Nashua Silver Knights infielder Jack McDermott jumps over Pittsfield's Marcus Forrester during the first inning of Thursday night's season opener at Holman Stadium. (Telegraph photo by TOM KING)

NASHUA – It was a tale of two years, and, the Nashua Silver Knights hope, two seasons.

For the first four innings, the Knights were stuck in 2021, a season known for feeble bats and bad luck.

But for the next five, 2022 arrived and Nashua went on to pound out 14 hits in a 13-7 season opening win over the Pittsfield Suns. The show of offense delighted the announced Opening Night crowd of 1,258.

“We were no-hit for the first four innings,” Nashua manager Kyle Jackson said, smiling after his first season opening win as the team’s skipper. “I could tell by the way they were taking pitches, sitting on the off-speed pitches, they were just getting a read. I knew once that first hit happened, it would be ‘OK, let’s put it all together.'”

Oh they did just that against a shorthanded Suns team and pitching staff. Pittsfield had just 12 players – a lot of colleges are still playing in the NCAA tournaments – but their starter, Tim Cianciolo, had the Knights hitters stymied, not a single ball to the outfield over the first .

But it wasn’t a play with the bats that may have woken up Nashua, it was a questionable call of what officially became a steal of home. Trailing 1-0 thanks to an Austin Rachiele solo homer over the left field boards in the second, the Knights’ first run of the 2022 season came when Will MacLean, who broke up the no-no in the fifth, was caught off third during the usual first-and-third play. Shane McNamara was taking off for second but caught in a rundown, MacLean appeared to have been tagged out, but he just kept running, rolled over home plate with no call and the umpires ruled he scored. Remember, the FCBL is using only two umps during the regular season after having three the last couple of years.

“That changed (the game),” Jackson said. “Everyone was into it. It woke the team up, too.”

Nashua made it 2-1 right after on the first of three Richie Paltridge hits (and RBIs).

But the real bat attack didn’t occur until the sixth. After Pittsfield plated three vs. Nashua reliever Adam Betty (Saint Anselm) in the top of the inning, one of their runs coming on their own steal of home as the Knights were napping.

Nashua Silver Knights starter Brayden Clark delivers a pitch during Thursday night’s season opener at Holman Stadium vs. the Pittsfield Suns. (Telegraph photo by TOM KING)

But by the end of the game, that was a distant memory. Nashua plated six runs in the bottom half on five hits and two walks, three straight hits after the bases were loaded by Noah Jankowski, Paltridge and Pat McConnell making it 6-4. Pinch hitter Kyle Wolff doubled in two more and Nashua was up 8-4.

Reliever Zach Gitschier surrendered three in the eighth, including one on a Brennan Hyde homer to make things interesting at 9-7. But Nashua, which is at Worcester tonight, answered with four more in the bottom half on four hits to create a big cushion.

“They just kept hitting,” Jackson said. “I hadn’t seen guys go the other way so early in the season. It was a test for Cam and I to get guys who were ready to play instead of having to break them in. But they’re all ready to go.”

McConnell ended up with two hits while James Powers also had three hits, with a two runs and an RBI. Besides the offense, one of the more encouraging things was the pitching of Clark, who struck out eight in the four innings of three-hit, one-run ball in a no-decision. Concord’s Noah Wachter also struck out the side in the ninth around a bloop hit.

“Clark threw really well,” Jackson said. “One homer, that’s it.”

Answered by ton of Nashua hits. Welcome to 2022.