Andre Chiefs

Medford, MA- Jared Freni tossed a neat one-hitter, retiring 19 in a row after allowing a first inning run, and Jeff Bercume hit a two run homer, to lead the Chiefs to a 4-1 win over the Wakefield Merchants at Tufts University on Thursday. With the win, the Chiefs take a 2-0 lead in the best of five semi-final series.

Freni was untouchable after the first inning when the Merchants played some small ball to take a 1-0 lead. Leadoff man Brooks Townsend got the Merchants started when he drew a full count walk. Scott Searles then dropped a sacrifice bunt with Townsend going to second. Catcher Mike Sorrentino then gave the Merchants a quick 1-0 lead when he lined a single to center scoring Townsend and taking second on the throw home. Freni left Sorrentino stranded when he struck out Lorenzo Papa and Jason Roth in succession to end the inning.

The Chiefs threatened but did not score in the bottom of the first when Bercume led off with a single and went to third on Mike Andre’s one out line single to right-center. With runners on the corners Wakefield starter Conar Mahon escaped the jam when he got Justin Crisafulli to bounce into a 6-4-3 doubleplay.

Freni retired the Merchants side in order, with two more K’s, in the top of the second and the Chiefs tied the game at a run each in the bottom of the inning. Mike DiCato led off with a single to center. With Mike Barbati at the plate, Sorrentino attempted to pick DiCato off first but his throw sailed into right field with DiCato going all the way to third on the error. With the infield drawn in, Mahon recorded a big out when he got Barbati swinging at strike three. Matt Boleski followed and he delivered DiCato with a bloop single to right scoring DiCato, to tie the game at 1-1.

Freni breezed in the top of the third and Mahon did the same in the home half of the inning.

Freni’s streak went to eleven in row when he set the Merchants down in order for the third straight inning in the fourth. The Chiefs got two more men aboard in the bottom of the inning when DiCato singled again and Barbati drew a walk. Mahon kept it a tie game when he got Boleski to fly to left and struck out Paul Yanakopulos swinging.

Two more Freni K’s ended the Wakefield fifth, his fourth straight 1-2-3 inning.

Nick Leva came back from a 0-2 count to single to right to begin the Chiefs’ fifth. Bercume then put the Chiefs in front 3-1 when he drilled a Mahon offering over the right field fence. Veteran right-hander Kevin Tidmarsh came on for Mahon and Mike Baillargeon greeted him with an infield single. Baillargeon then stole second before Tidmarsh got Andre swinging for the first out of the inning. Crisafulli followed and he gave the Chiefs a 4-1 lead when he singled to center, scoring Baillargeon.

In the top of the sixth, Bobby Losanno flew to Bercume, Townsend flew deep to right with Boleski making a nice catch before crashing into the wall, and Searles grounded to Baillargeon at short.

Tidmarsh, the former Trinity right-hander, blanked the Chiefs in the sixth.

Freni got Sorrentino to ground to Barbati for the first out of the seventh and Papa to pop to Baillargeon for out number two. Freni’s retired batters in row streak came to end at 19 when he walked Roth on a 3-2 pitch. The former UMass-Amherst and Malden Catholic standout then ended things when he got Andy Hartung to pop to DiCato at first base.

Freni struck out eight and walked two. He threw an even 100 pitches over the seven inning route and raised overall season mark to 8-2.

Game Three of the series will be on Friday evening at Walsh Field in Wakefield with the first pitch scheduled for 5:30 PM.