Swift and Kay Earn Opening Weekend HCBL Honors

The Hamptons Collegiate Baseball League has announced the Players of the Week for Opening Weekend of the 2026 season, with David Swift (Bates) of the Shelter Island Bucks earning Pepsi Player of the Week honors and Evan Kay (Stony Brook) of the Southampton Breakers being named the ACE Hardware Pitcher of the Week.

Swift, an infielder from Bates College, was one of the league’s top offensive performers during the opening weekend. He hit .400 with two home runs and six RBI, helping lead the Bucks to a 2-1 start on the season.

Swift made his presence felt immediately on Opening Night, June 12, against the North Fork Ospreys. In the top of the third inning, he blasted a three-run home run to break the game open and later added an RBI single in the seventh inning as Shelter Island defeated North Fork 5-2.

He followed that performance with another big game on Saturday, June 13, against the Sag Harbor Whalers. Trailing 3-0 in the bottom of the fourth inning, Swift connected on an 0-1 pitch and launched his second home run of the season, a two-run shot that ignited a Bucks comeback. Shelter Island rallied from there and went on to earn a 5-3 victory, with Swift once again providing the key offensive spark.

On the mound, Kay, a right-hander from Stony Brook University, earned ACE Hardware Pitcher of the Week honors after a dominant outing against the Westhampton Aviators on Sunday, June 14.

Making his first appearance of the summer, Kay pitched four shutout innings, allowing four hits while striking out six and walking just one batter. He kept the Aviators off the scoreboard throughout his outing and earned the victory as Southampton defeated Westhampton 7-4.

Kay’s strong start set the tone for the Breakers’ pitching staff and helped Southampton secure an important early-season win against one of the league’s perennial contenders.