Milestone Moments on the Diamond
Oyster River High School’s baseball squad has been buzzing with excitement after three of its rising stars each recorded their first career home runs in a span of just a few days.
The breakthrough came in a matchup against Sanborn on May 4, when James Saunders stepped up to the plate and sent a pitch over the fence, marking his inaugural round‑tripper. A few days later, Nolan Swiesz and Amos Winans joined forces in a game versus Hollis‑Brookline, launching back‑to‑back homers that left the crowd roaring.
A Pitcher’s Masterclass
The team’s momentum continued with a 2‑0 shutout over Kingswood on May 13, where senior pitcher Colin Veroneau delivered a complete‑game effort, allowing just two hits and striking out three. Support came from Owen Jacques, who scored the first run on a wild pitch and drove in the second with an RBI single, while Jackson Handwork added a triple that helped seal the victory.
Personal Reflections and Future Outlook
What made the moment even more special was the personal connection between Swiesz and Saunders, who as youngsters once faced each other in a backyard showdown where Swiesz had already homered off Saunders. That full‑circle encounter added a layer of narrative that resonated with teammates and fans alike.
Winans, who stuck to his usual approach at the plate, described the feeling of hitting his first home run as one of the top five emotions he’s ever experienced, while Swiesz admitted he never imagined he possessed the power to clear the fence until this season.
Beyond the stats, the players have embraced the symbolic value of their first homers, with Swiesz keeping the ball in his car for good luck and Saunders arranging for the pitcher who threw his ball to sign it, now displayed proudly in his room.