Andre Chiefs

Malden, MA- Ben Waldrip’s two RBI triple and Matt Nuzzo’s solo homer provided the majority of the offense, backing the efficient pitching of Tim Dunphy, to lead the Chiefs to a crisp 4-2 win over the Somerville Royals on Monday night at Maplewood.

The Chiefs handed Dunphy a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the first when Manny Cabral drew a bases loaded walk off starter Paul Covelle.

The Royals knotted things up at 1-1 in the top of the third on a Ryan Noone RBI single.

Nuzzo put the Chiefs in front for good when he launched his second homer of the season to left with one away in the bottom of the third.

The Chiefs added a couple of big insurance runs with two outs in the bottom of the fifth. Mike Gedman singled and Nuzzo drew a four pitch walk from Covelle. Waldrip (pictured) then delivered them both with a triple to right that jumped the lead to 4-2.

Dunphy went six innings to get the win. The veteran lefty allowed seven hits, struck out four, and walked just one. He raised his record to 2-0 on the season. Dave Kerns worked a hitless seventh inning and secured the win while chalking up his third save of the year.

Covelle (0-1), who spent two seasons in the Seattle Mariners system, struck out seven and allowed just five hits in five innings. His brother Ryan came on for Royals and struck out the side in the bottom of the sixth inning.

Chiefs Chatter…. With the win, the Chiefs raise their record to 4-1 on the young season…..Dunphy recorded his 48th career win. He now trails only Dave Marsters (99), Jared Freni (71) and Ari Koufos (49) on the all-time Andre Chiefs career list…..The Chiefs travel to Lexington High to meet the defending champion Blue Sox on Tuesday at 8:00 PM before returning to Maplewood on Wednesday at 8:00 PM to host Alibrandis. The week concludes on Saturday morning when the Chiefs meet the Reading Bulldogs in Lexington at 11:00 AM. It is the first game of four ICL games to be played as part of the annual The Jerie DeAngelis Memorial Day of Baseball.

(High Point,NC) Steve Passatempo, who has been with the Chiefs over the first few weeks of the season, has signed a pro contract with the High Point Rockers of the Atlantic League.

Passatempo recently graduated from UMass-Lowell where he was the River Hawks’s all-time leader in appearances (207) and starts (206), while being tied for second in program history with 31 home runs. The first baseman is the Division I era leader in runs (127), hits (198), doubles (39), and RBI (138). In the field, the four-year player recorded 1,329 putouts and 76 assists, as well.

The Medford, MA native was named to the 2016 America East All-Rookie Team and earned a spot on the Second Team in 2018, and helped UMass-Lowell to the program’s first two Division I postseason appearances in 2018 and 2019.

In his first appearance with the North Carolina based Rockers on June 11, Passatempo earned a walk in a pinch-hit situation, and he picked up his first hit on June 12.

Passatempo was batting .250 for the Chiefs with 2 RBI’s in three games.

(Story content & photo courtesy of UMass-Lowell Baseball)

The Chiefs will look to improve on their 3-1 record when they return to action on Monday night hosting the Somerville Royals at Maplewood Park in Malden at 8:00 PM. It will the first test of a four game week which includes a three games in a three night stretch.

On Tuesday night the Chiefs visit the Lexington Blue Sox at Lexington High and on Wednesday they return to Maplewood to meet Alibrandis. Both games will begin at 8:00 PM.

The Chiefs conclude the week when they take on the Reading Bulldogs on Saturday at 11:00 AM in the annual Jerie DeAngelis Memorial Day of Baseball at Lexington High. The Chiefs-Bulldogs game will be the first of four ICL games that will be played in Lexington on Saturday. The Melrose Americans and Maddogs Maddogs follow at 1:00 PM and the Wakefield Merchants and Albrandis will battle at 3:00 PM. The Blue Sox will host the Royals in the nightcap at 5:00 PM.

During the Day of Baseball on Saturday the ICL will draw the winner of the annual $10,000 raffle.

Melrose, MA- Thursday’s scheduled game between the Chiefs and Melrose Americans at Morelli Field has been postponed due to heavy rain in the area.

The 3-1 Chiefs are now off until Monday, June 17 when they will host the Somerville Royals at Maplewood/Malden Catholic at 8:00 PM.

Malden, MA-- Zak Levine threw 5.1 innings of one run baseball and Ricky Alexy’s solo homer, along with Jared Beniers two RBI triple, were the big blows when the Malden Maddogs held off the Chiefs 6-4 at Maplewood on Monday night.

Malden took advantage of nine walks issued by Chiefs’ pitching to secure the win.

The Maddogs jumped out to 5-0 lead in the top of the third inning against starter Jack Fargo before Mike Burgoyne’s RBI single, scoring Andrew Caulfield who had doubled, cut the lead to 5-1.

The Maddogs added another run off reliever Harry Welch that increased the margin to 6-1 in the top of the sixth.

A Nate Witkowski (pictured) bases clearing double in the bottom of the seventh cut the Malden lead to 6-4. When Steve Passatempo drew a two out walk, the Chiefs suddenly had the winning run at the plate. The comeback try fell short when Elias Fhagen-Smith secured Malden’s second straight win with a strikeout.

Levine (1-0) surrendered just four hits while striking out five. Fargo threw 71 pitches in just 2.2 innings and was charged with five earned runs. He experienced control issues in his first appearance of the year, walking seven while striking out two and allowing three hits. Michael Nestor worked a hitless 1.1 innings while Harry Welch gave up a hit and a run in his two innings. Ben Waldrip completed the Chiefs’ pitching ledger when he struck out two in a scoreless seventh.

With the loss the Chiefs fall to 3-1 on the season.