No team reaches the heights Rye baseball did this season without putting in countless hours of hard work both on and off the field. Few squads, however, had as much fun behind the scenes as the 2025 Garnets.
From long-standing traditions, like post-win Carvel trips and spring training in Orlando, to newer additions, like playing pre-game hacky sack and wearing a bamboo hat after scoring runs, this Rye baseball squad enjoyed being around each other as much as the game itself.
“Going into the season, it was one of the closer-knit groups I’ve ever been a part of,” said junior center fielder Lucas London. “Spending time off the field together, cracking jokes before games and at practice – just keeping everything super light while getting a good amount of work in. It was just a perfect balance, and I think it really helped us play our best baseball.”
That chemistry was on full display in a video that circulated Twitter before the team’s regional final win against La Salle. Despite the game’s stakes, playing for their first state semifinal appearance since 2014, several Garnets were seen dancing to Cotton Eye Joe in front of their dugout.
“That was also just to stay loose,” said junior catcher Jackson Pineault. “At that point, after winning the section, we were just happy to have another game with the boys.”
“It was probably one of the most confident – not cocky, but confident – and loose teams that I’ve ever had,” added coach Mike Bruno.
Winning league and section titles, and advancing all the way to the state semifinals, meant an extra month together, including June road trips to Troy for the regional final and Binghamton for the baseball state championships. The Garnets took pride in celebrating every victory along the way, exemplified by the Carvel runs the team made after each of its 23 wins.
“Carvel has always been the biggest team bonding experience,” said senior pitcher Jack Sheridan. “Even the little things, like at practice we always run out together. At Carvel, I’ll always wait until everyone’s there and has their ice cream until we all can leave, and we take a picture. One thing we always push for is to try to be one as a team and work together.”
The bonding began early in the spring, when the team spent quality time together promoting the upcoming season through activities like an annual car wash and selling sponsorships.
“It was pouring rain, it was cold,” Pineault said of the team’s car wash fundraiser, “but it was just fun to be with your guys and cracking jokes. Also, what I enjoyed was handing out sponsorships and selling sponsorships. It’s kind of a nerve-wracking thing to do, to walk into a store and try getting a store to put money to your team, but I thought that was just a lot of fun to be with your guys.”
The team became closer, and established a winning identity, during the annual spring training trip to Florida. In between multiple scrimmages and games at ESPN Wide World of Sports over the course of a week, there was ample downtime to enjoy Disney World’s parks and attractions together.
“Disney was helpful, and it was also just about getting more reps in,” London said. “We lost a lot of seniors coming into this year, so a bunch of people were playing new spots.”
The Garnets, who left for Florida with a record of 4-3, won 15 straight games after returning from the trip.
“I’d definitely say team chemistry brought us to where we got to,” Pineault said. “We’ve been playing with each other since we were 10. We know how everybody plays, how to treat them. As a catcher, I have to know how to talk to my pitcher, how to calm him down, how to hype him up, so that definitely helps knowing your guys.”
In a game like baseball, where the mental aspect is so important, the team minimized mounting postseason pressure by incorporating fun components to their pre-game routines and practices.
“Before games and before practices would start, we’d play hacky sack,” Pineault said. “That was a lot of fun to compete with each other, but also to have fun and stay loose before games. I think what was more important than the titles and championships was having an extra month to play with your guys – you can’t really take that away from anybody. It was just a tremendous amount of fun and a great group of guys.”
While these traditions or spur-of-the-moment antics may have helped extend Rye’s season, they all boil down to a lasting bond and friendship that will stay with them long after their time on the diamond ends.
“We’ve just always been a close group,” Sheridan said. “We’ve played with each other forever, since little league. Our dads coached us (in little league), so we’ve always been good friends. Even at practices, we’re cracking jokes on each other, making fun of each other – but at the end of the day, we always know that we’re all good friends.”
