A.J. Kolb is hitting .406 on the young season for the Silver Knights. Week Four gets underway tonight at Holman vs. Westfield. (Photo courtesy of Nashua Silver Knights)

NASHUA – A week ago, the Nashua Silver Knight were on top of the Futures Collegiate Baseball League pitching mountain.

Two trips to the flat terrain of Worcester’s Fitton Field changed all that.

Now the Silver Knights (7-9) have a fairly important early season game with the Westfield Starfires (8-9) tonight at 6:03 at Historic Holman Stadium.

After giving up 23 runs in two games at Worcester, both of them losses (9-8, 14-12), the Knights ERA, which had been just over 4.00, has balooned 5.00 and they’re third behind leader New Britain (3.99) and Worcester (4.91).

The Knights have a big week to make hay as they also face Lowell twice, on the road at LeLacheur Park on Tuesday night at 7 and home Thursday night at 6:03 p.m. That game will be televised live by NESN.

“We want to try to beat the teams we’re going to be competing with for spots right now,” Knights manager Nick Guarino said. “New Britain and Vermont are kind of getting up there, but we want to try to be able to beat the Westfields, the Lowells, the Norwiches, the Worcesters.”

They also have two tough road games against those obvious contenders New Britain (Wednesday) and Vermont (Friday) before a rare Saturday night off.

LEADERS

Offensively, Nashua’s Connor Smith is third in the league in hitting at .400, second in RBIs with 16, and tied for fourth in homers with teammate Cam Vacchiano with two. A.J. Kolb is hitting .406 in 32 at-bats, not quite enough to qualify for the league leaders.

Nashua’s Phoenix Williams is in a three-way tie for third in stolen bases with eight. Norwich’s Mike Flatrone far and away the stolen base leader with 17.

As for individual pitching, Nashua’s Nigel Cross is in a four way tie for second with 15 strikeouts.

Lucas Collins has yet to allow a run in two starts for Nashua, while Cam Piwnicki has a 1.20 ERA in three starts.

ATTENDANCE, ETC.

In eight dates, the Knights are averaging 1,517, good for fourth in the league. The Lowell Spinners are atop the list, averaging 2,816 in six dates, followed by Vermont (2,366) and Worcester (1,676)…

The Spinners, whom the Knights see twice this week, are last in pitching at 6.92.