. Now I can start the rotation with the infield. And Alex Kennedy (SNHU) comes to help the outfield; now I can move Kyle Hannon to second base. He’s played a good outfield for me, but he’s a second baseman.

“I can get guys in their normal spots.”

We’ll see if that means the Knights can get in a better spot overall and put a tough start behind them.

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