The UNH men’s basketball team, under new coach Nathan Davis, will open its upcoming season on Monday, Nov. 6, with a nonleague game at Syracuse, it was announced on Thursday.
The contest at the JMA Wireless Dome (formerly the Carrier Dome) will be the first-ever meeting between the teams.
The rest of the Wildcats’ schedule has yet to be announced.
Baseball
Rafaela’s blast sinks Fisher Cats in Portland
Boston Red Sox prospect Ceddanne Rafaela hit a two-run homer in the sixth inning that put the Portland Sea Dogs ahead to stay in a 3-2 victory Thursday over the New Hampshire Fisher Cats in an Eastern League matinee before 7,368 fans at Hadlock Field.
Rafaela, playing third base on Thursday, homered off New Hampshire starter Sem Robberse (L, 0-4). All of Portland’s offense came off Robberse, who worked six innings and allowed three runs on five hits, including Nick Yorke’s solo homer in the fourth.
Reliever Ryan Miller (1-2), who worked 1 1/3 innings and allowed a run, was credited with the win.
The Fisher Cats scored a single run in the second on Zac Cook’s sacrifice fly and in the sixth on a PK Morris RBI single.
The series between the Toronto and Boston affiliates continues Friday night in Portland and runs through Sunday afternoon.
New Hampshire then returns home for a series against Reading starting Tuesday night.
Silver Knights drop FCBL opener
The defending Futures Collegiate Baseball League champions, the Nashua Silver Knights, dropped their opener 13-3 on Wednesday night at Pittsfield, Mass.
The hosts scored four runs in the third, four more in the fourth and three more in the fifth to break the game open. The game went seven innings in accordance with the mercy rule.
Starter Tom Rioux, a Pinkerton Academy grad and Colby College student, took the loss, working the first three innings and allowing four runs (one earned). The Silver Knights were held to five hits by two Pittsfield pitchers.
Nashua was scheduled to visit Brockton on Thursday night. The Silver Knights play at Worcester on Friday night before opening at home (Holman Stadium) against Worcester on Saturday at 6 p.m.
