Ringing the Dinner Bell: Sharks Come Home Hungry, Feast on Ocean State 8–2
Nick Rubino drove in three runs and capped the night with a two-run homer in the eighth, while four Martha's Vineyard arms combined on a three-hitter without surrendering a single earned run.
| Final | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | R | H | E |
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0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 3 | 1 |
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0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 2 | X | 8 | 10 | 3 |
Oak Bluffs, MA - Under a mild, dry Vineyard evening with 70 degrees at first pitch, the last of the daylight surrendering to a thickening deck of clouds, a lazy breeze that never topped eight miles an hour, the Martha's Vineyard Sharks came home hungry. Two nights removed from a doubleheader sweep on the road in Danbury, they swam back into their own water and made a meal of the Ocean State Waves, 8–2, in front of 2,710 at The Shark Tank. The win pushed the Sharks to 27–10 on the NECBL season and dropped the Waves to 11–28.
It was a feeding that started early and never really stopped.
Martha's Vineyard opened the scoring in the second, when Austin Pierzynski's groundout to second brought Jackson Taylor home for a 1–0 lead. In the third, Nick Rubino lined a single to center field to score Carter Bentley and double the margin.
Ocean State pushed a run across in the fifth on a catcher's throwing error that let Gavin Marchese come around from third, but the answer came immediately. In the bottom half, with Bentley and Kevin Hall aboard, Taylor drove a 2–0 pitch into right center for a two-run single and a 4–1 cushion.
The sixth belonged to the Sharks' relentlessness rather than their power. Wesley Scott reached on a fielder's choice that plated Ethan Gonzalez, and when the throw got away from Waves first baseman Zach Plasschaert, Hall never stopped running. Two more in, 6–1.
Ocean State scratched out an unearned run in the seventh on Adonis Medina's sacrifice fly to left, but Rubino ended any lingering suspense in the eighth, turning on a 2–2 pitch and depositing it over the left-center-field fence for a two-run shot and his third RBI of the night. 8–2, and the water was closed.
Scott Longo opened for the Sharks with three scoreless innings, scattering two hits and striking out three. Landon O'Donnell followed with two hitless frames and six strikeouts to pick up the win and move to 3–0. Ethan Santerre matched him with two more hitless innings and four punchouts, and Matthew Heyl closed it out with two innings of one-hit ball. The final line for the four-man group: nine innings, three hits, thirteen strikeouts, and, despite two runs on the scoreboard, zero earned runs.
Carter Bentley was a nuisance from the leadoff-adjacent spot all night. He reached base four times in five plate appearances on a hit and three walks, stole three bases, and scored three of the Sharks' eight runs. Kevin Hall went 3-for-5 with two runs and a steal. Gonzalez reached in all four of his trips with a hit and three walks. Will Bavaro added two hits including a double, and Rubino finished 2-for-4 with the homer and three RBI.
As a team, Martha's Vineyard put up ten hits, drew seven walks, and swiped five bases, turning nearly every baserunner into pressure. The defense chipped in a 3-5-4 double play started by Rubino.
For the Waves, Medina and Marchese did what damage there was — Marchese reached twice on walks, stole a base, and scored both Ocean State runs. Thorpe Musci took the loss, falling to 0–1 after 1.2 innings.
The Sharks return to The Shark Tank Saturday night at 7:05 to host the North Shore Navigators.
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.