The Newport Gulls season came to an end on Thursday in a 6-3 loss to the Martha’s Vineyard Sharks in the winner take all game three of the NECBL semifinals. The elimination ended Newport’s dreams of becoming only the second team to win three consecutive Fay Vincent Sr
cups.

The Gulls grabbed an early lead, Matthew Bolton ended his season with an incredible 40 game on base streak and led off the inning by drawing a walk. He eventually stole third and then scored on a wild pitch.

Newport starter Marcel Kulik (Auburn) worked a clean first two innings, delivering two strikeouts and keeping Vineyard hitless and off the scoreboard. Two pitches into the third though, he gave up a long game tying homer to Max Kaufer which tied the game at one run per side.
Drew DeLucia took the ball in the fourth for his first appearance since July 7th, the hard throwing righty stranded two men on base in the fourth but ran into more trouble in the fifth. Kaufer continued to swing a red hot bat with a leadoff double which started the go ahead rally,
he stole third and then came home on a single from Bradyn Martin. Carter Bentley, who singled, came home on a DeLucia wild pitch to put the Sharks up 3-1.

They added another run in the sixth off of Jake Gregor, when Kaufer - who yet again reached base, this time on a walk, scampered home on a wild pitch.

The Gulls finally found some offense in the bottom of the third, Adam Agresti doubled, but was gunned down at home on an Andreaus Lewis single. Lewis stole second, but was unable to manufacture a run.

Things got out of hand in the top of the seventh, Brady Krzciok singled home Will Hampton and then came home himself on a sacrifice fly. By the end of the inning, Gregor had been charged with two more runs and the Sharks had taken a convincing 6-1 lead.

The Gulls didn’t go away quietly though, and attempted to mount an eighth inning comeback. Michael Gupton led off with a walk and Colby Wallace doubled, putting men on second and third with no out. Agresti flew out to shallow left, not deep enough to score Gupton. Randy Seymour than walked the bases loaded on four pitches. Lewis drew another walk and Kyle Branch scored Wallace on a sacrifice fly. Petey Craska stepped into the batters box as the tying run, but struck out swinging to end the threat.

Newport once again fought for their season in the bottom of the ninth, loading the bases after two quick outs. Sadly, the Gulls could not get any runs across in the ninth.