Andre Chiefs

Medford, MA- Former Kansas City Royals farmhand and Franklin Pierce star Vinny Pennell made his ICL debut a memorable one, going 3 for 4 including a two run homer and double, to lead the Chiefs to a 9-5 comeback win over the Testa Corp. Bombers in the season opener at Tufts University on Sunday afternoon.

Pennell led a ten hit Chiefs attack that saw them turn around a 4-2 fifth inning deficit into the win. Righty Rob Machado (Everett, MA, UMass-Amherst) went 5.2 innings to get the win before giving way to southpaw Tim Dunphy (Brandeis, Namur Angels).

Machado set the Bombers down in order in the top of the first. The Chiefs gave the big former Malden Catholic right-hander a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the inning when they loaded the bases on singles from Jesse Bruinsma (Lynnfield, MA, Curry), Pennell and Justin Crisafulli (Cleveland Indians, Central Missouri). Mike Andre (Medford, MA, Merrimack) gave the Chiefs their first run of the season when he lifted a sacrifice fly to center scoring Bruinsma.

The Bombers erased the Chiefs lead in the top of the second on singles by Alex Farkes and Bob Pease and a Devin Perry double. The visitor’s lead went to 3-1 an inning later courtesy of the Adessa brothers when Mike singled home younger brother Mark who had doubled.

The Chiefs closed to 3-2 in the home half of the third. Bruinsma and Dave Scioli (Somerville, MA, Salem State) both singled to open the frame. Pennell then grounded into a fielder’s choice that forced Scioli at second and moved Bruinsma to third. Crisafulli then popped up and before Andre drew a walk, Bruinsma scored when Bombers starter Glen Misho uncorked a wild pitch.

Testa made it a two run margin once again in the top of the fourth on Perry’s second double of the day and another Pease RBI single.

Trailing 4-2 entering the bottom of the fifth, the Chiefs rallied for five big runs to a take a 7-4 lead. Brunisma reached base for the third straight time when he drew a walk. After Misho struck out Scioli, Pennell lifted a double to the base of fence in right sending Bruinsma to third. Crisafulli followed and his RBI grounder scored Bruinsma. When Mark Addesa’s throw was low to first, Pennell came around to score and tie the game at four. Andre then drew his second consecutive walk before veteran Matt Boleski (Medford, MA, MassBay) drilled a laser shot double to the fence in straight-away center scoring Crisafulli and Andre giving the Chiefs a 6-4 lead. Misho got catcher Nick Leva (Cambridge, MA, Southern NH) to ground out before Mike DiCato gave the Chiefs a 7-4 lead when he singled to left scoring Boleski.

Machado gave way to Dunphy with two outs and two on in the sixth. Dunphy got Perry on a comebacker to end the Testa threat. Pennell put it out of reach at 9-4 when he drilled a two run homer over the 379’ foot sign in right-center scoring Scioli, who had singled, ahead of him.

A Mark Addesa double and a Farkes RBI groundout gave the Bombers their final run in the top of the seventh and accounted for the 9-5 final.
Go to www.intercityleaguebaseball.com for BOXSCORE

Chiefs Notebook….Machado threw 95 pitches over the 5.2 innings that he worked. He struck out five and allowed seven hits.....The Chiefs were without Mike Baillargeon, Tim Dempsey (knee), Matt Anderson (bicep), Paul Yanakopulos and Peter Copa (hamstring)…The team is off until Thursday when they host the Wakefield Merchants at Tufts starting at 6:00 PM as they begin a busy five games in a four day stretch...... On Friday the Chiefs travel to Arlington to meet the Trojans at 7:00 PM, return home on Saturday afternoon to entertain the Mooney Tanners of Woburn at 1:30 PM before heading north to meet the Reading Bulldogs in a Sunday afternoon doubleheader….

After sixty years of continuous operation, the Intercity League has announced its inaugural class of Hall of Fame inductees. The Intercity League has provided the Greater Boston area with some of the finest amateur baseball talent since 1950.

The first class of Hall of Famers was selected from the estimated 5,000 players, managers, officials, umpires and others that have participated in the league since its inception. In addition, an ICL “Franchise of the Decade” for each the six decades the league has been in existence will also be honored.

The league will also recognize its 2010 award winners at the event including the champion Lexington Blue Sox.

The induction ceremony will be the focus of the ICL’s “Hall of Fame, Awards & Reunion Dinner” that will take place on Friday evening, November 12, 2010, at the Montvale Plaza in Stoneham, MA.
Contact Event Coordinator Orazio Azzarello at (617) 839-1488 or e-mail ICLHallofFame@yahoo.com for ticket information and other details.

Tickets are priced at $50 per person or $500 for table of ten. More Soon.

Franchise of the Decade
1950-1959 North Cambridge Club
1960-1969 North Cambridge Club (Special recognition to the Hosmer Chiefs)
1970-1979 Hosmer Chiefs
1980-1989 Augustine’s A’s & Melrose Rams (tie)
1990-1999 Andre Chiefs
2000-2010 Lexington Blue Sox

Intercity League Baseball- Charter Hall of Fame Inductees
Harry “Red” Butland ICL Founder (North Cambridge)
Fred Campatelli Player (Augustine's A’s)
Tom Cassell Player-Manager-Official (Cassell Club)
Dave Clivio Player (Chiefs & Mustangs)
Jim Curley Player (Merchants)
Bob DeFelice Player-Manager (Chiefs & Typos)
Dick DeFeo Player (Merchants)
Lenny Dempsey Player-Manager (Chiefs)
Les DeMarco Player-Manager-Official (Merchants)
Eddie DiGiacomo Player-Manager (Mustangs)
Joe DiSarcina Player-Manager (Augustine's A’s)
Steve Freker Media (Medford Mercury/Malden Evening News)
Bob Gibbs Manager-Official (Arlex)
John Hosmer Sponsor (Chiefs)
Fred Knox Player (Chiefs)
Bernie Murphy Umpire
Joe O’Donnell Player-Manager-Official (Chiefs)
Jimmy Quinn Player-Manager (North Cambridge)
Dick Rigazio Player-Manager (North Cambridge)

Watertown, MA- The Reds took Game Three 5-4 to sweep thier semi-final series against the Chiefs on Friday night at Victory Field.

Brendan Casey went the distance to get the win strking out ten and allowing eleven hits. The Reds winning runs came in the fifth inning on singles from Josh Chasse and Sean Callahan-Montague and a double from Steve Busby off Chiefs starter Rob Machado.

Chasse, Callahan-Montague, Luke Begley and Dan Chaisson each had two hits for the Reds while Tim Dempsey, Mike Andre and Matt Anderson had a couple each for the Chiefs.

The Reds move on to the ICL's Championship Series which begins on Monday.

Full coverage of the Intercity League Playoffs is provided by Bruce Hack at www.intercityleaguebaseball.com.

Medford, MA- The Watertown Reds broke a scoreless tie in the top of the eleventh inning, on hits from Josh Chasse, Bryan Evans and Sam Sager, to beat the Chiefs 1-0 in one of the longest ICL playoff games ever played.

In Game Two, Brian Casey, who came on in the 10th inning to get the win in Game One, went the distance and picked up his second win of the night in the 5-2 victory. Casey went the distance and allowed five hits while striking out seven. Steve Busby and Sean Callahan-Montague each had two RBI's for the Reds. Dylan Ellis got the loss. Tim Dempsey, Mike Andre and Mike Gedman had doubles for the Chiefs.

Both games were played at Tufts University's Huskins Field.

The Chiefs face a do or die date with the Reds at Victory Field in Game Three on Friday at 7:00 PM.

Full coverage of the Intercity League Playoffs is provided by Bruce Hack at www.intercityleaguebaseball.com.

Woburn, MA- Jared Freni turned in the most dominating performance of his ICL career, striking out 17 batters, to lead the Chiefs to a 3-0 win over the Mooney Dental Tanners at Ferullo Field on Friday night. With the win, the Chiefs clinch a first round playoff bye for the second consecutive season.

Freni broke the Chiefs record for strikeouts in a game that was previously held by former San Diego Padres right-hander Keith Forbes, who struck out 16 batters against the Americans on July 1, 2007.

Tanner righty Phil Recco made certain that this important Chiefs win was not going to come in easy fashion. He retired the first eleven batters he faced in a row until Mike Andre broke the string with two outs in the top of the fourth inning.

The Chiefs went in order in the top of the first inning (Paul Yanakopulos groundout, Bob McCarthy popup, Andre lineout) and Freni retired the side in order in the bottom of the inning, recording his first two strikeouts.

Recco got the Chiefs 1-2-3 in the top of the second (Justin Crisafulli grounder, Matt Anderson flyout and Tony Deshler groundout). The Tanners got the first baserunner of the night, albeit briefly, in the bottom of the inning when Mark Nardelli led off with a line single to center. Freni caught Nardelli leaning the wrong way and promptly picked him off first. He ended the inning by striking out Keegan DeNapoli and Tim Mullin.

Recco stayed tough and set the Chiefs down quickly in the top of the third. (Brian Macrina groundout, Matt Boleski flyout to right, Mike Barbati groundout).The Tanners appeared poised to take the lead in the bottom of the nning when they loaded the bases with one out. Cote singled to right and Joe Harvey popped a bunt single over the charging Andre at third. Freni struck out Stokik for the first out before Watkins delivered the third single of the frame to center with Cote being held up at third. Freni dominated the next two hitters striking out Carlton Lentini and Joe Smith in succession to end the Tanner threat.

The Chiefs got their first baserunner and broke through for a huge unearned run in the top of the fourth. After Recco got Yanakopulos on strikes and McCarthy on a sharp grounder to short, Andre drilled a liner to right which Harvey dove at and it got by him and carried all the way to the wall for a triple. The Chiefs caught a break when Crisafulli’s grounder was juggled by Cote at second base allowing Andre to score. 

With the 1-0 lead, Freni was untouchable in both the fourth and fifth innings as he struck out six consecutive batters.

Chiefs Third Baseman Mike Andre

The Tanners had their second scoring threat of the night in the bottom of the sixth when Watkins and Lentini both singled with no outs. Freni kept the shutout intact when he struck out Smith and Nardelli and got DeNapoli on a hard hit liner to Bolseki in center.

Recco stranded a Chiefs runner at third in the top of the seventh. Macrina led off and reached on an infield error and rookie Sean Glabicky pinch ran for him. Recco then got Boleski on an outfield fly for the first out and Barbati moved Glabicky to second with a fielder’s choice. The Malden Catholic rookie went to third on a passed ball but was left there when Recco got Yanakopulos on a groundout.

Freni worked a quick seventh, registering K's 16 and 17 of the night.With the win, Freni goes to 4-2 on the season and lowered his ERA to 0.72. The former UMass-Amherst captain and Malden Catholic all-scholastic has struck out 68 batters in just 48.1 innings so far this season.

The Chiefs regular season final against the Americans has been cancelled.