Show Me the Way to Go Home: Sharks Rally From Three Down, Sink Keene 4–3 at the Tank

Oak Bluffs, Massachusetts - Sunday's rain gave way to a picture-perfect Monday on the island — cloudless skies, 69 degrees at the 7:05 first pitch and a whisper of a south breeze under a cooling evening — and for five innings, the only chill at the Shark Tank was on the home side of the scoreboard. Then Jackson Taylor swung, and 2,681 fans found their voice. Down 3–0 in the sixth, the Sharks roared back for a 4–3 victory over the Keene Swamp Bats, improving to 26–8 and getting right back to their winning ways one night after seeing their streak end in Bristol.

Keene drew first blood in the opening frame. After a Sharks miscue extended the inning, Charlie Meglio lined a two-run single to left, plating Micah Kendrick and Jackson Smith for a 2–0 Swamp Bats lead — one of the runs unearned. Meglio was a menace all night, finishing 3-for-4 and accounting for most of Keene's offense single-handedly.

Sharks starter Jordan Paradis settled in from there, striking out four over three innings and allowing just one earned run, and Matthew Heyl was even better behind him — two hitless, scoreless frames that kept the deficit at arm's length. But the Sharks' bats stayed quiet against Keene starter Eamon McDermott, who carried a shutout into the sixth. When Dylan Fitzsimmons lifted a sacrifice fly in the top of that inning to stretch the lead to 3–0, the game was drifting toward a second straight quiet night.

It lasted exactly half an inning. In the bottom of the sixth, the Sharks loaded the traffic — Wesley Scott and Jackson Taylor worked their way aboard along with Ryan Thompson, who singled twice on the night — and Taylor delivered the swing of the game: a three-run triple laced into the right-center gap that scored Thompson and Scott and, when the play broke down behind him, brought Taylor himself all the way around to tie it at 3–3. One pitch of damage, one brand-new ballgame.

The bullpen took it from there. Jack Volo worked through the seventh, and when Keene put runners aboard in the eighth, Ben Waterman slammed the door with three strikeouts across 1.2 high-wire innings, stranding the go-ahead run.

The Sharks cashed in their chance in the eighth. Taylor — who reached base four times in five trips — drew a walk, moved into scoring position, and came home when Nick Barron slapped an RBI single into right-center for the 4–3 lead. Barron was thrown out trying to stretch it, but the run was in, and that was all the Sharks needed.

Ryan Renfroe made sure of it. The closer struck out two in a perfect ninth for his fifth save of the summer, sealing the win for Volo (2–0) and sending the Tank home happy after three hours and thirteen minutes of tension.

Martha's Vineyard is back at it tonight, hosting the Valley Blue Sox at 7:05 p.m. at the Shark Tank — and if the Blue Sox saw what Taylor did to the last visitors, they're gonna need a bigger boat.

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.