Andre Chiefs

Woburn, MA- Johnny Welch keyed a three run top of the seventh inning with a two RBI single and Jared Freni threw 2.2 innings of no-hit, no-run ball, in relief of starter Mike DiCato, when the Chiefs beat the Mooney Tanners 4-1 at Ferullo Field on Wednesday night.

The Chiefs took a 1-0 lead in the top of the second. Mike Andre got things started when he lined a single to right-center. Nate Witkowski then drew a walk. Everyone was safe when Woburn southpaw Dave Maestri bobbled Mike Barbati’s sacrifice bunt. With the bases loaded, Matt Boleski hit a RBI fielder’s choice to the right side that scored Andre to make it 1-0 and re-load the bases. Maestri then came up big and struck out Nick Leva, Tony Serino and Mike Burgoyne in succession to keep it a 1-0 game.

It stayed 1-0 until the Mooney fifth. DiCato, who cruised through the first four frames, surrendered a long double to Chris Ruocco leading off the inning. DiCato balked Ruocco to third before striking out Mike Fernandez. Freni then replaced DiCato and on the first pitch he threw Nick Pinneau and Ruocco executed a perfect suicide squeeze that tied the game at 1-1. Freni struck out Corey O’Neill to end the inning.

Maestri and Freni matched blanks in the sixth before the Chiefs won it in the seventh. Tony Serino led off and dropped a perfect bunt single. Burgoyne was next and drew a full count walk with Serino running on the pitch. When Maestri’s pitch went to the backstop, Serino scampered all the way to third. With the infield drawn in, Burgoyne stole second before Mike Gedman drew a walk to load the bases. Welch quickly unloaded them when he provided the game winner with a line single to left scoring Serino and Burgoyne.  Andre was next and dropped a sacrifice bunt that was thrown away, allowing Gedman to score the Chiefs’ fourth run. Maestri averted further trouble when he struck out Witkowski and Barbati before getting Matt DiCato on an infield grounder.

Freni slammed the door when he struck out the Tanners’ side in order in the bottom of the seventh.

DiCato worked the first 4.1 innings and allowed four hits while striking out a couple. Freni (1-0), got the win and didn’t allow a hit while making a rare appearance out of the bullpen.

Maestri, who kept the Chiefs off balance all evening with off speed offerings, gave up just six hits, three of the infield variety, and struck out seven.

The Chiefs stay on the road and head to Lexington on Thursday night to meet the Blue Sox at 8:00 PM. -B. Tillman

Lexington, MA- Due to the forecast of heavy rain throughout the day, Thursday night's Chiefs at Lexington Blue Sox game, scheduled in Lexington at 8:00, has been postponed.

The prudent and early decision was made by Blue Sox management after monitoring forecasts and observing field conditions.

The Blue Sox and Chiefs have met in the Intercity League Championship Series for the last three years and four times in the last five seasons. 

The Chiefs now get a rare extended early season break and don't return to action until Monday night when they host the Reading Bulldogs at Maplewood (Malden Catholic) in a later than usual 8:15 PM start. 

The Chiefs beat the Mooney Tanners at Ferullo Field in Woburn on Wednesday night (see separate story) while the Blue Sox and Melrose Americans played to a 2-2 nine inning tie at Morelli Field in Melrose.

By BruceTillman
Malden, MA- Righthander Mike Richardson tossed a neat three-hitter and the Melrose Americans capitalized on some Chiefs’ defensive lapses to take a 5-1 win in their season opener at Maplewood on Monday night. With the loss, the Chiefs record evens at 1-1 on the year.

The Americans grabbed a two out run in the top of the first when Greg Wilson’s fly ball was lost in the lights and fell for a single, scoring veteran Mike Addesa who had walked.

In the Chiefs’ first, Tony Serino drew a walk but was erased when Mike Burgoyne bounced into a 6-4-3 doubleplay. Juan Portes then singled to right-center before Johnny Welch grounded out to end the inning.

The Americans made it a 3-0 game in the second when they scored a couple of unearned runs, again with two outs, against starter Matt DiCato. DiCato got both Vinny Scifo and Cam O’Neill on infield popups before Devin Perry got things going with a single. Chiefs’ shortstop Juan Portes then bobbled Mac Singleton’s grounder before singles from Addesa and John Jennings gave Melrose a 3-0 lead.

The Chiefs picked up their only run of the night in the bottom of the second when Nate Witkowski tripled into the right field corner and scored on Chad Connor’s RBI grounder.

The Americans added two more runs to close out the scoring in the top of the third. DiCato issued two consecutive walks, got the next two batters, before surrendering singles to Wilson and Mark Fusco. Lefty Mitchell Clegg came out of the bullpen and struck out Singleton to end the inning.

The Chiefs appeared poised to make some noise in the bottom of the third when Mike Barbati led off with a single and Serino drew a walk before Burgoyne hit into another 6-4-3 doubleplay. Richardson got Portes to pop up to end the inning.

Clegg appeared to experience some discomfort in his back when coming out for the fourth inning. Tim Dunphy came on for the Chiefs and provided one of the few bright spots of the evening when he threw shutout ball over the next three innings, allowing two singles and striking out five.

Richardson finished strong, retiring the last seven Chiefs he faced in succession. The Salem State righty struck out six in his complete game effort.

The Chiefs are off on Tuesday and begin a two game road trip on Wednesday in Woburn at 8:00 PM. On Thursday, they travel to Lexington to meet the Blue Sox.

The Americans will look to make it two in a row when they travel to Endicott College in Beverly on Tuesday at 8:00 PM to meet the Reading Bulldogs.

Chiefs Chatter….Peter Copa, Paul Yanakopoulos, Matt Nuzzo and Mike Gedman were all out of the lineup for Monday’s game…..Clegg struck out the only batter he faced before leaving the game prior to the start of the fourth inning…..Scifo had six assists for the Americans at shortstop.....In the milestone department, Barbati recorded his 100th career hit when he led off the third inning with a single....For Dunphy, it was his 50th pitching apperance in a Chiefs' uniform......

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).