Things are not looking up for the Silver Knights, close to missing the FCBL playoffs for a fourth straight year after Saturday night's loss to Vermont at Historic Holman Stadium. (Photo courtesy of Nashua Silver Knights)

The Nashua Silver Knights hosted the Vermont Lake Monsters on Saturday night at Historic Holman Stadium and dropped a 4-2 decision before a crowd of 1,5556.

The loss, coupled with Norwich’s 6-3 win at New Britain, reduces the three-time defending champion Sea Unicorns’ magic number to 3 to clinch the fourth and final FCBL playoff spot. They also have a chance to overtake Worcester, a half game behind the Bravehearts today. Norwich is idle today but comes to Nashua Monday night.

Vermont broke through in the third when Ryan Ruggiero (Bucknell) singled home Brad Johnston (Swarthmore), then added three more in the fourth on a Thomas Moss (Trinity TX) RBI double, a Johnston RBI single, and an unearned run on a Peter Keblinsky error to make it 4-0.

Nashua answered in the fifth when Keblinsky reached on a fielder’s choice to score Adam Regan (Endicott), and Caleb Vacchiano (University of Southern Maine) doubled home Keblinsky to make it 4-2, but the Knights couldn’t get any closer.

Matthew Donovan (Roger Williams) took the loss, allowing 4 runs over 3.2 innings. Eddie Charity (Southern NH), Gabriel Fales (Gordon College), and Josh Martino (Southern NH) combined for 5.1 scoreless innings of relief.

The Silver Knights fall to 22-31 as the Lake Monsters improve to 37-15. Nashua hosts the Westfield Starfires today at Historic Holman Stadium at 3 p.m.

(Telegraph Staff Writer Tom King contributed to this report.)