Andre Chiefs

Reading, MA- The good news is that the Chiefs pitching staff has not allowed an earned run over the first three games and 25 innings of the season.

The bad news is that the bats remain mired in an early season slump, hitting at an anemic .187 as a team over the same period.

If offensive baseball is what you are looking for look elsewhere, at least for the moment, as atotal of six runs have been scored (four by the Chiefs-two earned and two by the opposition-none earned)  over the first 25 innings of baseball so far this season.

The solid pitching has netted a Chiefs win and two nine innings ties, good for four out a possible six points.

Sunday in Reading was no different as either the Chiefs and Bulldogs could have easily come away with a win. Both southpaw starters, Tim Dunphy and Sean Boyle, both pitched well enough to get the “W”. Neither did. The two clubs were forced to settle for a point apiece and a 2-2 final at Morton Field.

The Chiefs got a run in the top of the first inning when Jeff Bercume beat out another infield single and Mike Baillargeon lined a single to left. Both runners moved up on a wild pitch and Bercume eventually scored on Peter Copa’s RBI infield grounder.

It went to 2-0 in the top of the third when Bercume reached on an error, stole second, advanced to third on a Baillargeon grounder, and scored on Copa’s sacrifice fly to center.

The usually solid Chiefs defense (no errors in the first two games) temporarily abandoned Dunphy in bottom of the fourth as the Bulldogs tied the game at 2-2 on three infield errors (Pyburn 2, Mike Andre 1) and Matt Zajac’s two out, two RBI single.

Both teams had chances to take the lead over the next four innings with the biggest threat coming in the Reading eighth when they loaded the bases with one out. Mike DiCato, who was on in relief of Dunphy, escaped the jam when he got Doug Flutie to bounce into a 1-2-3 doubleplay.

Dunphy allowed four hits in 7.1 innings while Boyle went the distance and surrendered just four hits.

The Bulldogs head to Lexington on Monday at 8:00 PM to meet the Blue Sox while the Chiefs entertain the Wakefield Merchants at Maplewood Park at Malden Catholic starting at 7:45 PM.