Andre Chiefs

Medford, MA- Matt DiCato scattered seven hits and his teammates provided him with some stellar defense, turning three double plays, as the Chiefs prevailed in rapidly contested 3-1 win over the Mooney Dental Tanners on Sunday evening at Tufts University.

Mooney lefty Chris Pessotti deserved a better fate, allowing just three hits, in a game that took just an hour and thirty two minutes to complete. The customary summer evening strong wind was once again blowing in at hit starved Huskins Field.

The Tanners took a 1-0 lead in the top of the third inning. Catcher David Maher singled and was bunted to second by Billy Cuozzo. Evan Andreatta then drew a walk before Carlton Lentini flew to Tony Serino in centerfield for the inning’s second out. Scoop Ruxin followed and delivered Maher with a line drive RBI single to right.

The Chiefs came right back in the bottom of the second to take a 2-1 lead. Pessotti got Paul Yanakopulos to ground out for the first out before Mike Barbati singled to right-center. Pessotti got himself in trouble when he walked Nick Leva and Serino in succession to load the bases with one away. With Tony Deshler at the plate, Pessotti uncorked a wild pitch allowing Barbati to score to tie the game up at 1-1. Deshler then grounded out to second with Leva scoring on the play giving the Chiefs a 2-1 lead. Pessotti averted further damage when he gloved a Juan Portes seed back to him to end the inning.

That was it in the scoring department until the bottom of the sixth inning when the Chiefs added a big insurance run. Portes drew a walk, stole second, and was bunted to third on a rare sacrifice bunt by cleanup man Peter Copa. Nate Witkowski then hit a sacrifice fly to left allowing Portes to tag and score making it a 3-1 ballgame.

The Tanners got a two out single by Maher in the top of the seventh before DiCato closed the door by getting Cuozzo to ground out to Copa at first.

DiCato, who was the MASCAC Pitcher of the Year this past spring at Framingham State, struck out three and was aided by the Chiefs infield who turned twin killings in the first, fifth, and sixth innings.

Pessotti (1-2) was victimized by his own wildness by walking four batters, two who ended up scoring. The former Burlington standout allowed just three hits despite not striking out a batter.

Jared Freni is expected to get the start when the 9-3 first place Chiefs host the Watertown Reds at Maplewood Park, on the campus of Malden Catholic, on Monday night at 8:00 PM.