PDS Baseball Defeats Princeton in Crosstown Rivalry

Junior Matt Silverman's return from injury sparks 11-1 victory for Panthers

Apr. 10, 2026 at 1:34am

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A cubist, geometric painting depicting a high school baseball game, with sharp, overlapping planes of bright colors representing the dynamic action on the field.Silverman's triumphant return sparks PDS baseball's victory over crosstown rival Princeton High.Princeton Today

The Princeton Day School (PDS) baseball team defeated their crosstown rivals, the Princeton High Tigers, in a 11-1 victory on Thursday. Junior Matt Silverman, who missed all of last season due to a blood clot, made a triumphant return, going 3-for-3 with a double, two runs scored, and two RBIs to lead the Panthers to their first win of the 2026 season.

Why it matters

Silverman's comeback story is an inspiring one, as he overcame a serious medical issue to rejoin the team and make an immediate impact. The win also marks an important victory for the PDS program in their local rivalry against Princeton High.

The details

Batting fifth in the lineup, Silverman delivered a key two-out, RBI single in the first inning to give PDS an early lead. He later doubled home another run in the second inning and reached base all four times he came to the plate. PDS jumped out to a 5-0 lead in the first inning and never looked back, with sophomore pitcher Gavin Ross and reliever Dom Carabelli holding Princeton to just four hits on the day.

  • Silverman delivered a two-out, RBI single in the top of the first inning to give PDS a 1-0 lead.
  • Silverman doubled home a run in the top of the second inning to extend the PDS lead to 6-0.
  • Silverman led off the top of the fourth inning with a single and later stole two bases to ignite a four-run rally for PDS in the sixth inning.

The players

Matt Silverman

A junior at Princeton Day School who missed all of last season due to a blood clot, but has returned this year and had a breakout game, going 3-for-3 with a double, two runs scored, and two RBIs to lead PDS to victory.

Gavin Ross

The PDS sophomore right-handed pitcher who scattered two hits over the first four innings to set the tone for the Panthers.

Dom Carabelli

The PDS reliever who held Princeton to just one run over the final two innings to secure the victory for the Panthers.

Anders Hedin

The Princeton High 6-foot-2.5 senior right-handed starting pitcher who is committed to play ice hockey at the Rochester Institute of Technology.

Eric Schnepf

The head coach of the Princeton Day School baseball team who praised Silverman's return and hard work.

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What they’re saying

“It's great having Matt back. And having him back healthy after he missed all of last year is even better. What he did today is a culmination of all the hard work he's put in.”

— Eric Schnepf, Head Coach, Princeton Day School Baseball

“I'm so thrilled to be playing again. It feels amazing to be out here. It's so good to be back.”

— Matt Silverman

“That's not a good showing. That's not us. Their pitcher did his job, but he wasn't showing us anything we hadn't seen before.”

— Anders Hedin, Senior Pitcher, Princeton High

What’s next

PDS will look to build on this win as they continue their Colonial Valley Conference schedule, while Princeton High will aim to bounce back in their next matchup.

The takeaway

Matt Silverman's inspiring comeback story and breakout performance led PDS to a decisive victory over their crosstown rivals, highlighting the resilience and talent of the Panthers' baseball program.