Andre Chiefs

Wakefield, MA- Lefty Tim Dunphy went the distance, taking a shutout into the bottom of the seventh, to lead the Chiefs to a 6-3 win in the opening game of their best of five semi-final series against the Wakefield Merchants at Walsh Field.

With the win, Dunphy goes to 6-1-1 on the year and 2-0 in the playoffs.

Dunphy was matched up against Wakefield’s Jarrod Marchesi, the former Bentley University standout.

The Chiefs got two out singles from Mike Andre and Justin Crisafulli in the top of the first inning before Marchesi struck out Matt Boleski swinging to end the threat.

Scott Searles singled with one away in the Merchants first but Dunphy got catcher Mike Sorrentino to hit into a doubleplay started by Chiefs’ shortstop Mike Baillargeon.

Two more Chiefs got aboard in the top of the second. Mike Barbati led off and was hit by a Marchesi pitch. Paul Yanakopulos then flew to centerfielder Jason Roth for the first out. Rookie Jon Byrne then reached on an infield error but Marchesi got another rookie, Andy Cavanaugh, to pop up and Jeff Bercume on a strikeout to end the frame.

Dunphy got his second doubleplay in two innings in the Merchants’ second inning after Lorenzo Papa singled but was erased on 3-6 (Boleski to Baillargeon) twin killing.

Crisafulli gave the Chiefs a 1-0 lead with two outs in the third inning when he launched a solo shot to left.

Dunphy recorded two strikeouts in the bottom of the third inning.

Andy Cavanaugh runs down Mike Sorrentino's fly

The Chiefs picked up four runs, sending nine men to the plate, to take a 5-0 lead in the top of the fourth. The inning started quietly enough when Marchesi got Barbati to ground out. Yanakopulos got things going with a single to center and Marchesi surrendered a second single to Byrne. Cavanaugh then reached on a fielder’s choice with Byrne being forced at second for out number two. Bercume then hit a slow roller to first that was misplayed for an error, allowing Yanakopulos to score to make it 2-0. The Chiefs picked up their third run when Baillargeon’s grounder to third was thrown away with Cavanaugh scoring and Bercume going to third and Baillargeon to second. Andre was next and he lined a Marchesi fastball into the right-center field gap scoring Bercume and Baillargeon to open the lead to 5-0.

Dunphy got the Merchants in order again in the bottom of the fourth and Marchesi only allowed a one out Yanakopulos single in the top of the fifth.

Roth singled to lead off the Merchants fifth before Andy Hartung grounded to Andre at third for the first out. Jon Davison then singled to center to put runners on the corners with one out before Dunphy got Dale Crispin to bounce into Wakefield’s third doubleplay of the game to end the inning.

Andre launched a long two out double to center in the top of the sixth and Dunphy set the Merchants down in order in the bottom of the inning.

The Chiefs made it 6-0 in the top of the seventh when Yanakopulos singled with two out, stole second, and scored on Byrne’s opposite field single down the right field line.

The Merchants finally broke through against Dunphy and made things a little interesting in the bottom of the seventh. Consecutive singles by Mike Sorrentino, Papa and Roth loaded the bases with nobody out. Hartung then delivered a long double to left, on which Bryne slipped, allowing Sorrentino and Papa to score to make it 6-2. Davison followed with a sacrifice fly to center, scoring Roth, to cut the lead to 6-3. Dunphy then re-assumed control and ended the game when he got Crsipin on a grounder to Barbati and struck out Dom Sorrentino.

Game Two is scheduled for Tufts University on Thursday at 5:30 PM.  

Wakefield, MA- The Chiefs will travel to Walsh Field in Wakefield for Game One of the ICL's Best of Five Semi-Finals series on Wednesday at 5:30 PM.

Game Two will be played at Tufts University on Thursday at 5:30 PM.

The rest of the schedule will be announced shortly. 

 

Medford, MA- Mike DiCato’s dramatic ninth inning single scored Nick Leva with the winning run as the Chiefs beat the Watertown Reds 3-2 in the rubber game of their best of three series at Tufts University on Saturday afternoon. With the win, the Chiefs move on to the ICL’s final four, meeting the Wakefield Merchants in a best of five semi-final series that is expected to begin early next week.

The Chiefs won the final two games of the series after dropping the opener 4-1 on Thursday. They tied the series up at a game apiece on Friday night as Tim Dunphy pitched them to a 3-2 win at Bentley University.

Watertown lefty Charlie DeFrancesco (Stonehill) and Chiefs starter Jared Freni (UMass-Amherst) were both immense over the first three innings. The only base runner Freni allowed was a one out walk to Steve Panza in the first. DeFrancesco was one better, retiring the Chiefs in order in each of their first three at bats.

The Reds broke the scoring drought in the top of the fourth. After Freni struck out Panza (his seventh K in 3.1 innings) veteran Steve Busby got the Reds going with single to right center, just over the leaping Mike Barbati’s glove. Catcher Sean Callahan followed and he delivered a double to right-center that scored Busby all the way from first to give the Reds a 1-0 lead. With Callahan at second, Freni got Mike Giordano to fly out before Brendan Casey singled to put runners on the corners. The right-hander left both runners stranded when he got Justin Forman to ground out to Barbati to end the inning.

DeFrancesco retired the first two batters in the bottom of the fourth before Mike Andre (pictured left) broke up his consecutive Chiefs retired streak at 14, when he singled to right. The Chiefs couldn’t do anything with their first base runner when Andre was left on base when Justin Crisafulli flew out. ce

Freni retired the Reds in order in the fifth (including his 8th strikeout).

The Chiefs finally got to DeFrancesco in the bottom of the fifth. After the southpaw struck out Matt Boleski to start the inning, he walked Barbati and Paul Yanakopulos (pictured left) in succession. Leva then popped up for the second out. Rookie Jon Byrne, who will be starting his senior year at Arlington Cathoilc in the fall, pinch hit for another rookie, lefty  Andy Cavanaugh. Byrne beat out a slow roller to the right side for a hit, getting to the bag a half step ahead of DeFrancesco. Jeff Bercume followed and blooped a seeing eye single to center, just out of the reach of three Reds, to score Barbati and Yanakopulos to give the Chiefs the lead for the first time in the game at 2-1. DeFrancesco got DiCato to fly to center to end the inning.

Busby and Callahan were at it again in the Reds sixth, when the duo combined to tie the game up at 2-2. After Freni got Panza on a grounder to Barbati for the first out, Busby lined a single to left and went to second when the ball skipped past Byrne. Callahan wasted no time in delivering his second RBI of the game when he singled off the 379’ foot sign in right, scoring Busby to tie the game at 2-2. Giordano then drew a walk before the Chiefs and Freni escaped further trouble when they turned a 4-6-3 doubleplay.

The Chiefs got Boleski to second with two outs in the sixth when the back end of an attempted 4-6-3 doubleplay was thrown into the Chiefs dugout. DeFrancesco got out of it when he got Barbati to fly to Busby in right.

Freni set the Reds down in order in the top of the seventh.

The Chiefs had their second opportunity to win it, in as many innings, in the home half of the seventh. After Yanakopoulos grounded out, Leva doubled into the left field corner. Byrne grounded to Panza at second for out number two, sending Leva to third representing the winning run. Bercume was issued an intentional walk and took second on defensive indifference. DeFrancesco kept the Reds in the series when he got DICato swinging to send the game to extra innings.

Rob Machado came on for Freni to start the eighth inning and retired the Reds in order.

Rob Machado Picked up win

The Chiefs had their third chance to win it in the bottom of the eighth. Andre led off with his second single of the day to right. Crisafulli was next and he hit a high chopper to third baseman Brendan Casey who threw him out at first with Andre taking second on the play. Boleski then drove a long shot to right-center that Chris Burke ran down on the warning track for the second out. DeFrancesco pulled another escape when he struck out Barbati, sending the game to the ninth.

The Reds threatened to take the lead in the top of the ninth. Callahan led off with his third hit of the day, this time a sharp single to left. Giordano then popped up his sacrifice bunt attempt to Leva for the first out before Machado walked Casey. Machado then recorded a huge K, when he got Justin Forman swinging. Chiefs’ fans had a few anxious moments when Machado plunked Steve Tramontozzi with a pitch to load the bases. He pulled an escape of his own when he got Dan Renzella to bounce back to him.

Yanakopulos drew a full count walk to begin the Chiefs ninth. After an unsuccessful bunt attempt, Leva drilled a single to left, sending Yanakopulos to second. Bryne’s attempted sacrifice bunt was just a bit too hard as DeFrancesco pounced off the mound to field the ball and fire a strike to Casey at third to force Yanakopulos for the inning’s first out. Bercume was next and he hit a grounder to Panza forcing Byrne at second but beating the relay to first to put runners on the corners with two away. In a mirror image of the seventh, Bercume took second on another defensive indifference. This time DiCato (shown left) provided a different ending, drilling a single up the middle, scoring Leva with the winning run as the Chiefs dugout emptied out in celebration.

(More Playoff Coverage Soon)  

Waltham, MA- Veteran southpaw Tim Dunphy went the distance, outdueling Reds ace Brian Casey, to lead the Chiefs to a series tying 3-2 win over the Watertown Reds at Bentley University on Friday. The deciding Game Three will be played at Tufts University in Medford on Saturday at 1:00 PM.

The Chiefs scored single runs in each of the first three innings and the Reds tallied a run in their first two at bats as all the scoring was done early in this one. Dunphy and Casey threw zeroes over the last four and one half innings.

Vinny Pennell led off the Chiefs first with a long triple to right-center and Mike Baillargeon promptly delivered him with a sacrifice fly to center to give the Chiefs a 1-0 lead.

The Reds tied it in the bottom of the first on a Steve Panza single and a Danny Chaisson RBI double.

The Chiefs took the lead back in the top of the second when Mike Andre led off with a single to right-center, was moved to second on a Mike Barbati sacrifice bunt, and scored on Mike DiCato’s RBI single.

The Reds tied it up again in the bottom of the second on singles from Brendan Casey and Sean Callahan and a sacrifice fly from Chris Burke.

Baillargeon led off the top of the third with a long triple to right-center and scored, what proved to be the game-winner, when Jeff Bercume blooped a double into short right-field.

Casey, the ICL's co-Pitcher of the Year in 2010, and Dunphy took charge in innings four through six.

The Chiefs threatened but did not score in the top of the seventh. DiCato led off with a long double to the left-center field gap. Paul Yanakopulos then failed on a sacrifice bunt for the first out and Pennell lined to Steve Busby in right for out number two.  DiCato was left stranded at second when Baillargeon grounded to Luke Begley at shortstop to end the inning.

Callahan got the Reds off to a good start in the bottom of the seventh when he lined a single to left-center and Colby Mattheson pinch ran for him. Burke then attempted to sacrifice Mattheson to second but Andre was charging from third base and gloved the attempted bunt for the first out. Dunphy then struck out pinch-hitter Justin Forman for the second out. With Begley at the plate, Mattheson attempted to steal second and was gunned out by Yanakopulos, with Barbati applying the tag, to end the game.

The Chiefs are expected to send either Jared Freni or Rob Machado to the hill on Saturday while Reds are expected to counter with Charlie DeFrancesco. Game time is 1:00 PM at Tufts University.   

 

Medford, MA- Karl Alexander tossed a complete game six-hitter, striking out seven, to lead the Watertown Reds to a 4-1 win over the Chiefs at Tufts University on Wednesday evening. With the win, the Reds take a 1-0 series lead and put the Chiefs in a must win situation when the series resumes on Friday at 5:30 PM at Bentley University in Waltham.

Alexander, the Bates College right-hander, has been a Chiefs killer over the last two seasons, owning a perfect 4-0 record against the locals in four starts.

Once again, the Chiefs victimized themselves with the proverbial “one bad inning” that paved the way for the loss.

The Reds appeared poised to open the scoring in the top of the first inning against Chiefs starter Mike DiCato. Luke Begley and Steve Panza both singled to open the frame. DiCato got Sam Sager to fly to Jeff Bercume in center for the first out before hitting Steve Busby with a pitch to load the bases. He worked a big strikeout when he got Danny Chaisson swinging for the second out of inning. Mike Giordano followed and he hit a grounder behind the bag at third that Mike Andre made a diving stop on and scrambled to beat Panza to the bag to end the threat.

Alexander got the Chiefs in order in the bottom of the first inning and DiCato had an easier second frame that included two strikeouts.

The Chiefs scored their only run of the game, to take a 1-0 lead, in the bottom of the second on singles by Justin Crisafulli and Matt Boleski and two walks, one to Paul Yanakopulos and a second to Nick Leva, with the bases loaded, to force in a run.

Things stayed quiet until the Reds scored three times in the top of the fourth to erase the Chiefs lead. Mike Giordano led off with a single and Colby Mattheson pinch ran and stole second. Sean Callahan then reached on an error by Vinny Pennell at first base, putting runners on the corners with nobody out. The Chiefs hit batsman woes of the last few weeks continued when DiCato hit Brendan Casey with a pitch to load the bases, still with no outs. Chris Burke then hit a grounder to Mike Baillargeon at short who flipped to Mike Barbati to force Casey at second but Barbati’s relay to first went into the Chiefs’ dugout, allowing both Mattheson and Callahan to score, putting the Reds in front at 2-1. Burke went to third on a wild pitch and scored when Begley delivered him with a sacrifice fly to Bercume in center. DiCato ended the inning when he caught Panza looking at strike three but the damage had been done.

The Reds added their fourth and final run in the top of the sixth inning. Casey reached on an infield single to the shortstop hole and when Baillargeon’s throw to first was low he went to second. Burke then followed with a bunt single as the Chiefs were late in covering first. Begley then picked up his second RBI of the game with an infield grounder to Barbati that scored Casey from third.

Alexander retired six of the last seven batters he faced to preserve the win.  He got eleven fly ball outs.

DiCato worked six innings, surrendered seven hits, struck out six, walked two and hit three. Rob Machado came on in the seventh and struck out one and hit one, the Chiefs fourth hit batsman of the game.

Lefty Tim Dunphy will be the starter for the Chiefs on Friday while the Reds are expected to send either Brian Casey or Charlie DeFrancesco to the mound.