Andre Chiefs

Medford, MA- Lefty Dylan Ellis (Gloucester, MA/Merrimack) threw a complete game two-hitter and his mates supported him with nine hits as the Chiefs ended a three game skid with a 5-0 win over the Testa Corp. Bombers at Tufts University on Sunday afternoon. 

Ellis (2-0), was in command from start to finish as he struck out six and did not allow a Bombers base runner to get any further than second base.  

Ellis retired two Bombers hitters in the first inning before experiencing a little wildness and walking Josh Klimkiewicz and Nick Martinho in succession before getting Mike Adessa to pop up. 

The Chiefs took the lead in the home half of the first inning. Red hot Brendan Pyburn (7 for his last 11) got things going with an infield single off Bombers starter Mike Hashem. Mike Baillargeon flew to right for the first out and the Chiefs then executed a perfect hit and run with Jeff Bercume singling to right with Pyburn taking third. That paid immediate dividends when cleanup man Justin Crisafulli lofted a sacrifice fly to center scoring Pyburn.  

The Bombers got two more men on after two were out in the second when Steve Buitkus singled and Steve Wadsworth worked a walk. Ellis got tough and got Papa to pop up and Jay Defillippo to ground to Baillargeon at second base to end the inning. 

The Chiefs added three runs in the bottom of the second to jump the lead out to 4-0. Hashem got the first two outs of the inning before walking JP Pollard. Rookie Hal Landers then singled to right and Pyburn delivered his second single of the day, this time a RBI single to center that scored Pollard. Baillargeon followed and the he showed why he was the Northeast 10 Player of the Year this past spring when he uncorked a long triple to left center scoring Landers and Pyburn. 

Ellis worked a one-two-three third inning and the Chiefs gave him another run in the bottom of the frame. Catcher Bob McCarthy singled to right center and Mike Andre moved him to third with a long double to the 379” foot sign in right-center. Veteran Brian Macrina then delivered a sacrifice fly that plated McCarthy with the Chiefs fifth run of the afternoon. 

Ellis cruised through the fourth and allowed a single to Defillippo in the fifth. Hashem, the former UConn southpaw, settled down a bit and tossed a zero in the fourth and escaped a fifth inning jam.  

In the Chiefs fifth, Andre drew a full count, two out walk and Macrina singled to right-center. Peter Copa of UMass-Amherst came on to run for Andre but Hashem got Landers to ground sharply to second to end the threat. 

Ellis retired the heart of the Bombers order in succession in the top of the sixth. Suffolk University standout Dan Delia came on in relief of Hashem and worked a scoreless sixth. 

Buitkus reached on a throwing error by Copa to open the Testa seventh but was quickly erased at second on a Pyburn unassisted to Pollard doubleplay off the bat of Wadsworth. Papa then reached on Copa’s second miscue of the inning but Ellis ended the day when he got Defillippo to pop up to Baillargeon. 

With the win the Chiefs go to 7-4-1 on the year. Ellis lowered his ERA to 1.56 and picked up his eighth career win. 

Chiefs Chatter….Former UMass star Mike DiCato will take the mound in search of his third win of the season when the Chiefs host the Wakefield Merchants at Tufts on Monday at 6:00 PM…The Chiefs got some bad news in the pitching department when it was learned that Assumption righty Joe Martini will be lost for the remainder of the season with a labrum injury…..