Holyoke, MA - Martha’s Vineyard Sharks defeated the Valley Blue Sox in what was a thrilling extra innings game. The excitement did not take long to start as Clay Burdette got the offense started for Valley in the bottom of the first.
Blue Sox’s center fielder Burdette did not think twice as he crushed the first pitch to come his way to left field for his league leading fifth home run to put Valley up 1-0. In the top of the third inning the Sharks swam their way back into the game.
Vineyard’s left fielder Ryder Dykstra walked to put a runner on base. The Sharks momentum looked to be running out in the inning with two quick outs, but then came William Lybrook. Lybrook ripped a double past third baseman Mike O’Conor into left field 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 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 came Dykstra to the plate. He slammed a ball into right field to score Puig to put Vineyard up 2-1.
Bottom of the fourth saw Blue Sox’s Mike Lucarelli double. Lucarelli scored off of designated hitter Cade Carr’s ground rule double and the game was tied again at 2-2. Vineyard did not take long to answer back. In the top of the fifth Brady Krzciok homered into right field to put the Sharks back out in front 3-2 to end the inning.
In the top of the sixth Moats singled, stole second and third to quickly put a runner in scoring position. Dykstra clutched up again for Vineyard with a single to score Moats to extend their lead to two before the end of the inning.
Valley did not take long to score in the bottom of the sixth. Lucarelli tripled off the right field fence to get on base in convincing fashion. Nicholas Spaventa hit a nice single to score Lucarelli to cut the lead back down to one, 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. 5-3 would remain the score until the bottom of the ninth inning, where the Blue Sox’s offense was efficient.
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 an unusual day at the plate, going zero for four. Mexico put the other at bats behind him and hit a crucial single into center field to score both Spaventa and Loikits to tie the game at 5-5. Valley had a chance to score Mexico but the next two batters Burdette and Elko struck out to end the inning.
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.
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 runs to score. The score was now 8-5.
Valley was unable to respond in the bottom of the tenth inning and the game ended 8-5 in favor of Vineyard. 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 to go to get them ready for their matchup tomorrow night at home against the Vermont Mountaineers and on Saturday in a revenge game against Martha’s Vineyard.
“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].”