After stomping the NECBL’s best team 11-2 Saturday night, the playoffs are firmly in the sights of this year’s Martha’s Vineyard Sharks team.
After stomping the NECBL’s best team 11-2 Saturday night, the playoffs are firmly in the sights of this year’s Martha’s Vineyard Sharks team.
Currently, the Sharks find themselves hunting for a first or second seed in a tight race in the South division before the postseason kicks off Friday, August 1.
Following a dismal 1-5 start, the Sharks woke up and went on a ferocious winning streak in mid-June.
Walking tall to the plate as dusk settle.s
Walking tall to the plate as dusk settle.s
Since then, they survived a tortuous mid-season stretch that saw the team play 25 games in 24 days from June 25 to July 19, including four doubleheaders in 10 days.
But the Sharks have stayed afloat and more, combining timely hitting and impressive pitching to remain six games above .500.
Flashes of this team’s championship potential have shone through frequently. They are second in the NECBL in team ERA and batting average.
The success is in large part due to the camaraderie of the players.
“I’ve never played on a team where guys bonded so quickly,” said outfielder Ryder Dykstra. “It feels like we’ve been playing together for years.”
With three games remaining in the regular season, and a 23-17 record, the Sharks sit comfortably in third place in the South Division.
Camaraderie is key.
Camaraderie is key.
The top four teams from both the North and South Divisions qualify for the playoffs. Currently, the Sharks maintain a 3.5-game lead over the team chasing the final playoff spot in the South. With just three games remaining, their magic number has dropped to one, meaning if the Valley Blue Sox and Mystic Schooners each lose a game, the Sharks will officially clinch a postseason berth.
The team trails the second place Newport Gulls by 2.5 games, and the first place Bristol Blues by 1.5 games. But the Sharks have beaten both teams convincingly this summer, proving just how dangerous this group can be. That talent was recognized across the league at the NECBL All-Star Game on July 21.
The Sharks squad sent six players to the All-Star Game in White River Junction, Vt. Second-year Shark Brayden Martin at third base and Evan Applewick at first base both started for the South division. Two relief pitchers, second-year Shark Colby McNeely and Rohan Lettow, also got the All-Star nod. Outfielder Will Hampton was selected as a reserve. William Lybrook, another returner, made the trip to compete in the home run derby.
But in baseball, success is never assured. Across the NECBL, rosters are changing every day in the final stretch of the season. As a result of the new NCAA rules, approximately 6,000 college players entered the transfer portal in June, including a plethora in the NECBL. Now attached to new schools, players must leave the NECBL teams to avoid injury in the waning days of the season.
In some cases, pitchers’ have thrown the maximum number of innings for the summer, leaving teams scrambling. The Sharks have already lost over seven arms and four position players in the last two weeks alone.
High-fiving the next generation.
High-fiving the next generation.
To combat the subtraction of players, the team has added six new pitchers. Winning games while dealing with a revolving roster right before the playoffs is a difficult task for any coach to manage, but Sharks skipper Peyton Fuller remains confident in his team.
“This group’s been resilient all summer,” Fuller said. “We’ve asked guys to step into big roles and they’ve delivered. That’s not going to change now.”
Despite all the moving pieces, the Sharks have stayed locked in, thanks to a tight-knit group that’s kept the energy high and the dugout loose. Returners from two years ago, Gio Colasante and Max Kaufer, along with last summer’s core — Brayden Martin, Will Lybrook and Colby McNeely — help anchor a squad mixed with an impressive amount of new talent. Through long bus rides, doubleheaders and lineup changes, the team’s chemistry has never wavered.
That same energy has been matched in the stands. After leading the NECBL in attendance last summer, the Sharks once again turned the Shark Tank into one of the toughest places to play in the league. Spirited crowds showed up all season long, especially on giveaway nights featuring local Island businesses. The team even made history with two home games broadcast live on ESPN+, the first time the Island has been featured on the national stage.
With the postseason approaching, it’s shaping up to be an exciting finish.
The Sharks final two home games before the playoffs begin are Monday, July 28, against the Valley Blue Sox, and Tuesday, July 29 against the Newport Gulls. Both games begin at 7:05.
Comments
Go team, you can do it!
Steven B Gentle EdgartownGo team, you can do it!
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