The Head, the Tail, the Whole Damn Thing: Danbury Takes It All in 14–6 Game 1 Rout of Sharks

Danbury, Connecticut - On a flawless, sun-splashed Connecticut afternoon — 77 degrees at the 4:00 first pitch, dry air, only the faintest westerly breeze — the waters at Rogers Park turned dangerous in a hurry. The Danbury Westerners sent ten men to the plate in a six-run first inning, piled on four more in the second, and pounded out seventeen hits and five home runs on their way to a 14–6 win in the seven-inning opener of Thursday's twin bill. The loss dropped Martha's Vineyard to 26–9 on the summer and handed the Sharks just their third road defeat against twelve wins away from the island.

The trouble started immediately. Aidan Stern jumped on the first pitch of his opening at-bat and lined a two-run homer to right, Ronan Donohue worked a full count and muscled a two-run shot to left, Garrett McGovern laced an RBI double down the left-field line, and Ryan Martin slapped a first-pitch RBI single up the middle. By the time starter Owen Sarna escaped, Danbury had batted around: six runs on seven hits, and a 6–0 hole before the Sharks had settled into the dugout. Sarna's afternoon ended after that lone inning, and he was tagged with the loss (0–1).

It got worse before it got better. In the second, Ryan Preisano lined an RBI single to center off reliever Leo Colena, and then Ronan Donohue struck again — a first-pitch, three-run blast down the left-field line, his second homer in as many innings, giving him five RBI before some fans had found their seats and stretching the lead to 10–0.

The Sharks started chipping. Kevin Hall fought through a full count and lined an RBI single to center in the third to get Martha's Vineyard on the board, and Carter Bentley's full-count RBI double to right in the fifth — scoring Hall — made it 10–2. But Martin answered in the bottom half, golfing a two-run homer to center for his third RBI of the game and a 12–2 Danbury cushion.

To their credit, the Sharks kept swinging. They loaded the bases in the sixth, and Bryan Sornas worked a bases-loaded walk to force in Austin Pierzynski. Watkins followed with the biggest swing of the Vineyard afternoon — a two-run double down the left-field line that scored Ethan Gonzalez and Will Hampton — and Hall lifted a sacrifice fly to center to cap a four-run frame and trim the deficit to 12–6.

Danbury slammed the door in the bottom of the sixth. Gavin Donohue golfed a solo homer to center and Jack Lutte lined an RBI single to close the scoring at 14–6, and the Westerners never had to bat again.

The final ledger told the story: seventeen Danbury hits to the Sharks' eight, five Westerners home runs, and not a single error on either side. For Martha's Vineyard, Hall finished 2-for-3 with two RBI, Ryan Thompson added two hits, and Watkins reached base twice, stole a bag, and drove in two in front of 324 fans over two hours and thirty-four minutes. Colena and Warner Gearhart combined to cover the final five innings out of the bullpen.

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.