NEWPORT, R.I. — Tonight’s matchup between the Martha’s Vineyard Sharks and the Newport Gulls was a tale of two stories: a pitching duel for 5 ½ innings and a tale of clutch batting in the second half of the game. In the end, the Gulls showed their clutch chops, winning a 2nd consecutive game for the 1st time all year.
Gulls Starter Cade Shatwell(Oklahoma City) was very efficient, only allowing three runners to reach base. He struck out nine batters through 6 innings, only walking one batter. His offspeed pitches were borderline unhittable, as he recorded eight of the nine strikeouts on the slow stuff.
Sharks Starter Brandon Olivera (Miami) was also sensational, going five innings, recording ten strikeouts and only walking 1 Gull. The only damage would come in the 4th, when Brody Szako(Austin Peay) hit his 2nd home run at Cardines Field, tying the game, where it would remain even until Martha’s Vineyard scored first in the top of the first, striking immediately with three hits from the first four batters, all singles. The last of those three would be the pivotal single by Reese Robinett(Arkansas). The Sharks would try to advance an extra base on the single, letting Nolan Stevens(Miss St.) cut down a runner at third base to allow Newport to escape with only one run scored. The Gulls would respond with a solo shot in the 4th by Brody Szako(Austin Peay), which represented the only runs for six innings.
It would be 7th, where the Gulls would finally put more runs on the board. A double by Niko Brini(Uconn) would bring up the Alabama product Garret Staton. The junior would send one into the right-center gap, with Brini running hard to score on the RBI double. Staton himself would score on a crucial single from returner Tyler Hare (Wofford) to give the Gulls a 2-run lead heading to the 8th.
Then came the 8th inning. The top of the inning would be a chaotic affair. A walk by Michael Graziano (GA tech) would lead to runners on the corners with one out and JD Suarez(College of Charleston) at the plate. Chris Hacopian(Maryland) broke for 2nd base; Mac McCommons(USNA) threw down. Luke Orbon(Wake Forest) cut the throw off and came home with it, but not before Graziano got home. However, the umpires convened and called out Suarez for runner’s interference, killing the rally. The Sharks would eventually plate Graziano on a wild pitch by Adam Walker.
The bottom of the inning would bring more chaos as the Gulls finally pulled away. Jack Doyle(Northeastern) was hit by a pitch, leading to a Sharks pitching change. After a walk and an error, the bases were loaded with one out for Garret Staton, who walked in a run. Nolan Stevens(Miss. St.) finally delivered his first hit of the season, driving home McCommons and Brini to make it a 6-2 game. The top of the 9th would be uneventful, aside from the ejection of Sharks hitting coach Will Flanders for arguing a questionable strike three call.
With this win, the Gulls improve to 3-3 while the Sharks fall to 0-6. The Gulls resume play at 6:30 tomorrow evening at the Mystic Schooners in a rematch of Monday’s marquee matchup. The Gulls’ next home game is Monday evening at 6:35 PM vs. the North Shore Navigators.
