By Michael Letendre

BRISTOL – The first game for the Bristol Blues in the 2022 New England Collegiate Baseball League playoffs did not go according to plan against a very good program from Marthas Vineyard on Tuesday.

The Blues, earning a bye into semifinal round action, led 2-0 though three innings before allowing nine straight runs, falling by a 10-3 final to the Sharks from Muzzy Field in Bristol.

It’s the best-of-three series and the Blues must win two straight games, including its second contest tonight on the road at the Shark Tank, in order to earn a spot in the NECBL finals.

Bristol starter Jagger Duquette threw the ball well for the locals, allowing just one hit over 3.2 innings of work.

He gave up one earn run and two walks while fanning four over his no decision.

Matt Smith (two hits, two earned runs) lost the game in relief for Bristol.

Sharks’ starter Case Matter was excellent in his four frames of work, posting ten strikeouts, walking three, and allowing just two hits.

He also did not factor into the decision but J.D. McCracken did, winning the showdown in middle relief (3 IP, 0 ER, 6 Ks).

Bristol was outhit 10-8 but Joseph Rios was able to go 1-for-3 with a walk and two RBI to lead the Blues at the dish.

Marthas Vineyard pitching racked up 17 strikeouts that night but had to battle from the plate to eventually steal the game away.

Matt Smith started the first inning for the Blues with a single while Derek Tenney and Griffin Arnone both walked to load the bases with one out.

From there, Rios dropped in a single – scoring two – as the Blues snared an immediate 2-0 push from through one completed stanza.

But the locals got into trouble in the top of the fourth.

Bristol made three pitching substitutions over the fourth inning as the Sharks took control of the contest.

The visitors tied the game at 2-2 early in the fourth and after Marthas Vineyard loaded the bases, Bristol’s Jackson Vanesko subbed in for Thomas Benincaso with Logan Chambers up to bat.

Chambers ended up slapping the ball out of the park as his grand slam made it a 6-2 contest with the Sharks on top.

Marthas scored three more times in the fifth to secure an imposing 9-2 push.

Down by seven runs entering the final frame, a sacrifice fly from Bristol’s Jack Lynch scored Zach Stephenson to trim the deficit to 10-3.

But the Blues ended up stranding 12 runners by the end of the game, falling by seven runs over its first semifinal contest of 2022.

NOTES…Game two commenced on Wednesday from Alumni Field in Marthas Vineyard…Nearly 1,050 fans witnessed the contest from Muzzy Field as the game started at 6:36 p.m. but because of the rotten weather, the game lasted 4:14 and nearly finished at 11 p.m. with a travel day on deck for both programs.

New England Collegiate Baseball League Playoffs – Semifinal Round, Game 1

MARTHAS VINEYARD SHARKS 10, BRISTOL BLUES 3

from Muzzy Field, Bristol

Marthas Vineyard (2-0) 000 630 010 – 10 8 0  

Bristol (0-1)  200 000 001 – 3 6 1

WP – J.D. McCracken (Marthas Vineyard); LP – Matt Smith(Bristol)

Marthas Vineyard Batting 

2B – Cabot Maher

3B – None 

HR – Logan Chambers

Bristol Batting 

2B – Carson Swank, Luke Broadhurst

3B – None

HR – None

LOB – Marthas Vineyard 6; Bristol 12

Records: Marthas Vineyard 2-0 postseason, Bristol 0-1