RCDS Baseball
Wildcats Won’t Settle For Anything Less Than a Championship

With four shutouts in their last six games, everything appears to be coming together for the 13-2 Wildcats. Rye Country Day avenged one of their only two losses Friday, May 2, with a 6-0 win against Hamden Hall. Senior Will Baine followed up his no-hitter April 22 against St. Luke’s by allowing just two hits against Hamden Hall. It was the Wildcats’ ninth win in their last ten games.
“Sure, 13-2 is a great record, but it means nothing to us going forward because our goal from the beginning was to win a championship,” said Baine. “Our coach, Ted Lawrence, has really made us the team we are with endless commitment and making us understand what our goals are. We still have a lot of baseball to play so continuing to play well is very important.”
The no-hitter was a seminal moment in Baine’s pitching career, and one of many highlights this season for the Wildcats’ extraordinaire pitching staff. “It was one of the coolest experiences of my life,” said Baine. “When it happened I don't think I realized what a great accomplishment it was. Thinking about it now though I understand that it is a once-in-a-lifetime experience and something that I may never do again.”
Baine is just one of a handful of pitchers that have dominated the opposition this season. The pitching staff – which also includes regular starters Zach Tax and Evan Oleson – has a combined ERA of 1.14 with 146 strikeouts in 104 innings of work. Opponents are averaging less than two runs per game and have mustered a paltry average of .5 hits per inning against the RCDS aces.
Rye Country Day’s offense has also caused headaches for adversaries. The team is batting .299 with junior Sean Bryant leading the way by batting a scorching .476. Junior Marco Blasetti is hitting at a clip of .391, and Baine has put up a .360 average to go along with a team-leading 23 RBIs.
All the impressive statistics, victories, and milestones the Wildcats have amassed this season are nice, but are not what they are ultimately playing for.
“The playoffs are what we have been looking forward to since the beginning,” said Baine. “We have had a goal of winning a championship and any success we have this season without winning it all in the end will mean nothing. This is what we have been working towards and we know if any team is able to do it, it is us.”
The Wildcats conclude regular season play at home May 15, against St. Lukes. From there, it’s on to the New York Association of Independent Schools Tournament, which begins Saturday, May 17. They can claim the Fairchester Athletic Association Title in the tournament that starts Monday, May 19.