A year ago on July 4, Kyle Jackson was having a good time. Make that a great time.

The so-called pressure of managing was off, as he was able to watch a Silver Knights win up in a Holman Stadium luxury suite while Brendan Martin ran the team on the field.

Jackson didn’t do it to be some eye in the sky. He was in the Futures Collegiate Baseball League’s version of time out, suspended for a game because of numerous run-ins with umpires.

But not this time. Jackson had to manage, and he’s glad he did as the Silver Knights had their second straight home July 4 win, this one a 2-1 triumph over the rival Vermont Lake Monsters.

“I can’t get thrown out, because I only have Noah (pitching coach Wachter) left,” he said, noting that Tuesday Martin was away, and will be for a short while as he’s on an overseas trip related to Nashua South, where he teaches.

But this had to be a fun game for Jackson to manage and be a part of. Great pitching by Michael Gemma, a soon-to-be junior at Northeastern who is making the transition from the pen to the rotation. He had five no-hit innings but was laboring and there’s no way he was staying in after some 80-plus pitches as a recent reliever.

Still he knew it was a special day. The Silver Knights, no matter what the year or record, always seem to play when the day is special, the crowd is big, etc. They didn’t play like a team that would be 10-25, beating a Vermont squad that is now 24-10.

“It was awesome,” Gemma said. “It was awesome pitching today, definitely a privilege.”

Despite what seems to be this summer a never-ending threat of rain, the Silver Knights pulled it off. The crowd was large, announced as 3,284 paid, and the threat of rain probably made some of those empty seats. But let’s face it, we’re likely seeing a new Nashua tradition, because the July 4 game is extremely popular. Kids filled the Kids Zone, the dunk tank making a splash, and the baseball itself was superb.

Nashua reliever George Welch hugs catcher Will Fosberg after geting the save in Tuesday’s 2-1 win over Vermont while kids wait in the background to run the bases. (Telegraph photo by TOM KING)

Nashua reliever George Welch hugs catcher Will Fosberg after geting the save in Tuesday’s 2-1 win over Vermont while kids wait in the background to run the bases. (Telegraph photo by TOM KING)

This wasn’t easy to pull off. This year the 11 a.m.game was nine innings – the city had them play seven a year ago but it went so fast they agreed to nine for this year. The rain held off until the eighth, and didn’t pick up in intensity until the players were leaving the field after a large number of youths did the usual running of the bases to high fives by the players.

But while Worcester was the opponent a year ago, Vermont was this year, and that’s a three-and-a-half hour jaunt. Not one you’d make for a rainout. Word was Knights general manager Cam Cook was up at 5:30 a.m.to check the forecast, radar, etc. as Vermont had to leave fairly early. At least if it did rain, the fact the city moved its other Holman festivities, including the annual fireworks show back a day due to the iffy weather would give Nashua the flexibility for a rain delay if needed.

No delay. It all worked out. The fans showed up, had fun, the baseball was great, and the bad weather held off just in time. Makes you wish every game this season was like this.

“There’s no fireworks,” Jackson said, “so we tried to give them some.”

Tom King can be reached at tking@nashuatelegraph.com, or on twitter @Telegraph_TomK.