"He Can't Stay Down!" Sharks Shake Off Four Barrels, Devour Gulls 9–5

Oak Bluffs, MA, Quint put it best: "He can't stay down with three barrels on him." On Thursday night, the Newport Gulls learned that four aren't enough either. On a scorching island day that peaked at 89 degrees before a clear, breezy evening settled temperatures from the low 80s into the upper 70s, a crowd of 3,501 at The Shark Tank watched Newport pump four solo home runs into the home nine and then watched the Sharks surface, circle, and strike for a 9–5 comeback win.

The victory pushed Martha's Vineyard to 17–5 and washed away Wednesday's stumble against Bristol in a single tide. Newport, now 14–8–1, out-homered the Sharks five to one and still lost by four, because every one of those five blasts came with the bases empty, and because Martha's Vineyard spent the night winning everywhere else.

Ryan Novak opened the fireworks with a solo shot to center in the second, and the fourth inning turned into a shooting gallery: Cole Johnson to right-center, Caeden Cloud to left, and Novak again to right — three more solo homers that stretched the Gulls' lead to 4–0. Remarkably, five of Newport's six hits on the night cleared the fence, and not one of them came with a runner aboard.

The Sharks began their climb from the deep immediately. In the bottom of the fourth, Will Hampton laced an RBI double to bring home Jackson Roper, and Jack Kamin's sacrifice fly to right made it 4–2. An inning later, with the bases loaded, Hampton struck again, lining a two-run single to right that scored Wesley Scott and Will Shaheen and knotted the game at 4–4. Hampton finished 2-for-4 with three RBI, two runs scored, and three stolen bases in a relentless night on the basepaths.

Then came the at-bat that flipped the game without a swing. Bases loaded in the sixth, Scott dug in and won an eight-pitch battle, drawing the walk that forced home Kamin with the go-ahead run, 5–4. It was that kind of night for the Sharks' offense: just six hits, but nine walks and four steals; death by a thousand cuts. Hampton added insurance in the seventh, dashing home on a wild pitch to make it 6–4.

Newport made it interesting in the eighth. Tristan Salinas lined a solo homer to right, the Gulls' fifth of the night, and two walks later the tying run stood in scoring position with nobody out. Enter Ryan Renfroe. The closer slammed the door with two hitless innings, striking out four of the six batters he faced to lock down his third save of the summer.

The Sharks made sure he had room to breathe. In the bottom of the eighth, Jackson Taylor singled in his only at-bat, Shaheen drew his second walk, and Scott ended the argument with a three-run homer to left that sent the Shark Tank crowd into a frenzy at 9–5. Scott finished 2-for-3 with two walks and a game-high four RBI.

Ethan Santerre (W, 3–0) earned the win with two innings of one-hit relief after starter Jordan Paradis was tagged for the four solo shots over 3.1 innings, and Michael Devenney bridged the gap with 1.2 hitless frames while the infield turned two double plays behind the staff. Sharks pitching punched out 12 Gulls in all. Newport reliever Burkley Bounds (L, 0–1) absorbed the loss as the Sharks' middle-inning rally ran through him.

About the Martha's Vineyard Sharks

The Martha's Vineyard Sharks are a member of the New England Collegiate Baseball League (NECBL), providing top collegiate talent with a platform to develop and entertain fans across the region. The MV Sharks Baseball Foundation, Inc., a registered 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, is dedicated to promoting baseball on Martha's Vineyard. We are currently seeking support to improve our baseball field at The Shark Tank, enhancing facilities for players, fans, and the community. The total estimated cost for these upgrades is $520,000, and as of today, we have secured commitments totaling $200,000. If interested, your donation will help bridge this gap, directly contributing to better playing conditions, safety features, and accessibility, ensuring the Martha's Vineyard Sharks continue to thrive as a beacon of youth development and local pride. Donate here today via our secure online form at mvsharks.com/donate (powered by MxMerchant for seamless, tax-receipted giving), or email/call Russ Curran at russ.curran@mvsharks.com / 508-813-0380. Every gift, no matter the size, makes a difference and qualifies for tax benefits.