The Conant baseball team is on a tear, riding a six-game win streak to the top of Division III at the midseason point.

New head coach Justin Schultz said his Orioles are operating with a level of team unity that has paid off with a 8-1 record to start the spring.

“Collectively we’re a team,” Schultz said after Wednesday’s 2-0 win at reigning state champion Monadnock. “These guys function as a team every day, and that’s the biggest part. We talk about contributing to the game no matter what the situation is. If you’re struggling at the plate offensively, contributing defensively – and our pitching, to put it lightly, has been very good.”

On Wednesday, it was good enough to shut out 2024 state champions and longtime thorn in Conant’s side Monadnock, as Braeden Dion held the Huskies to five hits and no runs with a walk and six strikeouts over seven innings. It was his second gem in a row after holding Derryfield to three hits and a run in a road win in his previous start. Dion said trust in his team is the key to his success.

“[It’s] just trusting who I have behind me,” Dion said. “Having the confidence to throw a pitch where I want it and where my catcher wants it. I know if I miss a little bit, they’ve got me in the field. It’s nice having that.”

The Orioles went with a three-headed hurling committee in Thursday’s 14-4 win over Mascenic, where Corey Collins (two earned runs, one strikeout), Garrett Lambert (no runs and three strikeouts) and Drey Seppala (no runs and three strikeouts) each threw two innings. Kaden Kirby, Kaiden Charron and Chance Desrosier have all pitched well this season, too, giving the Orioles a wealth of options on the rubber; they’ve won nearly half their games by shutout.

The runs have been piling up for Conant, as well. The Orioles are outscoring opponents 86-19, averaging 9 1/2 runs per game while allowing just two. The big bat in the cleanup spot is senior first baseman Dylan Adams, who scored the winning run Wednesday, drove in another and then knocked in five more Thursday against Mascenic.

Leadoff man Kirby, second baseman Seppala and catcher Hunter Schultz set the table, with Charron and Collins behind Adams for a power-packed lineup. Kirby and outfielder Tristin Herr provide speed on the bases, and Schultz and Adams have been stealing their share. To a man, they flash the leather, and it all adds up to a winning program, exemplified by Wednesday’s steam-building win over the state champs in Swanzey against Caden Smith, the best pitcher the Orioles had seen since at least their lone loss against Campbell April 18.

“I think this gives us a little extra momentum, right?” Justin Schultz said. “It’s a momentum-builder and it’s also a lesson for us on facing better pitching like that. In the Campbell game, we saw some pitching, but I don’t think we had jelled as a team against Campbell. Collectively as a group, these boys have come together alone without the coaching staff and really made this happen.”

The Orioles have made at least the quarterfinal round for the past three years, with the finals tantalizingly close twice – 2023’s heartbreaking one-run loss to eventual champion White Mountains and last year’s semifinal loss to Belmont. Those runs were with former coach Aric LeClair and current Franklin Pierce pitcher Lane LeClair; this team has forged its own identity with all the experience of those tournament appearances, an existing tight-knit bond and continuity with Justin Schultz, who’d already been serving as assistant. Now, they’re making their name known with statement wins.

“I think it’s time to maybe pick Conant up a little bit, you know?” Dion said. “Put a little bit more respect on our names. But I’m glad that we came out here and got it done as a team. There wasn’t one person that didn’t do something today.”

Conant (8-1) was scheduled to play at Fall Mountain (5-2) Monday afternoon and then at Mascenic Friday.