News

By: Brennan McGrevy  

Holyoke, MA - The Martha’s Vineyard Sharks defeated the Valley Blue Sox in a thrilling extra innings game. The excitement started early when Blue Sox’s center fielder Clay Burdette crushed the first pitch to left for his league leading fifth homer to put Valley up 1-0. The Sharks swam their way back into the game in the top of the third.

 

Vineyard’s left fielder Ryder Dykstra walked to put a runner on base. After two quick outs, William Lybrook ripped a double past third baseman Mike O’Conor to score Dykstra to tie the game 1-1. The Sharks were able to pull out in front in the top of the fourth. 

 

The inning started with Vineyard’s Ethan Puig getting a walk. Shortstop Jamal George singled into left field to advance Puig. Dominic Moats hit a ball to Valley’s shortstop Michael Elko, who flipped the ball with ease to the second baseman Kai Cunningham for the 6-4-3 double play. Shark’s Harley Goodner was able to get on base with a walk to put runners on the corners. 

 

Then Dykstra slammed a ball to deep right field to score Puig and put Vineyard up 2-1. 

 

The Bottom of the fourth began with Blue Sox’s Mike Lucarelli double. Lucarelli scored off of Designated hitter Cade Carr’s ground rule double scored Lucarelli to tie the game again at 2-2. Vineyard did not take long to answer back. Brady Krzciok lead off the fifth with a homer to right to put the Sharks back out in front 3-2.

 

Vineyard's Moats sparked a sixth run rally with a single, then stole second and third to quickly put a runner in scoring position. Dykstra came through again for Vineyard with a single to score Moats to extend the Sharks' lead to two.

 

Valley did not take long to score in the bottom of the sixth. A very hot Lucarelli tripled off the right field fence to get on base in convincing fashion. Nicholas Spaventa followed with an RBI to cut the Sharks' lead to 4-3.

 

The one run differential did not last long, as the Sharks quickly scored again. Designated hitter Blake Binderup crushed a home run into right field to start the inning off strong. Vineyard was now up 5-3. That score would hold until the bottom of the ninth, when the Blue Sox’s offense once again responded. 

 

It started with a Spaventa walk, followed by an Andrew Loikits single. Catcher Rees Kozar struck out for out No. 1. Then came center fielder Sebastian Mexico to the plate. Mexico was having a rare cold day at the plate, going zero for four. Mexico put the other at bats behind him and hit a crucial single into center to score both Spaventa and Loikits and tie the game at 5-5. Valley stranded Mexico as both Burdette and Elko struck out to end the inning. We were into extra innings.

 

Extra innings in the New England Collegiate Baseball League has a maximum of two extra innings and a ghost runner on second base. Vineyard did not wait to start their scoring frenzy. Their ghost runner would be Jacob Kendro. George walked to start the inning. Moats single scored Kendro and advanced George to third. Moats then stole second base. 

 

The Shark’s Keaton Grady walked to load the bases up. A ball was hit right to Blue Sox’s second baseman Loikits but he threw a wild ball past the first baseman to allow two more Sharks runs to score. The score was now 8-5. 

 

Valley was unable to respond in the bottom of the tenth inning, and Vineyard walked away with an away win.

 

Blue Sox head coach Endy Morales gave his thoughts on the game. 

 

“We clearly did not have our best offensive day. On the mound we were also falling behind on hitters,” Morales said. “[When] too many free bases [are allowed] against a lineup like [Vineyard’s] and you are not as explosive offensively or defensively, it’s tough to come out as a winner in that game.”

 

Morales plans to have the team ready for their matchup tomorrow night at home against the Vermont Mountaineers. Saturday will feature a revenge game against Martha’s Vineyard at Mackenzie Stadium in Holyoke, MA. 

 

“First things first, we have to go [and win] against Vermont tomorrow, but whenever the opportunity comes on Saturday, I just want us to play a little bit cleaner and more confident [against the Sharks].”