Announcement
Beverly, MA- Dante Padovanni’s RBI single in the bottom of the sixth inning broke a 2-2 tie and gave Reading a 3-2 win over the undermanned Chiefs at Endicott College on Friday night.
Reading took a 1-0 lead off Chiefs’ lefty Tim Dunphy in the bottom of the first on singles by Hank Oringer and Zac Tallis.
The Chiefs came back and took a 2-1 lead against southpaw Kevin Church in the top of the second inning. Catcher Nick Leva and Mike Barbati both singled and moved up a base on Mike DiCato’s sacrifice bunt. Jon Byrne then delivered an infield single up the middle, scoring Leva, to knot the game at one. Matt DiCato, who was making his first appearance ever in the Chiefs’ outfield, then grounded out for the inning’s second out. Centerfielder Tony Serino gave the visitors the lead when he singled to right scoring Barbati.
Reading tied the game in the bottom of the fourth on a Padovanni double and a Paul Crehan RBI single.
In the Reading sixth, Steve Buitkus beat out an infield chopper over the mound and then stole second. Dunphy then got Colin Starz to ground to Paul Yanakopulos at shortstop for the first out of the inning. Ryan Wolfsberg pinch hit for Bill Cataldo and he was intentionally walked to put runners at first and second with noboby out. Padovanni then drilled a single to left scoring Buitkus with the winning run and went to second when DiCato slipped when fielding the ball on the artificial surface in left.
Church (2-0) got the win. He surrendered eight hits, walked five, and struck out one.Dunphy, who saw his record fall to 3-2, also allowed eight hits while striking out three and walking just one intentionally.
The Chiefs are back in action on Sunday when they host the Mooney Dental Tanners at Tufts University at 5:00 PM. On Monday they host the Watertown Reds at Maplewood at 8:00 PM before embarking on the ICL’s annual Fourth of July hiatus.
