The Martha’s Vineyard Sharks lost a tough 7-6, 10 inning decision to the Ocean State Waves in New England Collegiate Baseball League (NECBL) play, Monday night at the Tank in Oak Bluffs.
Having bought an extra home game from the Waves, the Sharks played as the visiting team in their home park, and carried a 5-4 lead into the bottom of the ninth. Ocean State rallied to tie the game after Kyle Maves singled and advanced to third on an error and a wild pitch, before scoring on a single by Albert Choi.
By NECBL rules, the teams can play up to two extra innings. Each team gets a runner at second base to start. If the run scores, it is unearned. If the score is still tied after the 11th inning, the game ends in a tie.
In the top of the 10th, Sharks first baseman Ryan Hernandez started off at second base. Will Duff laid down a sac bunt, moving Hernandez to third, and A.J. Shaver ripped the next pitch up the middle to put the Sharks back in front, 6-5.
Ocean State tied the game on an RBI single to right field, and won it when Dylan Hoy hit a tough grounder to second with the bases loaded, and Alex Ramirez beat Drew Grace’s throw to the plate.
Things looked promising early for the Sharks, who jumped out to a quick 3-0 lead. Ryan Hernandez hit an RBI single down the left field line in the first inning, and A.J. Shaver homered to right with Grant Norris aboard in the second. Ocean State scored four unanswered runs during the third and fourth, and led until the Sharks scored twice in the seventh. Drew Grace doubled to score Dylan Judd and Collin Shapiro crossed the plate after Will Duff got plunked by a pitch with the bases loaded.
The Sharks, 7-5, and two games back in the NECBL Southern Division, travel to South Kingstown, R.I., to play Ocean State on Thursday and visit the Valley Blue Sox in Holyoke on Friday before hosting the Waves on Saturday night, the Bristol Blues on Sunday and the Newport Gulls on Tuesday. All three games at the Shark Tank are 7 pm starts.