Thayer in it for the long haul
After missing out last season, team is looking for a league title
Matt McGuirk, baseball coach at Thayer Academy in Braintree, couldn't ask for a more balanced team. Five players are hitting .380 or better, his roster includes a highly touted pitcher, and the players are highly motivated after failing to capture the league title a year ago.
"We return most of our roster this year, and with our senior leadership as well as the great talent in the sophomore and junior classes, our team goal is to win the league," McGuirk said.
Thayer entered this week 6-1 overall and was tied for first in the Independent School League at 4-1.
The team is stacked with talent, including three players who have signed to play in Division 1 programs - shortstop Anthony Melchionda of Braintree (Boston College), pitcher Harrison Slutsky of Canton (Columbia), and right fielder Ryan Urso of Dorchester (Sacred Heart). Senior catcher Rich McHugh of Pembroke will play at Division 2 power Southern Connecticut State.
To pick a strength for Thayer, it would be difficult to look past its offensive numbers.
Against Rivers recently, Thayer took advantage of a number of errors to break open a 1-1 game. The more players who reached base, the more eventually found their way across the plate as Thayer pulled away for a 10-1 victory.
"I think our offense is unmatched," Urso said.
Junior infielder Billy Collins leads the team in hitting with a.556 average, while McHugh is hitting .533 and has 2 home runs and a team-high 9 RBIs.
On the mound, junior right-hander Kyle McKenzie of Hingham has attracted attention not only from Division 1 colleges, but also from pro scouts, according to McGuirk. He consistently throws between 91 and 93 miles per hour and has mastered a couple of off-speed pitches.
McKenzie is 2-0 with a 0.90 ERA. He also is chipping in at the plate, hitting .400.
McKenzie and Slutsky (1.29 ERA) anchor a pitching staff that is off to a start similar to last season's, which ended in disappointment for Thayer.
Thayer was 12-2-1 in the ISL (17-4-1 overall), just missing out on a share of the title. The league title carries added importance because the New England Prep School Athletic Council does not organize an overall postseason tournament.
"We had a solid team, but we had a few bumps here and there and we came up a little short," Urso said of last season.
Upcoming games for Thayer include a matchup at Buckingham, Browne & Nichols on Wednesday. Last season, BB&N handed Thayer a 10-5 loss.
Melchionda said he and his teammates have to respect every team in the league and not let a hot start tempt them to look too far ahead after coming so close last year.
