Silver Knights infielder Nigel Sebastoanelli tages out Westfield's Anthony Ruggiero tryng to steal second during the first game of Tuesday's doubleheader at Holman Stadium. (Telegraph photo by TOM KING)

NASHUA – The Nashua Silver Knights certainly know how to navigate a doubleheader rain delay.

Everything worked nearly to perfection on Tuesday at Holman Stadium. The Knights beat Westfield 11-4 in Game 1, then waited out lightning and rain for about an hour in the second inning of the nightcap, returning to the field to win 9-3 in very light rain and get their sweep before an announced 582.

“It was all pushing away from us,” Silver Knights manager Nick Guarino said of the rain and lightning. After looking at the radar with Cam (GM Cook) it was pretty simple, let’s just get the tarp off as soon as possible and start this thing as soon as possible.”

The double win over a pitching-starved Starfires club puts Nashua at 16-14, and gets July started off on a great note. They jumped out to a 6-0 lead in the humidity in Game 1, survived four errors, three of which helped the 8-22 Starfires close to 6-4 but then swung the bats some more to pull away. Nashua’s offense has covered up a few defensive shortcomings as in the last 23 innings the Silver Knights have committed 11 errors but have amassed 38 hits.

“We still have to clean some things up,” Guarino said, referring to the defense and some baserunning mistakes. “We’re going to start doing things a little different during BP … getting guys more (defensive) reps in, throws to first base, focus more defensively during BP. I hope it works out.”

Remember, this offensive fireball is happening with Nashua’s top two offensive catalysts at the top of the order, Ernie Little (back) and Anthony Grabau (knee) are both out.

“The good thing is the bats are coming alive,” Guarino said, “and it’s been pretty consistent over the last few games.”

In the opener, the Knights saw a 6-0 lead that they had built with a four-run third shrink to 6-4 in the third as starter Tommy Flaherty struggled after a strong start and the Knights committed three errors – one by Flaherty. But they got great relief from Hunter Ward and added three runs in the fifth (key two-run bases loaded single by Ryan Strand) and two more in the sixth to pull away.

Jake Haarde (Fairfield) had four hits in the two games with four RBIs, going 3 for 3 in the opener.

In the nightcap, Scott Longo started for Nashua and gave up a homer to left on the game’s second pitch to Griffith Mills for a 1-0 Westfield lead -the Starfires’ only lead of the day.

That’s because in the bottom of the first, Nashua answered with two, one on a bases loaded double play and another on an RBI hit by Nigel Sebastianelli for 2-1 lead. In the top of the third inning the lightning came, then the rain.

The Knights came out of the delay with Josh Florence on the mound and he got the win with 3.2 innings, allowing two runs on five hits.

Nashua kept the hits coming as Westfield came back with their starter, Wheaton junior Greg Strite. RBI singles by Haarde and Campbell alum Jack Kidwell keyed a 6-1 lead. Westfield closed to 6-3 with Florence on fumes in the sixth, but who cares? As one fan yelled out, “It’s Westfield, they’re horrible”. Thus the bat attack kept going, RBI hits again by Haarde and Sebastianelli and that was that. Westfield pitchers walked 13 in the twinbill and plunked five. Joseph Zorc, Sebastienelli and Pat Shrake each had two hits in the nightcap.

“The theme is still there, the grit and grind,” Guarino said. “We’ve just got to be able to pick up the baseball and limit the damage.”

They inflicted the damage last night and got the best of Mother Nature in the process.

Silver Knights Game 1 starter Tommy Flaherty delivers a pitch vs. Westefield in Tuesday’s doubleheader at Holman Stadium. (Telegraph photo by TOM KING)

NOTES

Nashua has a home-and-home with Norwich starting tonight in Connecticut. Will Perkowski is still out so the pitching plans have changed a bit. Nate Kelleher Mochack goes tonight, and Nashua will send Pace University’s Justin Dressler vs.Norwich here on Thursday, and now it will be Matt Fitzgibbon on Friday…

Grabau is dealing with a chronic knee injury,and is out a week on the IL. Little, meanwhile, could play tonight but Guarino is being cautious and looking at Friday morning’s game for his possible return.