The Spire

Blake Bacas ’26

Staff Writer

As March has turned into April, college baseball has gotten into full swing, and Holy Cross is no exception. At the time of writing, the Crusaders are sitting at an overall record of 14-18, good for a .438 winning percentage. In Patriot League play, they have put up a respectable 6-5 record. At this point in the season last year, the team had a record of 10-21 overall (3-6 in league play). The team has undoubtedly taken massive strides in the past year, and have set themselves up nicely to make a run in the Patriot League this year. Right now, Holy Cross is one game behind Army for third in the standings, with both trailing Navy who sits at 10-5 thus far in league play. 

This is certainly the most open Patriot League baseball has been in a long time; Army, who has claimed five consecutive Patriot League tournaments in a row, is looking much more mortal and beatable than in recent history. The Crusaders just wrapped up a four game series with the Black Knights, splitting 2-2. Throughout the series, there was a lot to be excited about, and there are many promising indicators for team performance throughout the second half of the season. 

Firstly, junior first baseman Chris Baillargeon is taking walks at an extremely impressive pace. Through 30 games, Baillargeon has amassed an eye-popping 28 walks, good for second in the entire Patriot League. As a lineup, Holy Cross has been adept at taking free bases. Freshman catcher Braden Connors (21 BB) and sophomore outfielder Jack Toomey (20 BB) also appear on the walks leaderboard, slotting in at seventh and tenth respectively. 

The team is getting a lot of help from the youth. Braden Connors is a true freshman from New Jersey who has made an immediate impact on the team through the first half of the season. Through 61 at bats so far this season, he’s got  a .262 batting average, as well as a .953 OPS. As for counting stats, he’s logged five doubles, a triple, two home runs, as well as 17 RBIs. Jack Toomey has doubled down on his strong freshman year, continuing his run of offensive production last year, even after spending some brief time out with injury early this season. Currently, Toomey is leading the Patriot League in triples (3), and ninth in home runs (5). He’s also on the leaderboard for league OPS, with a .968 clip, good for ninth place. 

However, it’s not just batting that’s been off to a better start this season. While pitching remains streaky at times, there are some very encouraging signs for future performance. Senior right-hander Alex Bryant has been having an excellent season so far. He’s posted a 5.68 ERA which places him at sixth best in the Patriot League. Bryant also leads the Patriot League in batters struck out, with 44 Ks. He’s also ranked in opposing batting average (.253, 5th) and innings pitched (38.0, T-6th). 

With more strong pitching performances from surging players like Alex Bryant and the continued dominance of the multitude of strong bats in the lineup, Holy Cross baseball is poised to make a serious run this season, as league play begins to heat up. The Crusaders’ next home series is three games against Navy. On Saturday, April 13th, there’s a doubleheader, with first pitches coming at 1:00 and 4:00 pm. On Sunday the 14th, first pitch is 1:00pm. Make sure to come out and support your Crusaders as they look to bolster their position in the Patriot League!