Andre Chiefs

Melrose, MA- Dillon Corliss tossed a six hit shutout when the Americans whitewashed the Chiefs 3-0 at Morelli Field on Wednesday night.

Corliss kept the Chiefs’ hitters off balance all night long in a game that featured four inning ending doubleplays and took only an hour and twenty-six minutes to complete.

The tone of the evening was set in the bottom of the first inning when the Americans scored the only run they would need against Matt DiCato. Austin Masel and Mike Addesa both walked and the middle infield of the Chiefs kicked a potential inning ending doubleplay ball off the bat of Steve Passatempo. The Americans took immediate advantage and took a 1-0 lead when Harrison Smoske delivered a sacrifice fly to left, scoring Masel.

The Chiefs got two runners aboard with one out in the top of the second on consecutive singles from Mike Andre and Ryan Sonberg. Corliss ended the threat when he got Nate Witkowski to hit into a 5-4-3 doubleplay.

DiCato worked a 1-2-3 in the second and Corliss did the same to the top of the Chiefs’ order in the top of the third.

Chris Sharpe drew a one out walk in the Melrose third before Addesa hit an absolute bullet back to DiCato who miraculously made a great grab of the liner and then threw to Peter Copa at first to easily double up Sharpe.

The Americans gave Corliss some space in the bottom of the fourth when they picked up a couple of runs to take a 3-0 lead. Smoske and Ian Steckel both singled before Brian Carney delivered the game’s biggest hit, a sinking line drive double just out of the reach of the diving Mike Burgoyne in centerfield that scored both Smoske and Steckel.

The Chiefs ran themselves out of a potential scoring opportunity in the top of the fifth. After Corliss got both Andre and Sonberg to both fly out, he hit Nate Witkowski with a pitch. Rookie catcher John Prentice then hit a bad hop single into right but Anthony Licciardello came up throwing and hosed Witkowski out at third to ending the inning.

The Chiefs threatened but couldn’t get on the board in the top of the sixth. Juan Portes doubled to right-center with one out but Corliss struck out Johnny Welch on a breaking ball for out number two. The Chiefs loaded the bases when Copa worked a walk and Paul Yanakopulos singled off Adessa’s glove into left. Corliss kept the shutout going when Andre grounded to Sharpe at second base.

DiCato kept the Americans off the scoreboard in the bottom of the sixth.

In the Chiefs’ seventh, Corliss struck out Sonberg and then got Witkowski on a fly to right for the first two outs. The Chiefs stayed alive when pinch-hitter Danny DiMare reached on a throwing error by Addesa. With Portes representing the potential tying run in the on-deck circle, Corliss struck out Burgoyne swinging to end the game.

Corliss, the Framingham State right-hander from Winterport, ME, allowed six hits and struck out two while improving to 2-3 on season.

DiCato, who allowed five hits and just two earned runs, fell to 3-1.

The Chiefs are expected to send Mitchell Clegg to the mound when they meet the Trojans at Summer Street Field on Friday at 7:00 PM.