Nashua's Chase Roberts gets to second despite the behind the back tag attempt by New Britain's Tim Hennig during Sunday's FCBL game at Holman Stadium. (Telegraph photo by TOM KING)

NASHUA – Never give a Nashua Silver Knight a chance to make amends.

They usually take advantage of the opportunity.

That’s exactly what shortstop Chase Roberts did on Sunday, as his two-run double in the sixth was the difference in the Knights’ 7-5 win over New Britain before a sun-splashed Holman Stadium crowd of 1,194.

In the top of the inning, Roberts couldn’t get to a grounder to his left, a leadoff single by the Bees’ Jake Risedorf that started a four-run uprising. That uprising also included a throwing error that plated two runs giving New Britain, which was down 3-1, a 5-3 lead.

“It felt great,” the Penn State incoming freshman from New Jersey said. “Just make up for my error, help the team out, and get us back on top. I was just thinking stay through the ball, opposite field, drive it the other way. … We had a down one yesterday so we knew we had to come back today.”

Exactly. The Silver Knights didn’t want to go into the day off today having lost back-to-back games to two teams below them in the standings. They fell to last place Westfield on Saturday night, and New Britain came into Holman in fifth place at 17-22. Nashua’s win puts them at 22-19, still in third place in the FCBL, but in a playoff spot.

“Definitely a must win game today,” Guarino. “(Saturday) night was sloppy baseball, they (Westfield) took advantage of it. A good job bouncing back (Sunday).”

Roberts, getting a rare start at short, batted ninth but reached base all four times, and nearly homered in his final at-bat, getting a ground rule double near where he boomed the first double.

“It’s a guy who hasn’t seen live pitching in a week,” Guarino said. “So for him to go up there and go 3 for 3 today with probably the biggest swing of the day.”

He had a misplay in the first that led to a run, but Nashua tied it in the bottom half on James Benestad’s RBI single, then took a 3-1 lead in the third on Jack Balcer’s sac fly and Patrick Shrake’s RBI single.

Meanwhile, Knights starter Ethan Hunt was cruising, tossing five shutout innings. He had only thrown 68 pitches so no doubt he would go out for the sixth, but after three straight singles he gave way to reliever Brandon Metivier with the bases loaded and no one out.

A passed ball and wild pitch later, the Bees had tied it, then two came in on Roberts throwing error trying to complete a double play. It could have been worse – with the game tied at 3 and the bases re-loaded, Bee Cade Bernardo’s long fly into the picnic area in left was just barely foul. Whew.

But Nashua responded in the bottom of the inning on David Yorke’s RBI single off Bees reliever Jake Harmony, and one out later Roberts came through.

Nashua added an insurance run in the seventh on Jake Haarde’s RBI double, scoring Benestad, who had walked and scored when a relay throw home sailed over home plate. Benestad actually ran through Knights third base coach Steve Mooney’s stop sign but Mooney said afterward he had given him the verbal go anyway because there was no way Benestad could stop. “A big insurance run,” Guarino said, “because it’s a lot better than going into the ninth with just a one-run lead.”

Nashua starter Ethan Hunt delivers a pitch during Sunday’s game vs. New Britain at Holman Stadium. (Telegraph photo by TOM KING)

In that ninth Knights reliever Kyan Bagshaw gave up a tough luck infield hit but a 5-4-3 double play ended things. But besides Bagshaw’s work was Metivier getting a strikeout to end the sixth, and then two scoreless innings from Nashua’s own Hunter Ward. Ward’s ERA to date? 0.00.

“He’s been nails all year,” Guarino said. “He comes in and throws strikes. That’s the name of the game.

“Resilient. Battle back. That’s the theme of the year.”

Just ask Chase Roberts.