Andre Chiefs

Medford, MA- It was one of those games where you just had the feeling that whatever team batted last would win.

Fortunately for the Chiefs the game was played at their Tufts University home and in their last at bat, they did indeed come away with a hard fought 7-6 win over the Reading Bulldogs on Wednesday evening.

The Chiefs’ Mike DiCato (3-2) pitched in and out of trouble all evening, but was just good enough to pick up his third straight win.

The Chiefs jumped out to a 1-0 first inning lead when Jesse Bruinsma walked, stole second, and scored on Justin Crisafulii’s RBI single.

They clung to the one run lead until the Reading fourth when DiCato victimized himself. He threw a sure inning ending doubleplay ball into center field, hit a batter with the bases loaded, issued a walk, a bunt single, and two-out, two strike, two RBI single to Doug Dellorfon, that opened the door for the Bulldogs to take a 3-1 lead.

The Chiefs stormed right back to re-take the lead at 4-3,when they scored three times in the bottom of the fourth on Tony Deshler’s RBI double and Mike Barbati’s two RBI single.

The Bulldogs responded again to knot the game at 4-4 in their half of the fifth inning on singles from Billy Cataldo and Trevor Manzi and an Alex Fischer sacrifice fly.

It was the Chiefs turn assume the lead in the bottom of the fifth inning when Vinny Pennell singled home Bruinsma, giving them a 5-4 lead.

DiCato and Reading starter Sean Boyle tossed zeros in the sixth inning setting the stage for the dramatic finish.

In the top of the seventh, things started quietly enough for DiCato when Billy Cataldo flew out to Deshler in center for the first out. Zac Talis began the Reading rally when he singled sharply up the middle. Trevor Manzi followed and he drilled a long double into the left-center field gap, scoring Talis all the way from first to tie the game at 5-5. Things went from bad to worse for the locals when the throw home to get Talis went to the backstop allowing Manzi to go to third, representing the go ahead run. With the Chiefs’ infield drawn in, Fischer lined a bullet single off the diving Mike Baillargeon’s glove at shortstop, scoring Manzi and giving the Bulldogs the lead once again at 6-5.

Paul Yanakopoulos put the Chiefs immediately back in business when he led off the bottom of seventh with a huge double into the right-centerfield gap. Bruinsma followed and after two failed bunt attempts, he reached on an infield chopper single behind the mound sending Yanakopulos to third. A botched wind aided pop up off the bat of Baillargeon then loaded the bases with nobody out. The Chiefs caught their second break of the inning when Boyle uncorked a wild pitch, allowing Yanakopulos to scamper across the plate with the tying run and sending Baillargeon and Bruinsma to second and third respectively. Pennell completed the comeback when he hit a fly ball to medium right that was just deep enough to allow the rapid Bruinsma to tag and score the winning run.

DiCato went the distance and allowed seven hits and struck out five. Boyle (1-2) surrendered eight hits and struck out six.

The 13-7-1 Chiefs are right back in action on Thursday evening at Tufts University when they host the Testa Corp. Bombers at 6:00 PM.     

Medford, MA- Veteran Matt Boleski had one of the most productive games of his six year Chiefs’ career, knocking in five runs with a three run homer and a two run double, to lead his team to an 8-2 win over the Medford Americans on Monday evening at Tufts University.

Boleski’s offensive show backed another outstanding outing from Jared Freni, who went the distance to improve his record to 5-0 on the season. The former UMass-Amherst captain and Malden Catholic star allowed five hits and struck out eleven.

The Chiefs gave Freni more than he would need when they scored six times in their first bat against Americans’ starter Ryan McNiff. McNiff hit leadoff man Mike Maguire with a pitch and the former Suffolk University star stole second. Mike Baillargeon drilled the first pitch he saw off the fence in right for a double scoring Maguire and giving the Chiefs a 1-0 lead. Mike Andre moved Baillargeon to third with an infield grounder to the right side and Justin Criasfulli promptly plated him with a line single to center to make it 2-0. The Chiefs took advantage of two Americans’ errors as Tony Deshler and Mike DiCato both reached on infield miscues with Crisafulli scoring the third run. Mike Barbati followed with a single to center but DiCato was thrown out on the play after rounding second as Deshler was held at third. Enter Boleski, (pictured left) who drilled a McNiff offering over the scoreboard in right-field, scoring Deshler and Barbati ahead of him, jumping the Chiefs lead to 6-0.

Freni allowed a two out single to veteran Mike Kalfopoulos in the top of the second and McNiff settled in and retired the Chiefs in order in the bottom of the inning.

The Americans got on the scoreboard in the top of the third inning. Mike Burgoyne got things started when he beat out an infield single to shortstop as Baillargeon’s throw sailed high of first but Burgoyne was unable to advance to second. Danny Gunn then drew Freni’s only walk of the night. Freni struck out Joe Nixon and Jose Polanco in succession before Franklin Pierce bound rookie Dan Gilchrist lined a single to left, scoring Burgoyne.

Deshler’s one out single was all the Chiefs could come up with against McNiff in the bottom of the third and Freni rebounded nicely, striking out the Americans’ side in order in the top of the fourth inning.

McNiff, appearing to get stronger, retired the Chiefs in order again in the bottom of the fourth and the Americans inched a little bit closer when they picked up their second run of the night in the top of the fifth inning. Burgoyne got things started once again, this time with a line single to right. Gunn then fouled out to catcher Nick Leva for the first out and Burgoyne stole second.  Nixon then singled to put runners on the corners. Burgoyne and Nixon then executed a double steal to account for the Americans’ second run of the night. Nixon was stranded in scoring position when Freni got Gilchrist to ground to Andre at third base.

McNiff held the Chiefs scoreless for the fourth straight time in the bottom of the fifth and Freni got the Medford side in order in the top of the sixth.

The Chiefs got their six run lead back in the bottom of the sixth. Deshler led off with a single and DiCato was hit by a McNiff pitch. Pinch hitter Dave Scioli then drew a walk to load the bases with nobody out. Boleski was next and he drilled a double into the right-center field gap, scoring Deshler and DiCato, with the game’s final runs.

Freni retired the side in order for the fourth time in the game in the seventh, including two strikeouts, to give the Chiefs their third win in a row.

For Freni, it was his eleventh career victory. In the process, the hard throwing righty passed Jay Dillon and moved into seventh place on the Chiefs’ all-time strikeout list. Freni now has 146 career K’s in just 116 innings.

The Chiefs, now 12-7-1, are off on Tuesday. They begin a grueling seven games in an eight day stretch on Wednesday when they host the Reading Bulldogs at Tufts University starting at 6:00 PM. 

Medford, MA- Third baseman Mike Andre went three for four, including his third homer of the season, to lead the Chiefs to an 8-5 win over the Americans at Playstead Park on Saturday afternoon. It was the Chiefs second win in eighteen hours as they knocked off the Trojans in Arlington on Friday night.

The Chiefs staked veteran right-hander Mike DiCato to a three run lead in the top of the first inning. After Americans’ starter Joe Sheehan caught Mike Maguire looking for the first out, the Chiefs caught a break when Tony Deshler reached on an infield error. Vinny Pennell drew a walk and both runners moved up a base on a wild pitch. Justin Crisafulli then doubled to the fence in left-center with Deshler scoring and Pennell, having to wait to see if the ball was going to be caught, stopping at third. Andre (pictured left) then lined a single to left-center, scoring Pennell and sending Crisafulli to third, giving the Chiefs a 2-0 lead. Dave Scioli then legged out the back end of an attempted 4-6-3 doubleplay grounder, allowing Crisafulli to come across the plate with the inning’s third run. The Chiefs threatened for more when Mike Barbati reached on an error and  Paul Yanakopulos singled to load the bases. Sheehan escaped more trouble when he got Matt Boleski to fly to veteran Steve Napier in left.

DiCato recorded two K’s in the home half of the first inning and the Chiefs upped their lead to 4-0 in the top of the second. Maguire got things started with a single to right-center and promptly stole second. After Deshler flew to center for the first out, Pennell delivered Maguire with a RBI single to left-center. Crisafulli flew out before Andre singled again, sending Pennell to second. The inning ended with Scioli at the plate when Pennell was thrown out at third on a delayed steal attempt.

The Americans climbed right back into the game at 4-2, picking up a couple of runs, in the bottom of the second. The hosts took advantage of two errors by Deshler at first base, a walk, a hit-batsman and a two-out, two RBI single to left by Joe Nixon.

Scioli started the Chiefs third with a single but was erased when Barbati bounced into a crisp 4-6-3 before Sheehan struck out Yanakopulos to retire the side.

The Americans went in order in their half of the third and the Chiefs opened the lead to 8-2 in the top of the fourth. Matt Boleski led off the inning with a solo homer to right, his second of the year to make it a 5-2 game. Maguire followed with his second single of the day and Deshler chased him to third with a long double to center. Sheehan then got Pennell swinging for the first out before Crisafulli lofted a sacrifice fly to center scoring Maguire. Andre followed and drilled a two-run homer to right center, scoring Deshler ahead of him, while chalking up his league leading 17th and 18th RBI of the season.

It stayed 8-2 until the Americans climbed back into the game for the second time, when they picked up three runs in the bottom of the fifth. Nixon and Mike Burgoyne got the Americans going with consecutive singles. Steve Napier’s RBI grounder to Scioli at shortstop scored Nixon making it 8-3. James McConnville then drew a walk but DiCato recorded a big strikeout when he got Mike Kalfopulous swinging for the second out. With Jake Ohanesian at the plate, Burgoyne took off from third and stole home to make it 8-4. Ohanesian drilled DiCato’s next pitch into left for an RBI single scoring McConnville to make it 8-5, but he was thrown out trying to advance to second on the play by Yanakopulous to end the inning.

Neither Sheehan or DiCato allowed a hit over the last two innings, accounting for the 8-5 final.

DiCato, who evened his season mark at 2-2, allowed just five hits and two earned runs while striking out seven. It was his second win in a row after a throwing his first career no-hitter last Saturday against the Tanners.

The Chiefs enjoy Sunday off while the Americans travel to Wakefield at 5:30 PM to meet the Merchants at Walsh Field. The Chiefs and Americans hook up again on Monday at Tufts University in 6:00 PM start.   

Arlington, MA- There is no doubt that Tim Dunphy earned a few more feathers for his Chiefs headdress this week.

In an ironman like performance, the veteran southpaw pitched a dozen innings in a little less than two days, personally getting the Chiefs three points with a tie on Wednesday and complete game 5-3 win on Friday against the Arlington Trojans.

Dunphy, was pressed into the emergency start in Arlington when righty Jared Freni was a late scratch.

Things started a bit on the ominous side for Dunphy and the Chiefs. The Trojans looked poised to put some up big numbers in bottom of the first inning. After Arlington starter Mike Griffin set the Chiefs down in the top of the first, the Trojans started quick but had to settle for 2-0 lead. Alex Lidonni and Morgan Brown led off the frame with singles and Pete Creamer moved them both up a base with a sacrifice bunt. The Trojans loaded the bases when Don Walter drew a four pitch walk. Greg Wilson was next and he hit a grounder earmarked for the left field corner. Third baseman Mike Andre made a nice diving stop and from his knees threw home to catcher Paul Yanakopulos. Yanakopulos made an outstanding scoop of the low throw to force Lidonni at the plate for the second out. The count went full to Danny Binz before the Trojan third baseman drilled a single up the middle, scoring Brown and Walter, to give Arlington a 2-0 lead. Dunphy averted futher damage when he got Kevin Hart to line to Mike Baillargeon at shortstop.

The Chiefs went quietly in the top of the second and Dunphy settled in nicely in the bottom of the inning, keeping the Tanners from increasing their lead.

The Chiefs turned the game around in the top of the third inning. Yanakopulos led off with a line single to right. Jesse Bruinsma then avoided Griifin’s tag on an infield single, and when the throw to get him sailed high of first, Bruinsma took second with Yanakopulous going to third on the play. Vinny Pennell then singled to right scoring both runners and tying the game up at 2-2. It didn’t stay tied for long. Justin Crisafulli followed with a double off the fence in left-center sending Pennell to third. For Crisafulli, it was hit number 539 of his Chiefs career, vaulting him past Mike Langston as the all-time leader. Mike Andre then played a little fence tune of his own, unloading a double off the fence in right-center, scoring Pennell and Crisafulli to give the Chiefs a 4-2 lead.

After Dunphy struck out Creamer to begin the bottom of the fourth, Walter reached on a tough hop error by Baillargeon. Wilson then bounced back to Dunphy with Walter taking second. Binz followed with a line single to right. The Chiefs came up with the second big defensive play of the game when Pennell hosed Walter out at the plate to end the inning.

The Chiefs picked up their fifth run in the top of the fourth. Mike Barbati singled and advanced to second on Yanakopulos’ sacrifice bunt. After Yanakopulous was thrown out at first, Barbati continued on to third but the throw to get him was high, allowing him to score.

Dunphy retired the side in order in the Trojans’ fourth and the Chiefs wasted a big time threat in the top of the fifth when they came up empty after loading the bases (Crisafulli walk, Andre & Deshler singles) with nobody out.

It a was a seven pitch 1-2-3 inning for Dunphy in the bottom of the fifth and Griffin pitched out of another jam in the top of the sixth to keep the Trojans within striking distance at 5-2.

Things looked promising for the Trojans in the bottom of the sixth when Walter and Wilson had consecutive singles. The Chiefs then came up with their third huge defensive play of the night with a Barbati to Baillargeon to Rick Vail (4-6-3) doubleplay. The fourth gem came a batter later when Baillargeon gloved a Hart laser to short, with Walter at third, to end the inning and send the game to the seventh.  

Things got a little interesting in the bottom of the seventh. Paul O’Neil led things off and drew a four pitch walk. Catcher Eddie McDonald then blooped a single to right that Pennell lost in the lights. Big defensive play number five came when O’Neil rounded the bag at second and an alert Baillargeon tagged him out. But the Trojans were not done yet as McDonald went to second on a wild pitch and came around to score when Brown singled to right-center. Dunphy finally ended the evening’s proceedings when he got Creamer to groundout to Baillargeon.

The Chiefs have little time to enjoy the win as they travel to Playstead Park in Medford on Saturday afternoon at 1:30 PM to face the Americans.  

Medford, MA- ICL veteran and former Chicago Cub slugger Andy Hartung hit a long one-out triple in the seventh inning, to key Wakefield’s three run rally, as the red hot Merchants came from behind to defeat the Chiefs 3-1 at Tufts University on Thursday.

Chiefs’ starter Rob Machado was cruising along and clinging to a 1-0 lead entering the seventh inning. The inning started well enough when catcher Chad Conner made an outstanding catch, leaning into the stands, to grab Mike Sorrentino’s foul pop up for the first out. Trouble began to brew when Machado walked clean-up man Steve Langone on a high 3-2 fastball. The plot thickened a bit when Lorenzo Papa followed with a sharp single to left. Mike DiCato was summoned  to replace Machado and face Hartung, who had had scorched a double in the fifth inning. Hartung turned on a 3-1 pitch and sent it deep into the left field corner, scoring Langone and Papa, giving the Merchants a 2-1 lead. Dale Crispin followed and lined a single to right scoring Hartung to make it a 3-1 game.

Merchants’ starter and winner Kevin Flight got the Chiefs in order in bottom of the seventh inning (Conner fly out, Mike Barbati groundout and Matt Boleski on a deep fly to right) to preserve the Merchants’ thirteenth win of the season against just four losses. (Watch the last out of the game by clicking on http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9TYQWGGb6XA. )

Flight kept the Chiefs’ bats silenced and off balance for the majority of the evening, scattering just three hits and surrendering just one unearned run.

The Chiefs took their 1-0 lead in the bottom of the fifth inning. Barbati led off and reached when Langone bobbled his grounder at second base. Boleski followed and sacrificed Barbati to second. Flight then got Jesse Bruinsma on a sharp grounder to Langone for the second out with Barbati moving to third on the play. Tony Deshler was next and he delivered Barbati with a long RBI double to left-center.

Flight, (1-0) struck out four, walked just one, and allowed only five Chiefs to reach base. Machado (2-4) suffered his second straight tough loss. The righty lost a 1-0 seventh inning decision to the Mooney Dental Tanners last Saturday. He worked 6.1 innings and also struck out four as the Merchants out-hit the Chiefs in the game eight to three.

The Chiefs will look to rebound on Friday night when they travel to Summer Street Field in Arlington to meet the Trojans in a 7:00 PM start.

Chiefs Notebook....Justin Crisafulli will look to become the all time leader in career hits on Friday. The veteran slugger tied former Chiefs first baseman Mike Langston atop the Chiefs list when he recorded a first inning single on Thursday. Both Crisafulli and Langston each have an amazing 538 career hits in a Chiefs uniform....