Andre Chiefs

Medford, MA- Some major league escapes by Kevin Hayes, along with some marginal Chiefs fielding and base running, added up to a 4-3 loss to the Americans on Wednesday night at Tufts University.

Hayes, the former Worcester State all-star, pitched out of some big time trouble despite allowing eleven hits. The side winding righty-was tough when he had to be, stranding seven Chiefs base runners and striking out eight.

Chiefs veteran Mike DiCato deserved a better fate, allowing just two earned runs on five hits while striking out six.

The Americans jumped out to a quick 1-0 lead in the first inning when Joe Nixon singled, stole second, and came around to score on a two out outfield error.

The Chiefs tied the game at 1-1 in the bottom of the third on a Mike Barbati single and a Vinny Pennell RBI double.

The Americans took the lead right back in the lead in the top of the fourth. Medford used singles from Dan Gilchrist and James McConnville, a stolen base, another outfield error, and a wild pitch, to pick up two runs and take a 3-1 lead.

The Chiefs came up with a couple of runs to tie the game up in the home half of the fourth.  Hayes came up with some big time pitching to keep it tied, as the Chiefs threatened for much more. Singles by Copa, Crisafulli, Deshler and Barbati (RBI) and a hit batsman (Nick Leva) drew the Chiefs even at three. With the bases loaded and one out, Hayes got out of the jam when he got Pennell swinging and Mike Baillargeon on an infield grounder.

Bryant University’s Mike DelPonte’s long fifth inning RBI double gave the Americans the lead back at 4-3 in the top of the fifth.

The Chiefs had one last chance in the bottom of the seventh. Hayes got two quick outs (Pennell & Baillargeon on fly-outs) before Mike Andre singled to left. Paul Yanakopulos came on to pinch run and went to second on wild pitch. Hayes came up big one more time when he got the red hot Copa to flyout to Dave Ahern down the right field to end the game.

After the Chiefs tied the game in the fourth, Hayes retired eleven of the last thirteen batters he faced, allowing only two singles to Mike Andre.

The Chiefs are right back in action on Thursday when they host the Reading Bulldogs at Tufts at 6:00 PM. The Americans are off until next Wednesday when they host the Watertown Reds.

Lexington, MA- Keith Forbes threw four innings of one-hit ball and his mates unleashed a 16 hit attack as the Chiefs won their fourth straight, 14-1 over the Watertown Reds in Lexington on Monday night.

For Forbes, the former San Diego Padres right-hander, it was his first win in a Chiefs uniform since August 9, 2008. The right-hander served as the Chiefs ace in both 2007 & 2008 before missing all of the last two seasons.

The Chiefs staked Forbes to a quick 3-0 lead in the first inning. Vinny Pennell drew a walk and Mike Baillargeon singled. Mike Andre then flew out to the warning track in center allowing Pennell to tag and go to third. Peter Copa’s double found the left-center field gap scoring both Pennell and Baillargeon for a 2-0 lead. Justin Crisafulli’s single plated Copa and the Chiefs went up 3-zip.

Forbes set the Reds down in order in the bottom of the first which included a nice running catch by Pennell in left on a Sam Sager sinking liner.

A one out walk to Nick Leva and a Pennell double put two runners in scoring position in the Chiefs second inning. They came up empty against Reds starter Mike Antonellis when Leva was thrown out at the plate, attempting to score on Baillargeon’s fly out to right, for an inning ending double play.

A Justin Forman two out single was all the Reds could muster against Forbes in the bottom of the second and Antonellis stranded two Chiefs runners (Copa walk, Crisafulli double) to keep it a 3-0 game heading into the home half of the third.

It stayed that way until the Chiefs added three more runs in the fourth on a Mike Barbati double, walks to Pennell and Andre, an infield error, and sacrifice flies from Baillargeon and Crisafulli.

Forbes struck out a couple in the bottom of the fourth and the Chiefs made it 7-0 in the top of the fifth on a Barbati single, a Leva double, and a sacrifice fly from Pennell.

Veteran southpaw Tim Dunphy came on in relief of Forbes to start the fifth. The Reds got their only run of the night and cut the lead to 7-1 on singles from Jay Olson and Steve Panza sandwiched around a fielder’s choice.

The Chiefs added three more runs in the sixth on singles from Andre and Barbati and doubles by Tony Deshler, Matt Boleski and Leva.

Dunphy worked a scoreless sixth and the Chiefs picked up a four spot in the top of the seventh on Baillargeon, Copa and Deshler singles, a walk to rookie Andy Cavanaugh, and a Barbati sacrifice fly to right.

Tufts University right-hander Jake Crawford spelled Dunphy to begin the seventh and kept the Reds off the scoreboard after allowing a leadoff single to Olson.

The Chiefs are off on Tuesday and begin a two game homestand on Wednesday when they host the Americans at Tufts University starting at 6:00 PM

Medford, MA- Jared Freni tossed a complete game one-hitter and his former UMass-Amherst and Malden Catholic teammate Peter Copa had three singles and a first inning RBI to lead the Chiefs to a 2-0 win over the Watertown Reds at Huskins Field, on the campus of Tufts University, on Sunday afternoon.

For Freni, it was his second quality start and second win in the last six days. Last Monday, he picked up the victory for the Chiefs, going five innings, in a 6-1 win over the Testa Corp. Bombers.

Freni and Reds ace Brian Casey, who was the co-ICL Pitcher of the Year in 2010 with 9-2 record, dueled from the outset.

The Chiefs got what proved to the game winner in the home half of the first inning. Leadoff man Mike Maguire drew the only walk that Casey would allow and stole second. After Casey got both Tony Deshler and Mike Andre to fly out, Copa delivered Maguire from second with a ground single to left.

Casey and Freni took charge from there as both teams went in order until the top of the fourth inning. Sam Sager led off for the Reds and reached on an infield error. Steve Panza followed and delivered a clean sinking single to left to give the Reds their biggest threat of the day with two on and nobody out. Freni escaped the jam when he struck out Ryan Nicholas and catcher Dan Chaisson in succession and then got veteran Steve Busby on an infield grounder to Mike Barbati, who had five assists, to end the inning.

The Chiefs responded and doubled their lead to 2-0 in the bottom of the fourth. After Andre flew out, Copa reached on an infield single between the mound and shortstop. Justin Crisafulli then lofted a fly to short left, just out of the reach of the diving Jay Olson, that went for a single and sent Copa to second. Matt Boleski then went the opposite field route and lofted a single just inside the left-field line scoring Copa. Casey escaped further damage when he got Paul Yanakopulos on a ground out and Barbati swinging to keep it a 2-0 game.

Freni set down the Reds in order in the fifth and sixth innings, courtesy of some nice infield defense and two K’s.

The Chiefs threatened again, but could not score, in the sixth on singles by Copa and Crisafulli. Casey stranded them both by getting Boleski to ground out and Yanakopulos to fly to center.

Freni finished strong and got the Reds in order for the third straight time in the top of the seventh (Nicholas pop-up, Chaisson strikeout, Busby groundout) to preserve the shutout and pick up the Chiefs third win in a row.

Freni struck out nine and did not issue a walk. Casey, now 2-2,  scattered six hits and struck out a couple.

The Reds and Chiefs will do battle again on Monday night at Lexington High School starting at 8:00 PM. The game is being played in Lexington while the Reds normal home field in Watertown (Victory Field) is undergoing a facelift.

In a fitting end to a soggy week in the ICL, Saturday's Testa Corp. Bombers at Andre Chiefs game scheduled for noon at Tufts University has been rained out.

Already wet field conditions coupled with heavy rain that hit the Medford area around 8:00 AM this morning rendered Huskins Field unplayable for Saturday.

The recent wet weather has caused havoc with the ICL schedule as no games have been played league-wide since Tuesday. Saturday's rainout represents the 18th postponement in the league since June 4th. The Chiefs alone have now had seven games postponed.

Hopefully the weather will improve on Sunday as six ICL games are on tap; starting with the Chiefs hosting the Reds at Tufts at 1:30 PM, the Blue Sox and Bulldogs in a doubleheader at Reading at 2:30 PM, the Tanners and Trojans in a Ferullo Field twinbill at 3:00 PM and the Bombers hosting the Americans at Maplewood in a 5:00 PM start.

Malden, MA- Jared Freni and Keith Forbes combined on a two-hitter, striking out 14 batters, as the Chiefs knocked off the Testa Corp. Bombers 6-1 at Maplewood Park on Monday night.

Freni, the former UMass-Amherst ace, was dominant in his first start of the season. The hard throwing righty allowed only two hits and struck out ten Bombers in his five innings of work.

Freni gave way to Keith Forbes to start the sixth inning. Forbes, who was making his first appearance for the Chiefs since August 17, 2008, did not disappoint.  He was the ace of the Chiefs staff in 2007 & 2008, when he posted some mighty gaudy numbers like a 9-2 record with 184 strikeouts in just 116 innings, seemed to pick up right where he had left off. The former San Diego Padre worked two hitless and scoreless innings while striking out four of the six batters he faced.

After wasting a Mike Andre double in the top of the first inning, the Chiefs helped out their strike-out minded right-handed duo by picking up single runs in the second, third and fourth innings.

In the second, Nicky Leva’s two out single to right scored Mike Barbati, who had reached on a fielder’s choice, to give the Chiefs a 1-0 lead.

Singles in the third inning from former Assumption all-American Mike Baillargeon, back from the Can-Am League, and Andre put runners on the corners with no outs. Peter Copa bounced into 6-4-3 doubleplay scoring Baillargeon.

The Chiefs lead went to 3-0 in the fourth. Justin Crisafulli got things going with a single and Bombers starter Jeff Rowan hit Mike Barbati with a pitch. Paul Yanakopulos then moved the runners up a base with a perfect sacrifice bunt. Leva delivered again when he drilled a RBI single to left that scored Crisafulli.

The Chiefs added a couple of runs and took a 5-0 in the fifth. Baillargeon led off with a double into the left-center field gap. Andre drew a walk and Copa brought Baillargeon home with a crisp single to left. After Matt Boleski fouled out, Crisafulli doubled into the right field corner scoring Andre.

The Bombers got to Freni for their only run of the night and cut the lead to 5-1 in the bottom of the fifth on a single by Bob Pease and walks to Lemarre Rey, Mark O’Flynn and Anthony Serino (RBI).

Forbes came on to start the bottom of the sixth inning and retired the side in order, striking out the first two batters he faced.

The Chiefs picked up their final run in the top of the seventh on a Copa single and walks to Boleski, Barbati and Yanakopulos that forced in Copa to make it 6-1.

Forbes got the Bombers in order again in the seventh with two strikeouts sandwiched around an infield pop-up.

The Chiefs are off on Tuesday and return to ICL action on Wednesday night at 8:00 PM when thye travel to meet the Blue Sox at Lexington High School.