Elias Fhagen-Smith grounded an RBI single into left field to score Jonas Lukowitz with the game-winning run in the seventh inning on Friday, to give Martha’s Vineyard Regional High School (MVRHS) a 4-3 victory over Bishop Stang in an Eastern Athletic Conference (EAC) thriller at the Shark Tank in Oak Bluffs.
The walk-off win pushed the Vineyarders (5-4) over .500 with their fifth consecutive win after an 0-4 season start.
Jonas Lukowitz singled smartly to centerfield with two down in the seventh, stole second, then moved on a 2-1 count and scored easily on Fhagen-Smith’s hit.
The Vineyarders were in a position to win after Vineyarder right fielder Chris Mayhew snuffed out a brewing Spartan rally in the top of the seventh. Mayhew broke in on a low liner to right with one out and a Spartan on first, made a knee-high catch, and doubled the runner off first to end the threat.
Vineyarder gloves played a big part in this one, in support of senior righthander James Sashin (2-1), who went the distance, allowing two earned runs and six hits with six strikeouts, and only one walk.
The Vineyarders went up 1-0 in the first inning, went down 3-1 in the top of the third, then tied it 3-3 in their half of the third inning off Stang pitcher Jack Sefrino, who pitched a gutty complete game of his own. Both pitchers threw zeroes for the next three innings before Lukowitz and Fhagen-Smith combined for the walk-off win.
The Vineyarders improved to 1-1 in the EAC with Friday’s win. They face Dennis-Yarmouth next in a non-league tilt on Monday afternoon at the Tank.