Once he arrives at Brown University, Taylor Wright intends to cut his sports workload by 33 percent.
So, yes, that means he played three while at Episcopal Academy and that he intends to stick with two as a Bear.
Football, in which he served as the quarterback, will be left behind. The main sport for the 6-5, 185-pound senior righthander will be baseball, and he also plans to dabble in hoops (forward).
Rather fitting, as Villanova coach Jay Wright is his father.
"My plan was always to play baseball in college," Wright said. "Once I committed to Brown for that, I decided to talk to the basketball coach about trying to walk on. I'm going to do that and I'd love for it to work out.
"Baseball has always been my first love. I've always been interested in the history of the game. And the tradition. From Little League all the way up to the majors. I know a lot about it."
Yesterday morning (9 o'clock start), Wright got a chance to play for Inter-Ac/Independent in the first round of the 26th annual Carpenter Cup Classic, held at South Philly's Richie Ashburn Field, named for a bright light in Phillies (and overall) baseball history, and his dream, upon hearing he'd be the last pitcher used, was to storm onto the mound and record a rousing save.
Didn't exactly work out. I-A/Indy was dispatched, 6-1, by Olympic/Colonial, of South Jersey.
In his 1 innings, Wright worked no-hit shutout ball and canceled out two walks with a pair of strikeouts.
Since Wright is already committed, folks would have understood if he'd said thanks but no thanks to the Carp Cup invite. Some notables did just that, in fact.
"I just wanted to represent the league and my school," Wright said. "I thought it would be one last thing to do for Episcopal before I head off to college. Plus, coach Barras [Aaron, EA's coach, assistant to Malvern's Freddy Hilliard] was here, too. It's a good experience."
Wright entered with two in/on/away in the eighth and terminated that uprising with a swinging strikeout. After issuing back-to-back walks with one out in the ninth, he coaxed a popup and posted his second K.
The key? Producing his own adrenalin.
"I like to compete against myself," he said. "To do my best. Obviously, if I do that it's going to help the team. I try to focus on getting every batter out."
I-A/Indy settled for three hits, a double by Joe Poduslenko (Malvern Prep) and singles by Nick Bateman (Malvern) and Sam Feirson (Chestnut Hill Academy). In the fifth, Drew Hayes (Malvern) milked a one-out walk and came around on an error.
For O/C, Ned Kerr (Paul VI) and Nick Tierno (Eastern) halved four RBI.
Wright, who lives in Berwyn, is unsure about a major, though he said that maybe, with another maybe added on, he could become a veterinarian. Coaching? Also a possibility.
"I do like being around teams and sports," he said.
He also appreciates those who low-key the Jay Wright's Son thing.
"The Episcopal people were really good about that," he said. "I was a normal kid with a normal dad. Well, maybe not during basketball season, but that was about it."
When asked whether his dad was in attendance yesterday, Taylor Wright laughed and shot back, "I have no idea where he is. Guess it was too early for him."
