Posted: April 6th, 2026, 3:50pm EDT
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MVRHS senior Eli Bryant (No. 5) throws a strike against Nantucket.
Joe Medeiros (No. 15) connects with a Nantucket pitch.
Junior Leo Napior (No. 11) crosses home plate against Nantucket.
Senior Cris Cardoza (No. 2) closes on the mound against Nantucket.
Sophomore Jason Alton fields a ground ball in warm-ups.
Junior Peter Williamson (No. 6) pitches against Nantucket.
Vineyard lacrosse fell to Nantucket 4-11.
Freshman Moses Thomson returns one against Nantucket.
The Martha’s Vineyard Regional High School (MVRHS) spring sports season launched into full swing on Saturday with a full day of inter-Island rivalry games against the Nantucket Whalers. The varsity baseball team’s game was the highlight of the day; the boys defeated the Whalers 8-4 in their home opener.
Head Coach Patrick Moore said he was pleased with the team’s opening game, despite some early season kinks they needed to work out.
“It’s awesome,” said Moore of the rivalry win. “It’s fun watching the guys gear up for it because I know it means a lot to them. It always feels a little bit better to knock those guys down.”
Senior captain and right-handed pitcher Eli Bryant (No. 5) started on the mound for the Vineyarders, delivering four straight shutout innings and striking out five of the Whalers’ batters. Bryant’s pitching generated grounders that the Vineyarders fielded with discipline to keep Nantucket off the scoreboard early.
The Vineyard’s offense came alive early too, stacking eight runs in the first two innings for a strong lead. After the Vineyarders scored only a run in the first inning, junior Peter Williamson (No. 6) opened up the second inning with a ground ball back up the middle. The Vineyarders loaded the bases, and junior Leo Napior (No. 11) drove in a run with a pop fly that the Whalers’ infielders lost sight of in the sunlight. A walk brought in another run before senior captain Lathrop Keene (No. 1) ripped a bases-loaded grounder that got through the infield for two more runs. The Vineyarders batted through their lineup, and then when Williamson was up again, he pulled a hit to left field this time to drive in two more runs before Nantucket switched pitchers and closed out the second inning.
The Vineyarders kept Nantucket’s scoring low throughout the next few innings; Williamson relieved Bryant in the fifth. Williamson got the Vineyarders out of the fifth inning and struck a batter out in the sixth before senior Cris Cardoza took the mound to close. The Whalers were able to get four runs in later innings. It was the Vineyarders’ Keene who made the final play, catching a high-fly in center field and firing it to first base before Nantucket’s runner made it back, for a double play, to close out the win 8-4.
Moore said it was a team effort, but the team’s pitching gave them the space they needed to win. Williamson, who was playing in his first varsity game ever, was a key player, going three-for-three at bat and gaining valuable pitching experience on the mound.
“Eli [Byrant] gave us a good start. Peter [Williamson] came in, new to varsity this year. It was good to give him some game experience; he came in and did alright. Then [Cris] Cardoza came in and shut it down for us,” said Moore. “Williamson, man, he had a great game for us.”
The Vineyarders (1-0) travel to Falmouth on Wednesday for a 4 p.m. opening pitch at the Guv Fuller Field. Keene, one of the Vineyard’s top pitchers, is expected to start on the mound. Falmouth defeated the Vineyarders twice in three meetings last season.
“Falmouth is always a good matchup for us. That’s a tough team,” said Moore. “One of the things that we talk about with the guys when we go out and face a team like that is toughness. You’re just gonna have to be ready to compete, and you can’t waver in the big moments.”
Team captain Bryant, who is committed to Endicott College for baseball, said the team has trained together a lot in the off-season, and it’s showing in their improved performance.
“I think we look pretty good,” Bryant said. “Our hitting is way better than it was last year at this time. Our fielding is way better, and pitching looks good. I think overall we could have a really good season if we keep on track.”
Keene, a team captain committed to Roger Williams University, said they need to focus on consistency moving forward.
“We have to come out strong every game, every single inning,” said Keene. “Errors were probably our biggest problem today.”
Moore said the goal this season is to qualify for the Massachusetts Interscholastic Athletic Association (MIAA) state playoffs and win the league.
“We do have a lot of new faces up here this year, but we’re excited about this group for sure. We’re kind of going through the early season struggling with just some growing pains, but this team is good,” said Moore. “They respond well to adversity, and they respond well to coaching, so we have a lot to look forward to.”
Elsewhere on Saturday:
- Boys varsity tennis defeated Nantucket 3-2 at home
- Boys varsity lacrosse lost to Nantucket 4-11 at home
- Girls varsity tennis swept Nantucket 5-0 at Nantucket
- Girls varsity lacrosse lost to Nantucket 1-15 at Nantucket
- Varsity softball lost to Nantucket 6-15 at Nantucket
The post Vineyard baseball beats Nantucket in home opener appeared first on The Martha's Vineyard Times.