Blue Sox fall to Martha’s Vineyard on the road
By Graham Goodman
The Valley Blue Sox (11-16-1) took an 11-0 loss from the Martha’s Vineyard Sharks (23-7) on July 14 at The Shark Tank in Martha’s Vineyard, MA.
The Blue Sox wore the stain of two big innings from the Sharks in the fourth and fifth innings, where Martha’s Vineyard scored 10 of its 11 runs, with seven coming on two swings. The Blue Sox never got their offense off the ground, mustering only three hits and four walks.
Martha’s offense piled on once Valley starting pitcher Riley Williams (Mt. St. Mary’s) finished his three scoreless innings of two-hit ball. The Sharks put two runners on with a double and a walk with one out. Valley came within one out of escaping the jam, but a three-run home run from Nick Barron (Northwestern) instead put the Blue Sox in a deficit.
Barron’s swing was not even the biggest of the night. Martha’s offense picked up right where it left off in the next frame, when Wesley Scott (Louisiana Tech) capitalized on three consecutive walks by sending a grand slam down the right-field line.
The Sharks added two more runs on the same pitch after a bases loaded walk reached the backstop, scoring the runners from second and third base.
With a comfy 10-0 lead in the middle innings, the Sharks’ bullpen did not waiver. Four arms combined for five shutout innings, with the Blue Sox only managing two hits and one walk from the fifth inning on.
The Blue Sox’s bullpen had its own highlights after the fourth and fifth innings, giving three frames of one run ball. LHP Mike Madigan (George Mason) appeared for his sixth outing of the season and second scoreless outing of the season. RHP Jason Pinnsonault (Western New England) had the longest Valley relief appearance of the night, throwing the seventh and eighth innings, getting tagged for one earned run.
Martha’s grabbed that run in the eighth inning when Barron collected his fourth RBI and second hit with a two-out single to right-field for the Sharks’ eleventh run.
The Blue Sox drop to 11-16-1 and sixth in the NECBL South Division. The Sharks improve to 23-7 and remain holding the best record in South Division and in the NECBL. Valley returns home for back-to-back games starting at 6:30 p.m. July 15 at Mackenzie Stadium to face the Danbury Westerners.