Martha’s Vineyard won a playoff game for the first time in 14 years, behind the arm of Jonas Lukowitz, who threw a complete-game, four hitter in a 5-1 win over the Hanover Indians in the first round of the MIAA Division 3 South Sectional, Thursday afternoon at Vineyard Baseball Park in Oak Bluffs.
Lukowitz was stellar throughout, allowing one unearned run, striking out four and walking none.
The seventh-seeded Vineyarders (13-7) jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the first inning, thanks to some shaky Hanover defense. Chris Mayhew grounded a ball to third base and the ensuing throw landed up the right field line, resulting in a three-base error, scoring Jonas Lukowitz from first. Mayhew ended up on third and scored on a wild pitch.
The Indians cut the Vineyard lead to 2-1 in the top of the fourth inning but the hosts put the game away with three runs in the bottom half.
The rally started with James Sashin getting hit by a pitch. Sam Bresnick and Theo Gallagher both singled to load the bases. Tabor Caron scored Sashin on a deep, sacrifice fly and Elias Fhagen-Smith walked to load the bases again. Aidan Aliberti then stepped up to the plate and delivered the coup de grace with a two-RBI single to right-center, scoring Bresnick and Gallagher.
Next up for the Vineyarders is a South Sectional quarterfinal game Sunday at 4 pm (location TBD) vs. the winner of Friday’s game between second-seeded Coyle and Cassidy and fifteenth-seeded Dedham.
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