Nashua starter Vinny Civitella had his best start of the season, but after he left things fell apart in a 10-1 loss to Vermont at Holman Stadium. (Telegraph photo by TOM KING)

NASHUA – Word is probably already made the rounds of the Futures Collegiate Baseball League.

If you can get past the starter to the Nashua Silver Knights bullpen in the middle innings and the game is still close, you’ve got more than a fighting chance.

Exhibit A was Thursday night’s 10-1 loss to the visiting Vermont Lake Monsters before a quiet Holman Stadium crowd of 876.

The Nashua pen had one pitcher, Brandon Metivier, who didn’t allow any damage, as he tossed a scoreless ninth. But by that point, the game was already over as the Silver Knights wasted lefty starter Vinny Civitella’s best start of the season.

The lefty from Pace University exited the game in the fifth with two on (error, walk) and two out, and a 1-0 lead, having allowed just one hit. But things were never the same as the Lake Monsters (19-17) scored three in the inning, then one in the sixth, four in the seventh and two in the eighth. Nashua issued eight walks and hit two batters, and it’s no coincidence it leads the FCBL in both categories.

What’s a manager to do? Keep fighting the good fight as now the Knights travel to Vermont for three straight weekend games, a true ‘stay overnight’ road trip.

“I just told the bullpen, when you guys get the opportunity, it’s not about going through the motions, it’s about getting the outs,” Silver Knights skipper Kyle Jackson said. “I know they’re out there trying, but we’ve got to want it more. You’ve got to put up a zero because we can hit and keep that energy alive.”

But even that faded for the Knights, as their only run came on Shane McNamara’s solo shot that just cleared the boards in left in the fourth inning to give Nashua a brief 1-0 lead. However, that and Nater Wachter’s single that followed it were two of just four Nashua hits on the night.

Vermont starter Wyatt Cameron tossed five solid innings, but his bullpen allowed just one hit over four frames. Hmmm, must be nice.

“They wanted it more than we did,” Jackson said. “Their bullpen came in and shut the door. Wyatt pitched a helluva game and so But Civitella, with one out in the fifth, saw McNamara get short hopped by a grounder at third for an error and one out later issued a walk, He was at 85 pitches and couldn’t finish.

A shame. His replacement, Anderson Cuello Batista, went 0-2 on Vermont’s Dylan Pacheco but hung a curve that Pacheco ripped for a base hit to tie the game. Mark Quatrani then drove in two with a base hit and just like that Vermont led 3-1. Vermont’s Joey Gale led the attack overall going 4 for 5 with four RBIs.

“Batista’s been very good for us,” Jackson said. “We put him in the right situation and they got the hit. … That’s a good hitting team. That’s why Vinny did such a good job.”

Nashua had a chance to respond, loading the bases in the bottom of the inning but Vermont stuck with Cameron with two out and were rewarded when he fanned Wachter to end the threat.

“I told the guys a three-game winning streak is very good and tonight wasn’t our night,” Jackson said. “But our approach (at the plate) just got away a little bit. We just got out of it. … We’ve got three up there and we’ll just go back at it.”

Nashua will send right Derek Woods to the mound vs. Vermont’s Brody Shawn at UVM’s Centennial Field. Jackson isn’t putting pressure on his 18-22 team by holding out for a five or six game winning streak.

“I’ll take three out of four every day,” he said. “I don’t need a five. Win three, lose one, win three, or win two … I want a winning record every week.”

If they can get the bullpen figured out, that’s doable. Problem for the Silver Knights is the weeks are dwindling to a precious few.