'Wick Earns Walk-Off Win in Season Opener

Facing a challenging, three-run seventh inning deficit didn’t cause the Brunswick baseball team to panic.

Instead, the Bruins rallied for a spirited comeback win, with junior Connor Jones providing the drama.

Jones’ double to deep left field with the bases loaded scored three runs, giving Brunswick a thrilling 6-5 come-from-behind walk off win over visiting Citius Prep in Monday’s season-opening game.

The game-winning hit came on a 3-2 count with two outs in the inning and the visitors one out away from earning the win.

“It was amazing; it’s something you dream about as a kid – walk-off, bases-loaded, 3-2, two outs, bottom of the seventh,” said Jones, a centerfielder, who was swarmed by his Bruins teammates at second base after his game-winning double. “I’m so happy that my teammates were able to get on and I was put in a position to hit the ball as I did and score them all, clearing the bases.”

Trailing 5-2 to start the bottom of the seventh inning, Brunswick received walks from Reed Hyde, Jackson Shepelsky, Carlo Tucci, Tyrus Ostrowski, and Jayden Montanez in the inning. Montanez's walk forced in a run, bringing the Bruins to within 5-3 of Citius Prep. Jones' clutch hit drove in three runs, making it a happy season-opening game for the host Bruins.

The victory marked the first varsity win for first-season head coach Connor Redahan. A 2016 Brunswick School graduate, Redahan played baseball for the Bruins, then continued his baseball career at Southern Connecticut State University. The Redahans have quite a baseball legacy at Brunswick. Connor's younger brothers, Aidan, a 2021 Brunswick graduate; and Riley, who graduated in 2023; also played the sport at the school.

“It’s a program I’ve always loved and to have the opportunity to come back and run it is a dream come true,” Redahan said. “My experience at Brunswick was excellent and to be able to come back and be at the head position is amazing.”

The Bruins’ 2024 captains are Michael Yeager, Jerry Guzman, and Shepelsky. A right-hander, Yeager was the Bruins’ starting pitcher in the season-opener, allowing only one hit in four effective innings.

“I just tried to come out and fill it up,” Yeager said. “We have a good defense, so I trust the guys and pound the zone and try to get ahead in counts and get to my off-speed stuff.”

Citius Prep, from Mount Vernon, N.Y., scored three runs in the first inning, capitalizing on a pair of walks and two errors. The Bruins scored their first run in the second inning when Montanez, a freshman infielder, drove in a run with a ground ball out. In the fourth inning, ’Wick closed to within 3-2 when Tucci walked and eventually scored on a throwing error.

Jones had two hits for the game, Guzman hit a double to deep center field, and freshman Tyrus Ostrowski delivered a pinch-hit single in his first varsity at-bat for the Bruins.

“We never back down,” Redahan said. “Connor getting that swing was just icing on the cake. We had a couple of at-bats in that last inning, where guys were seeing the ball well, they were seeing it long and finding a way to get on base. It was one step at a time and that final swing was a great way to start the year.”

Brunswick hosts Greens Farms Academy on Tuesday at 4:30 p.m. in the FAA-opener.