Andre Chiefs

Medford, MA- The Chiefs broke up a scoreless tie when they scored four times in the bottom of the fifth inning, then held on for dear life, when they beat the Watertown Reds 4-3 in the season opener on Sunday afternoon at Tufts University.

Nothing new from Chiefs’ ace Jared Freni who was on an early season pitch count and blanked the Reds over the first four innings.

There were a couple of early minor scoring threats mounted by both teams. The Reds got a couple of runners aboard in the top of the first inning via a Kyle LaVigne single and a Sean Callahan walk before Freni ended the threat by striking out Will Brennan. The Chiefs threatened in the bottom of the inning when Tony Serino singled, moved to second on a Mike Burgoyne sacrifice bunt, went to third on a Juan Portes groundout, but was stranded there when Brennan stabbed a Johnny Welch liner that was earmarked for centerfield.

Freni gave way to Eric Perrault who threw a scoreless fifth. The Chiefs finally got to Reds’ starter Max Ockner in the bottom of the fifth. Veteran Mike Andre got things started when he lined a single to right. Rookie Adam Lucey came on to pinch run and Mike Barbati sacrificed Lucey to second. Matt Boleski drew a walk before Chad Conner lined a single down the left field line, scoring Lucey. Serino then singled up the middle to load the bases. Burgoyne singled to left-center, scoring Boleski, to make it a 2-0 game. Ockner got Portes to pop up before Welch lined a single to center, scoring Conner and Serino to open the lead to 4-0.

The Reds began to chip away in the top of the sixth when Perrault walked Mac Jacobson and then hit Sean Callahan with a pitch. Mike DiCato came on for the Chiefs and got Josue Feliciano to ground out to Portes at short but the relay to first was thrown away by Barbati for an error that allowed Jacobson to score the Reds first run. Brennan then singled before Welch turned in the defensive play of the game when he dove and snagged Danny Chaisson’s grounder and threw him out by a step at first. DiCato got the Chiefs out of the inning when he got Justin Forman to bounce back to him.

Reds’ reliever Tyler Campo struck out the Chiefs side in order in the bottom of the sixth setting up the dramatic top of the seventh.

Steve Tramontozzi led off the Watertown seventh with a line single to left before DiCato hit Kelly with a pitch. Southpaw Tim Dunphy came out of the Chiefs’ bullpen to face the left hand hitting LaVigne who blooped a single to center loading the bases. Jacobson grounded out to Mike Gedman at first who forced LaVinge at second with Kelly scoring the Reds second run. Callahan made it a 4-3 game when he hit a sacrifice fly to right, scoring Tramontozzi. Dunphy then apparently struck out Feliciano on a low pitch but the ball skipped by Conner allowing Kelly to score and sending Feliciano to first. Matt DiCato came on to face Chaisson and the Reds veteran put a charge into an offering that sent Burgoyne back to the warning track in left to end the game.

Chiefs Chatter…… …..Mike Burgoyne had two hits, a sacrifice bunt, and two nice defensive grabs in his Chiefs’ debut…..Mike Gedman was a late addition the lineup after Peter Copa was a late scratch at first base after tweaking a muscle in his side during batting practice…..Mike Andre recorded his 250th career hit in the fifth inning….. The Chiefs play the Melrose Americans on Monday at Maplewood starting at 8:00 PM…

By Bruce Tillman

The Andre Chiefs will begin defense of their regular season pennant when they open the 2014 Intercity League schedule on Sunday (June 1) against the Watertown Reds at Tufts University’s Huskins Field at 5:00 PM.

Several new faces returning from the professional ranks have been added to the Chiefs’ roster led by North Medford’s own Johnny Welch. Welch, who starred at both Malden Catholic and St. Anselm’s College, returns to Medford after spending the last seven seasons playing pro ball in the both the Frontier and Can-Am leagues. Over that time Welch has appeared in 461 professional games and racked up 75 homers and 262 RBI. His career average as a pro was .274.

In additional to Welch, other newly acquired Chiefs returning from professional baseball include; former Everett High football and baseball standout Matt Nuzzo, who spent three seasons with the Toronto Blue Jays after starring at Brown University, former Washington Nationals and UMass 6’5 left-hander Mitchell Clegg (Arlington Catholic/Woburn, MA), who spent the last four seasons as a pro, Salem, NH southpaw Eric Perrault, who just wrapped up a stint with the Arizona Diamondbacks, and lefty Mike Gedman who played for the Worcester Tornadoes, Rockland Boulders, and Newark Bears over the last three seasons. Gedman, who is son of former Boston Red Sox catcher Rich Gedman, played for the Chiefs in 2010 following a stellar career at UMass.

In addition to the newcomers, returning veterans include former Minnesota Twins shortstop and 2012 ICL Triple Crown winner Juan Portes, Peter Copa (UMass/California Angels), five time ICL all-star and former Merrimack captain Mike Andre of Medford, outfielder Tony Serino (UMass/Saugus, MA), Medford’s Matt Boleski, Mike Barbati (Endicott/Melrose, MA), Nick Leva (Southern New Hamshire/Cambridge, MA), Paul Yanakpooulos (UMass/Medford, MA), Nate Witkowski (Bentley/Melrose,MA), Anthony Carbone (UMass/Stoneham, MA), Dan Bonito (Northern Essex/Swampscott, MA) as well as catchers Chad Connor (Texas Tech/San Francisco Giants/Bristow, OK) and Jon Byrne (Eckerd/Arlington, MA).

In addition to Clegg and Perrault, the pitching staff is solid with reigning ICL MVP Jared Freni (UMass/Malden, MA) leading the way. Freni enjoyed one of the best seasons in ICL history last year when he posted a perfect 13-0 mark that included a miniscule 0.54 ERA. Other mainstays include brothers and former Malden Catholic stars Mike (UMass/Winthrop, MA) and Matt (Framingham St/Winthrop, MA) DiCato, lefty Tim Dunphy (Brandeis/Cambridge, MA), Everett’s Rob Machado, and former Arlington Catholic southpaw Evan Walsh of Medford, MA, who pitched for Bentley University this past spring.

Other new additions to the roster are: outfielder Mike Burgoyne (Keene St/Medford, MA), infielders Cecillio Guante (Bunker Hill CC/Salem, MA), and Adam Lucey (Fisher/Malden, MA). The Chiefs may also add another player or two later this week.

Manager Chuck Andre (Boston College/Medford, MA), who has a career record of 546-305 and five ICL championships, will pilot the Chiefs for his 24th season. The former Chiefs' right-hander will be assisted by Paul Crisafulli (NEBI/Medford, MA), John Veneziano (Westfield St/Medford, MA), and Steve Calabresi (UMass/Stoneham, MA).

Following Sunday’s game, the Chiefs will host the Melrose Americans on Monday at 8:00 PM at Maplewood Park on the campus of Malden Catholic.

The Chiefs have won 18 league championships since 1960 under both the Hosmer Chiefs (1957-1984) and the Andre Chiefs (1989-present).

Hometown: Medford, MA College: University of Maine
Steve returned to the Chiefs and the Intercity League for the first time in 2016 since the 2003 season......Saw action in only seven games in 2017 due a nagging arm injury...Appeared in 26 games in his comeback season of 2016 and batted an overall .297, including a lofty .385 in 18 regular season games....Previously played with the Chiefs for three seasons from 2001-2003.....Became the youngest starter in team history when he won the starting shortstop position as a 17 year old in the summer of 2001......Was a career .311 hitter for the Chiefs while appearing in 102 games over his three year stint with the club.....Hit a career best .329 in 2003 with 36 hits, including 10 extra base hits......Went on to play college ball at the University of Maine where he became the starting shortstop as a freshman.......Excelled at Medford High where he was a three time Greater Boston League all-star.....Can play all infield and outfield positions and was also known as a fireballing right-hander in his high school days.....34 year old continues to bring a veteran presence to the 2018 squad....

Medford, MA- The Chiefs are preparing for the start of the 2014 season with a host of pre-season games and scrimmages that will begin this week. The pre-season slate will continue for the next two weeks leading up to the opener on Sunday, June 1.

With 36 players currently on the pre-season roster, the club will trim that number down prior to the start of their Intercity League campaign. Seven new faces have joined the Chiefs for the pre-season.

The Chiefs have gone an overall 59-18 (.766) over the last two seasons, which includes the regular season pennant last year and the Intercity League Championship in 2012. They have appeared in the ICL championship series for three consecutive seasons and four times in the last five years.

The Chiefs will host the Watertown Reds in the 2014 opener on Sunday, June 1 at Huskins Field, on the campus of Tufts University in Medford, in a 5:00 PM start. On Monday, June 2 they will take on the Melrose Americans at Maplewood at 8:00 PM. They then hit the road to visit the Mooney Dental Tanners on Wednesday, June 4 at Ferullo Field in Woburn. The first week of the regular season will conclude on Thursday, June 5 with a rematch of the last three ICL finals when the Chiefs reunite with the Blue Sox in Lexington at 8:00 PM. – Bruce Tillman