Good morning. 🥍⚾🥎 It’s Friday, April 10. Moving up a class was supposed to make a return to the state tournament more challenging for the Rye baseball team. But on Wednesday, the Garnets aced their first Class AA test against Yorktown.

Softball, boys and girls lacrosse also scheduled tough early-season opponents, taking losses that will hopefully prepare them for league play and section tournament runs down the road.

Let’s go “Between the Lines” to look at some of the ups and downs in a tough April stretch.

“Between the Lines” is curated by Chris Marshall.

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Rye Baseball Levels Up Late Against Yorktown

Wednesday’s game could have been a “Welcome to Class AA” moment for Rye baseball. After winning the Section 1 title and reaching the Class A state semifinals a year ago, the Garnets leveled up to a higher classification.

Their first matchup against a Class AA opponent this season was Yorktown, a team that went 19-4 to earn the No. 1 seed in last year’s section tournament. Rather than being overwhelmed in a high-pressure situation, Rye showed it has the experience to contend for titles once again.

Rye and Yorktown entered the final inning tied, then the Garnets exploded for eight runs in the seventh for an 11-3 road win. Junior Michael Bubeck, junior Luke Ontaneda, senior Jackson Pineault, senior Lucas London, and junior Ben Fineberg all singled in the inning before senior Michael Talbott drove in Rye’s final run with a double.

Sophomore pitcher Clayton McCarthy allowed two runs in the first inning, one earned and one unearned, before blanking the Huskers in the second and third. London got the final seven outs of the game, allowing just one hit and two walks with two strikeouts.

On Thursday, the Garnets beat Byram Hills 12-0 to win their third straight after an 0-2 start. The Bobcats walked four straight batters to start the game and gave up a first-inning double to London, spotting Rye a 5-0 lead.

The Garnets had another big inning in the fourth, adding four more runs on a double by senior Nolan Hutson and singles by Ontaneda and Fineberg.

Rye hosts its home opener at 2 p.m. Saturday against New Rochelle, a Class AAA opponent that’s been outscored 16-5 in its first two games this year.

Boys lacrosse: Garden City – the nation’s No. 1-ranked public high school boys lacrosse team – overpowered the Garnets 12-4 on Wednesday.

When junior Charlie Brady ripped Rye’s first goal with 17 seconds left in the first quarter, the Trojan lead was just 3-1, and Rye was flashing signs of being able to hang around. But over the next three quarters, Rye only managed to score three more goals, two from senior Carson Miller, and one from junior Henry Gilroy.

Girls lacrosse: Rye held leads of 5-0 and 6-2 against Wilton (Conn.), but the Warriors scored the game’s final five goals for a 7-6 win Tuesday.

Junior Blake Sasse and senior Beau Whaling scored two goals apiece for the Garnets, who also got scores from junior Paloma Pepper and senior Annie Toulouse.

After two dominant wins against New York competition, the Garnets (2-2) have now suffered narrow defeats to American Heritage, the 2021, 2023, and 2024 Florida state champions, and Wilton, which lost in double overtime of the Connecticut state semifinals a season ago.

Softball: Despite the 15-5 final score, there were some bright spots in Tuesday’s season-opening loss against Harrison.

Rye started and finished strong, taking a 3-0 lead in the top of the first. The Huskies responded with two runs in the bottom of the first, then took the lead with a five-run second inning. The Garnets’ final two runs came in the sixth and seventh.

Junior Penelope Gilmore and senior Ava Rollano both went 3-for-3, and junior Caroline Joyce had a pair of hits.

Boys golf: The young, but talented, Garnet golfers beat Pelham twice this week by nearly identical scores, winning 188-201 Monday at Pelham Country Club, then 187-209 Wednesday at Rye Golf Club.

In the season opener, junior Derek Bisceglia led Rye with a 35, followed by sophomore Evan Dolan with a 37. Two days later, it was Ryan Mascali who carded the low score with a 36, followed by fellow sophomore Rocco DeFife with a 37.

Weather Report: Check out the weekend weather forecast for Rye here.

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Performer of the Week: Michael Bubeck

⚾ Congrats to Michael Bubeck — winner of the Sportech Performer of the Week.

Several Garnet baseball players came through in the clutch Wednesday against Yorktown, but it was Bubeck who got the seventh-inning scoring started. In a 3-3 game, the junior singled, then came around to score the go-ahead run after Yorktown walked the next three batters.

The Garnets batted around in the inning, and Bubeck got on base once again with a walk. He was thrown out at home plate, but by that point, Rye’s lead swelled to 11-3. Bubeck went 2-for-3 from the plate, one of eight Garnets to get a hit against the Huskers.

The next day, Bubeck pitched all five innings of a 12-0 rout of Byram Hills, allowing just one hit and striking out five before the game ended with a run rule.

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