Andre Chiefs

See Patrick Holloway's Game 3 Photostream from Medford Patch at:

 http://medford.patch.com/articles/image-gallery-andre-chiefs-come-back-strong#photo-7507425

The ICL will need the final two games of the regular season schedule, that were postponed due to rain on Sunday and now re-scheduled for Monday, to determine its final playoff seeding.

In a game that will decide who finishes second and gets a first round bye, the Chiefs will now host the Merchants at Tufts University in Medford on Monday at 5:30 PM. The Merchants enter the game one point ahead of the Chiefs, and a win or a tie will clinch second place for Wakefield. A Chiefs win will vault them past Wakefield and give the Medford based club their third consecutive first round bye.

In the other game now scheduled for Monday, the Reading Bulldogs will need a win or a tie against the Blue Sox in Lexington at 8:00 PM, to clinch the fifth playoff spot. A Reading loss would leave them and the Watertown Reds in a virtual tie, with both teams finishing the regular season with identical records. Because the ICL’s tiebreakers would not (more wins or head to head record) resolve the issue, a coin flip would be required to determine the fifth and sixth spots.

This much is certain regarding the playoffs. The Blue Sox will be the number one seed and have a first round bye. The Chiefs or Merchants will finish second, with the other finishing third. The Bombers are locked into the fourth playoff spot. And depending on Monday’s results, the Bulldogs and Reds will finish either in the fifth or sixth positions.

If the weather cooperates on Monday, the Chiefs or Merchants, as well as the Bombers, will be hosting a first round playoff game with the Bulldogs and Reds as the visiting teams.

Updates regarding weather and playoff schedules will be immediately posted on this website.

Sydney, Australia- Chiefs outfielder Tony Deshler has signed to play professional baseball for the Penrith Panthers of the South Wales Major League in Australia.

Deshler will fly to Sydney on Sunday and report to Penrith on Monday. The former Brandeis University star was hitting .333 for the Chiefs (31-93), with one homer and 18 RBI in 27 games so far this season. He will miss the 2011 Intercity League Playoffs which will begin next week.

Deshler becomes the 113th Chief to sign a professional contract and the third this year. First baseman Peter Copa signed as a free agent with the Los Angeles Angels back in June and Mike Gedman signed with the Worcester Tornadoes earlier this year.

Deshler is expected to return to the United States in time for the start of the 2012 Chiefs ICL season.

Lexington, MA- Mike Morgan drove in Ross Curley, with a two out single in the fourth inning, to provide the winning run as the Blue Sox edged the Chiefs 4-3 in Lexington on Thursday night.

The Chiefs jumped on Lexington starter and winner Matt Karis for four hits in the top of the first inning but could only muster a single run. Jeff Bercume got things started with a single to right and went to second on a wild pitch. Mike Baillargeon beat out an infield single to put runners on the corners with nobody out. Karis then got Vinny Pennell to hit into a 4-6-3 doubleplay, with Bercume scoring on the play. Justin Crisafulli followed with a sharp single to left and Mike Andre then hit a long double into the left-center field gap, sending Crisafulli to third. Karis stranded both runners when he caught Tony Deshler looking at strike three to end the inning.

The Blue Sox came right back in the bottom of the first against Chiefs’ starter Tim Dunphy to tie the game at 1-1. Pete Frates beat out an infield single to short and scored when Justin Wright crushed a double to right-center.

Karis set the Chiefs down in order in the top of the second and the Blue Sox scored a couple of more runs in the bottom of the inning to take a 3-1 lead. Ross Curley got things started with a sharp single to right and Dunphy plunked Matt McEvoy with a pitch. Dunphy came off the mound to field Tom Haugh’s attempted sacrifice bunt and fired a strike to Andre at third to force Curley. Mike Morgan then singled to load the bases. Dan Capra was next and he drilled a long two RBI double into the right field corner giving the Sox the lead at 3-1. The Chiefs escaped more damage when they turned an inning ending and unusual 4-3-2 doubleplay off the bat of Frates.

Karis held the Chiefs scoreless in the top of the third. The Chiefs turned their second doubleplay (3-unassisted-6) in as many innings, following Wright’s leadoff single, in the bottom of the inning.

The Chiefs made more noise in the top of the fourth when they knotted the game at 3-3. Andre got things going with a line single to center and Deshler singled sharply to left. Matt Boleski then moved both runners up a base with a perfect sacrifice bunt. Mike Barabti then drew a walk to load the bases for Nick Leva. Leva bounced a one-hopper right back to Karis who threw home to Morgan to force Andre. Bercume then drilled an opposite field double just out of the reach of the diving McEvoy in left to score Deshler and Barbati. McEvoy recovered quickly enough to throw a strike to shortstop Steve Gath who made a perfect relay throw home to get Leva, who was trying to score the go ahead run from first.

The Blue Sox got the winning run in the bottom of the fourth when Morgan’s single drove home Curley.

Karis allowed just a two out fifth inning double to Crisafulli the rest of the way as he retired nine of the last ten batters he faced.

Dan Graham’s two out single in the bottom of the fifth was only hit the Sox had against Dunphy in their last two at bats.

Karis (5-1) avenged his only loss of the season, back on July 5th, to pick up the complete game win. The right-hander allowed ten hits and struck out seven.

Dunphy (4-0-1) suffered his first loss of the year. The southpaw surrendered nine hits, struck out one, walked none, and hit a batter.

The Chiefs and Blue Sox are both off until Sunday when the ICL’s regular season concludes. The Chiefs will host the Wakefield Merchants at Tufts University at 3:30 PM, in a game that will have major playoff implications, while the Blue Sox entertain the Reading Bulldogs in Lexington. 

Reading, MA- The Reading Bulldogs scored three times in the first two innings, then rode the five hit pitching of right-hander Nick Kelley, to hold off the Chiefs 3-2 at Morton Field on Wednesday night.

The Chiefs loss, coupled with the Wakefield Merchants 0-0 tie against the Watertown Reds, and the Testa Corp. Bombers 11-0 win over the Tanners, leaves three teams (Chiefs, Merchants & Bombers) still in the race for second place and an opening round playoff bye.

Kelley retired the Chiefs side in order in the top of the first inning.

The Bulldogs picked up their first run of the night against starter Rob Machado in the bottom of the inning. Brett Flutie flew out, Billy Cataldo reached on an error, stole second, and after Talis was hit by a pitch, Cataldo scored on Alex Fischer’s RBI single to right-center.

The Chiefs went in order again in the second. The Bulldogs upped their lead to 3-0 in the home half of the inning on singles by Andy Gagnon, Cataldo and Trevor Manzi, sandwiched around Machado’s second hit batsman (Flutie).

Kelley made it nine Chiefs up and nine Chiefs down, when he cruised through a 1-2-3 third and Machado settled in nicely and struck out the Reading side in order in the bottom of the inning.

Jeff Bercume broke up Kelley’s streak with a single leading off the fourth and went to second when Manzi bobbled the ball for an error in leftfield. Tony Deshler followed a with a single to left, scoring Bercume, cutting the Bulldogs’ lead to 3-1.

Machado got Reading in order for the second straight inning in the bottom of the fourth and the Chiefs chipped another run off the lead, but missed an opportunity to tie the game, in the top of the fifth. Matt Boleski led off with a gap double. Kelley then popped Nick Leva up for the first out. Mike Baillargeon followed with a double, just inside the third base bag, scoring Boleski to cut the lead to 3-2. The Chiefs missed two chances to tie the game when Kelley got Bercume on an infield popup to shortstop and Deshler on a foul out to first.

That was the last scoring threat for either team as Kelley and Machado tossed zeroes the rest of the way.

Kelley (2-1), struck out two batters and walked none. He retired the first nine batters of the game and finished equally as strong, setting down the last eight Chiefs he faced in succession.  

Machado (2-5), gave up six hits, two earned runs, hit two batters and walked none.

The Chiefs travel to Lexington for a make-up game on Thursday at 8:15 PM against the Blue Sox. The final regular season game of the year, against the Wakefield Merchants, is expected to be played either Saturday or Sunday at Tufts University. The day and starting time is expected to be announced sometime tomorrow.  

Click on http://shartwell.zenfolio.com/p359837115 for Photo Gallery of Chiefs-Reading game.