Andre Chiefs

Medford, MA- Over the course of a long summer of ICL baseball there are usually several nights that a team would like to forget. One of those nights that fit under the “forgetful column” took place for the Chiefs at Tufts University on Monday night.

The Testa Corp. Bombers, along with leaving nine men on base, had a lot to do with a Chiefs lackluster performance as they saw their six game winning streak come to a halt, 4-1.

The tone for this one was set early as the Bombers came up with two first inning runs and were poised to put up more, if not for a costly base running blunder that got the Chiefs out of the inning rather cheaply.

Chiefs starter Tim Dunphy hit leadoff man Mark O’Flynn with the first pitch of the game. Two pitches later it was 1-0 Bombers when veteran Pete John drilled a long double to straightaway center that scored O’Flynn. It quickly went to 2-0 when Dave Lightbody took Dunphy’s next pitch to the left-field corner for a double that scored John. Dunphy then settled a bit and struck out Mike Addesa for the first out. Sam Bean followed with a single to left and the throw to third was off the mark allowing Bean to take second. Dunphy and the Chiefs escaped further damage when Bean got hung up between second and third on Lemarre Rey’s routine grounder to Tony Deshler at shortstop. Deshler tagged out Bean and then fired home to catcher Bob McCarthy to get Lightbody for an unusual inning ending doubleplay.

The Chiefs squandered early scoring opportunities in the first inning (McCarthy single, Gedman walk) and again in the second when Justin Crisafulli singled and reached third with one out on consecutive wild pitches.

Lightbody made it a 3-0 game in the top of the third inning when he deposited a Dunphy fastball to the right of the 367’ foot sign in left-center for a solo homer.

Bombers starter and winner Jeff Rowan (1-1) of the University of Rochester, pitched out of trouble once again in the bottom of the third as a Landers walk and a Gedman single put two more runners on with one out. Rowan got out of the inning unscathed when Peter Copa fouled out and Matt Anderson grounded out.

Dunphy settled in and retired six of the last seven batters he faced in the fourth and fifth innings.

Rowan kept the Chiefs frustrated in the fourth when they left another runner on base and again in the bottom of the fifth when they wasted a Landers leadoff double.

Michigan lefty Jeff DeCarlo, who was making his first appearance for the Chiefs since 2006, replaced Dunphy to begin the sixth inning and retired the first two batters he faced on a groundout and a strikeout. He then walked Vin Eruzione who stole second and came around to score on Derek Sturkel’s RBI single to left.

Rowan retired the Chiefs in order in the sixth inning on three straight outfield fly balls (Anderson, Mike Andre and Crisafulli). Tufts right-hander Pat O’Donnell worked the top of the seventh and once again looked impressive, recording two K’s.

Former UConn southpaw Mike Hashem took over for Rowan to start the seventh and the Chiefs scored their only run without the benefit of a hit. Hashem, who was making his first appearance of the year, experienced some wildness and issued three walks to Deshler, pinch-hitter Matt Boleski and McCarthy that loaded the bases with one away. Gedman finally got the Chiefs on the board with a RBI infield grounder that scored Deshler. Copa followed and was representing the tying run when he hit a fairly deep fly to the right-center gap that was run down by Bean to end the game.

Rowan, who had lost a 2-0 decision to the Chiefs last week, allowed just four hits, walked two and struck out four. Dunphy (0-1) surrendered seven hits, struck out four and hit a batter in his five innings of work.

The now 7-2 Chiefs continue their homestand on Tuesday when they face the 6-1 Lexington Blue Sox at 6:00 PM.