The Highlanders captured their second straight men’s softball league championship last Thursday night, taking down the Brewhas 16–9 in Game 2 of the best-of-three finals.
The Highlanders also took Game 1 on Monday last week in the seven-inning game and closed out the series in a comeback Thursday, tacking on a number of runs in the later innings to take the win.
The softball league on Martha’s Vineyard, which has both a women’s and a men’s league, plays at Veterans Field in Vineyard Haven, and locals and summer visitors alike take part in the beloved pastime. The games are played later in the day, and as the sun sets, the floodlights come on. Teams include local police and firefighters, builders, those who work in the service industry or at the hospital, and even local high school and returning college students.
The Highlanders are made up mostly of up-Island locals, and the Brewhas mostly of local emergency service workers, from Police to EMS and Fire.
Trailing 6–2 in the bottom of the fifth, the Highlanders loaded the bases before newcomer Silas Abrams launched a three-run home run. The home team tacked on two more runs with singles for an 8–6 lead.
After holding the Brewhas scoreless in the top of the sixth inning, the Highlanders erupted at the plate, scoring eight more runs in the bottom of the sixth. Team captain Jock Cooperrider contributed a three-run homer during the onslaught, stretching the lead to 16–6. The Brewhas snuck a few runs in at the top of the seventh inning, but the Highlanders played solid defense to hold their lead and close out the game 16–9.
“Silas’ home run was big. That was definitely a game-changer, got everybody off the bench and psyched up,” Cooperrider said in an interview with The Times. “His three-run home run definitely changed the vibe of the game. We were down four runs.”
For the Highlanders, Abrams played shortstop in place of Aksel Cooperrider, who was out with an injury. He is one of several newcomers who have joined the team over the past couple years. Other recent joiners include Jacoby Light, a local high school graduate who attends Lasell University, and Benny Madeiras, who Cooperrider called “a great pitcher.”
Cooperrider has led the Highlanders as captain for the past six years. He said the team is made up of a tight-knit group of friends, and the chemistry shows. “We have a really close squad. We all grew up together,” Cooperrider said. “We do stuff outside of softball together, and I think that shows up on the field.”
For Cooperrider, the summer season is about more than just winning, it’s about camaraderie, and social engagement.
“It’s something fun to look forward to in the summer. A lot of us played Little League growing up. There’s men’s leagues for different sports you can play, but this is one of the few where you can come down and socialize, and that’s a big piece of it,” Cooperrider said. “It’s got a good combination of less pressure, you’re out there in hats and sweatpants, you’re not putting on gear and jerseys, but there’s a lot of competitiveness. Nobody wants to lose, and there’s a lot of camaraderie, and those two balance really well for that league.”
Cooperrider said this is the first time the Highlanders have won the title two consecutive years.
“Back-to-back, that was a big one. I don’t think we ever won the championship twice in a row, so that was something we’re excited to do,” Cooperrider said. “We go down there all summer a couple days a week, and we have ups and downs, and there’s nights you don’t feel like going down after work, but [the win] makes it all worth it.”
The women’s softball league, which also plays at Veterans Field from June to the middle of August, has its third game in the best-of-three championship series scheduled for Thursday, August 20, at 6:15 pm. The Creamers and the Snaps are facing off for the championship title. The Snaps beat the Creamers in game one earlier this month, but the Creamers kept themselves alive last Friday, winning in a close game 7–6.
