The Martha’s Vineyard Regional High School boys baseball team suffered a heartbreaking second round 4-2 loss to Bourne in the Division 3 South Sectional playoffs at home last Thursday.
This ended one of the most successful seasons in recent MV baseball history, as the team went 12-9, won the Russell Downes Westwood Tournament for the first time ever, and had its first home playoff game in 13 years.
MV led virtually all of the game, taking a 1-0 lead in the second inning on a walk to Emerson Mahoney, who moved to second on a sacrifice bunt by Aidan Aliberti. After a groundout moved him to third, Aksel Cooperrider singled him in. MV added a run in the fourth, once again started by a Mahoney walk. He promptly stole second and made it to third on a throwing error by the catcher. Two batters later, Mitchell Chaves grounded out to bring Mahoney in.
MV maintained the 2-0 lead behind the strong pitching of senior Jacob Cardoza, pitching in his last game for MV. Cardoza gave up a run in the sixth, making it 2-1, and started the seventh to try and close the game. After a strikeout and single, he was replaced by James Sashin to try and finish the game. Sashin got his first hitter on a strikeout, but the next three Bourne hitters reached on singles, scoring three more runs to take the lead.
MV went down in order in the seventh, giving Bourne the 4-2 playoff win and ending MV’s season.
