The 2026 Martha’s Vineyard Sharks have migrated from their corners of the country to the Vineyard and are finding their footing in the competitive summer college baseball league.
At the Shark Tank on opening night the team lost a hard fought battle in an exhibition game against the Yankees scout team, 4-2.
The season officially got underway the next night with another home game, this time against the Mystic Schooners. The sharks lost 3-2, but put a win on the board against the Newport Gulls on Saturday, 5-3.
Opening night was an untraditional game, with rules altered for the sake of development: 15 Sharks played the field, alternating lineups every other inning. Starting the game on the mound was former 2023 and 2025 Shark, Gio Colasante, whose homecoming drew a standing ovation from the home crowd.
Friday night, the NECBL season kicked into high gear in front of a boisterous crowd with a tightly contested loss to the Mystic Schooners. The Sharks conceded two runs in the second inning, and never caught up, despite having the bases loaded with no outs in the bottom of the ninth.
Saturday night brought cheers and smiles to the fans and in the dugout with the win against the Newport Gulls.
Among the familiar faces on the team this season is Bryan Sornas, Chilmark local and former batboy. Sornas came up through the Vineyard Little League system and later played on the Brazilian national team. Now an infielder for the college of the Holy Cross, Sornas is suiting up with the Sharks again, this time as a key player.
“It’s such a surreal experience for me, growing up in the Tank and being around the team for so long, finally being able to step onto that field as a player is an unreal feeling,” he said. “Having the kids run around asking for autographs and pictures and just the joy that comes with this team.”
Skipper Peyton Fuller will return for his second season, as well as third base and hitting coach Ty Long.
“It’s challenging for sure. They are gonna be tested right out of the gate, see what we’ve got, what we need to improve on,” Fuller said.
The Sharks play an away game on Sunday, June 7, against the Bristol Blues, and then are back home on Monday, June 8, to take on Cotuit. host the Newport Gulls in what may very well be a grudge match. The Vineyard sunk Newport’s hopes of three consecutive league championships with their gutsy comeback victory in last year’s contest for the South division title. First pitch is Saturday night at 7:05p.m. at the Tank.
Visit mvsharks,com for a full schedule.
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