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Homers, Bullpen Lift Navs Past Martha's VIneyard Tuesday

06/11/2024 9:54 PM

OAK BLUFFS, Mass. 一 An 11-hit attack and scoreless relief pitching propelled the visiting North Shore Navigators to a 7-3 win over the Martha’s Vineyard Sharks in Tuesday night’s New England Collegiate Baseball League action at The Shark Tank.

North Shore improved to 3-2 following its second road win of the young season, while Martha’s VIneyard remained winless in the Coastal Division at 0-5.

Left fielder Jesse Jaconski (Penn State) and third baseman Pat D’Amico (Seton Hall) each had a pair of hits from the middle of the North Shore lineup, highlighting their efforts with the team’s first two home runs this summer. D’Amico, a former St. John’s Prep standout, recorded a Navs season-high three RBI over a span of four innings.

The Sharks actually got the scoring going as first baseman Scott Seeker (Mount St. Mary’s) hit a two-out RBI double in the bottom of the first, but Jaconski provided an immediate response with a solo homer to left to begin the next half-inning.

A trio of one-out hits helped North Shore jump ahead and start a three-run third inning that gave it the lead for good. After back-to-back base hits by a pair of Navs newcomers in shortstop Luke Orfi (Georgia Highlands) and designated hitter Danny MacDougall (Endicott), center fielder Ryan Gerety (Northeastern) flipped the score with a two-run double into the left-field corner. 

After a wild pitch from Vineyard starter Jackson Cole (Clemson) moved Gerety to third, catcher Matt Chatelle (Merrimack) drove him home with an RBI grounder to short to extend the visitors’ lead to 4-1.

In the last of the third, the Sharks got back within 4-3 after Seeker and third baseman Reece Robinett (Arkansas) each posted run-scoring hits within a span of three batters.

Just as Martha’s Vineyard got back into the game, the visitors padded their lead with single runs in each of the next two innings. D’Amico went deep to left to get North Shore back on the scoreboard in the fourth before another run of three consecutive singles got the job done in the fifth.

Chatelle started the latter frame’s two-out rally with a single, advanced on Jaconski’s knock and crossed the plate from second when D’Amico brought home his second run in as many innings.

North Shore scored a seventh-inning run without the benefit of a base hit, as Gerety drew a one-out walk before stealing second and third. Two batters later, D’Amico plated him on a sacrifice fly to center.

Navs starter Brett Dunham (Northeastern) allowed two earned runs and struck out five over the first three innings before a scoreless night’s work from the bullpen preserved the win. Josh Lajoie (Lipscomb) earned the win, fanning four without allowing a hit over the next two innings.

Zach Gleason (Stonehill) and Ryan Griffin (Northeastern) each worked around baserunners to strike out the side in their respective scoreless innings. Peabody native Joe Castrichini (Stonehill) and Ryan Buckler (Virginia Tech) also posted zeroes to finish the night. 

The Navs will finally get an extended feel of the comforts of home during their upcoming stretch, playing three of their next four games at Fraser Field beginning Thursday against another division rival in the Ocean State Waves. First pitch is set for 6:05 p.m.