The Martha’s Vineyard Sharks’ wild ride to the playoffs ended Saturday when they dropped both games of a doubleheader against the Ocean State Waves, surrendering the final playoff spot to their opponents from Rhode Island.

Leading up to the final games of the season, the Sharks had won five of their last seven, including a dramatic nine-run, eighth-inning comeback to beat the North Shore Navigators 13-7 last Thursday. And after a 15-4 walloping of the Mystic Schooners the following evening, the Sharks set up a win and you’re in the playoffs duel with the Waves to close out the season.

For a team that had endured a season of ups, downs, and oh-so closes, the Sharks displayed a tremendous amount of heart and effort in the final stretch of the season. They played 10 games in nine days and nearly claimed a spot in the playoffs. While the final two games were a tough way to end it, 7-6 and 9-7 in favor of the Waves, there was never any lack of energy from the Sharks faithful.

Sharks outpaced all other teams in the league for attendance. — Jonathan Fleischmann

In fact, Sharks fans led the league in attendance this year with 61,607 who visited the Shark Tank to cheer on the Island’s local nine. Over 11,000 more fans came to see the Sharks than the second most attended ballpark and over 33,000 more than the third.

Russ Curran, Sharks general manager, said the support from the Vineyard community is an integral part of how they will continue to grow as a team next year.

“We can build on the support we got from the community and host families this season which by far is our most important element and goal moving forward,” he said.

“We had a good roster this season,” Mr. Curran continued. “We just put it all together too late.”

Some of the standouts from this season include Scott Seeker, a first baseman who finished the season leading the league in runs batted in with 34. He also had the third-highest batting average in the league at .336 and was tied for third for the most home runs with seven. The senior from Mount Saint Mary’s went on a tear in the Sharks final games with 17 hits in 34 at bats with three bombs and 13 RBI.

Also at the dish, Ryan McCoy, the Sharks’ left fielder from Louisville, tied for the league lead in doubles with 11 including three in the big win over Mystic last week.

End of season gathering says it all. — Jonathan Fleischmann

Nathan Hall, the Sharks’ center fielder from Clemson, led the league in triples with four.

Mr. Curran said the Sharks are looking forward to continuing their relationships with larger college programs like the ones that brought in McCoy and Hall.

“Building relationships with the players like we did to continue to build better rosters from bigger schools,” is the key, he said. “It’s our first time not making the playoffs and we will make every effort not to have that happen again.”