Jayce Tharnish recorded two hits on Saturday as the Y-D Red Sox fell to Orleans, 8–5.
During his first stint with Y-D, Tharnish posted a .721 OPS, capped by a strong final game in which he hit a home run and drove in three runs against Wareham. He was then removed from the roster to take a short break for the MLB Draft. During his hiatus, the outfielder committed to the University of Kentucky, marking a new chapter in both his baseball and academic journey.
“They’re a very competitive baseball team. They went to Omaha in 2024. After talking with three different coaches, I really connected with them,” Tharnish said when asked what stood out to him about choosing Kentucky. “It seemed like they were very family-oriented, and I felt like I belonged there after my visit.”
Even though he wasn’t able to play baseball for 12 days, Tharnish has jumped right back into the swing of things. He returned to the starting lineup on Friday, recording a hit and scoring in Y-D’s win over Chatham. Saturday brought more of the same, as Tharnish posted his second two-hit game of the season.
With two outs in the third inning, Tharnish singled to left field, driving in Y-D’s first run of the game. On the throw home, both Chris Hacopian and Tharnish advanced into scoring position.
Tharnish got another opportunity in the fifth, leading off the inning with a second single. Thanks to its high exit velocity, the ball screamed past Alejandro Garza (Cal Poly), the second baseman for Orleans.
“After my first at-bat, I just tried to stay simple. [I] went to a no-stride stance and wasn’t trying to do too much. I hit a line drive up the middle,” Tharnish said. “That was the goal, and it worked out twice.”
Connor Capece singled to move Tharnish to third base, and a Garrett Wright single followed, scoring Tharnish for the fifth and final Y-D run of the day.
Trailing by two runs in the seventh inning, Tharnish came to the plate in a prime spot to do damage against the Orleans pitching staff. Chris Hacopian, representing the tying run, stood at second base. Tharnish ambushed the first pitch, crushing it to dead center. Center fielder Javar Williams (Wake Forest) used all of his 6’2” frame to leap and make the catch, robbing Tharnish of a go-ahead home run. The ball left the bat at 96 mph and traveled 356 feet.
Despite the tough luck on the flyout, Tharnish’s multi-hit game showed he hasn’t missed a beat after his time away. In his two starts since returning to the lineup, Tharnish has tallied three hits and two runs scored. He posted a 147 wRC+ and a .461 OBP at St. Bonaventure this year, so it’s no surprise that his offensive production continues to be a game-changer.
