Andre Chiefs

Melrose, MA- For the second time in three games the Chiefs overcame a 2-0 sixth inning deficit, this time coming back to beat the Melrose Americans 4-2 at Morelli Field. In the process, the Chiefs won themselves the Intercity League’s 2013 regular season pennant. It is the first regular season crown for the defending 2012 ICL champs since 2001 and the seventh since the franchise assumed the Andre name in 1989.

The clincher did not come easy as the Chiefs had to battle the always tough Americans to raise their record to 21-5 on the season. It was their seventh straight win and their ninth in the last ten games.

The Chiefs used a trio of pitchers in the game (Tim Dunphy, John Chotkowski & Matt DiCato) in an effort to keep the staff busy with a first round playoff bye already in hand.

The Americans jumped out to a 1-0 first inning lead against Dunphy. Singles from Mark Addesa and Devin Perry put runners on the corners with one out. Veteran Mike Addesa then drilled a line drive to center and Perry, who was unsure if Tony Serino was going to make the catch, was forced at second base. Mark Addesa scored on the play and older brother Mike ending up standing at first with a rare 8-4 RBI fielder’s choice.

It stayed a 1-0 game until the third inning when the Americans picked up a run off Chotkowski, who had relieved Dunphy after he worked the first two innings. Gianni Esposito and Mark Addesa greeted Chotkowski with consecutive singles. Mark Fusco then moved both runners up with a sacrifice bunt. With the Chiefs’ infield drawn in, Chotkowski got a big out when Perry hit a grounder to Paul Yanakopoulos at shortstop that froze the runners at second and third. The Americans did get their second run when Chotkowski’s first pitch to Mike Addesa went to the backstop, allowing Esposito to score.

Melrose starter Mike Richardson retired the side in order the top of the fourth. The Chiefs turned a 6-4-3 doubleplay behind Chotkowski to keep Melrose off the scoreboard in the bottom of the inning.

The Chiefs finally broke through and tied the game up after two were out in the top of the fifth. The red hot Yanakopoulos led things off with the second of his three singles and stole second. Richardson then got Mike Barbati to fly and out and struck out Matt Boleski. Nick Leva was next and the gritty catcher came up big when he blooped a single to right, scoring Yanakopoulos on the play. Richardson then threw a wild pitch with Serino at the plate allowing Leva to go all the way to third when Esposito’s throw sailed into centerfield. Serino eventually drew a walk before Tony Deshler brought the Chiefs even at 2-2 when he singled up the middle, scoring Leva. Perry went deep into the shortstop hole to make a nice play and throw out Nate Witkowski by a step to prevent the Chiefs from taking the lead and ending the inning.

Chotkowski got the first two batters in the bottom of the fifth before hitting Fusco with a pitch. Matt DiCato came out of the bullpen to face the right-hand hitting Perry and got him to fly out to Serino in center.

Peter Copa got the Chiefs’ going when he drew a leadoff walk in the top of sixth. Mike DiCato bunted Copa to second and Yanakopoulos moved him to third with another single. With runners on the corners, Barbati hit a chopper to Addesa at third and he threw home to try and get Copa, who scored on the play after the ball was dropped by Esposito following a collision at the plate. With Yanakopoulos now at third, Boleski delivered him with a sacrifice fly to left, giving the Chiefs a 4-2 lead.

DiCato set the Melrose side down in order in the bottom of the sixth inning and reliever Alex Wilson blanked the Chiefs in the top of the seventh.

Manny Powers led off the bottom of the seventh with a line single to right-center before DiCato got pinch-hitter Mike Kalfopoulos to bounce into a 3-6-1 doubleplay. Dave Center grounded out to Barbati at second base to end the game and give the Chiefs their pennant clincher.

DiCato, now 5-0, picked up the win with 2.1 innings of one hit relief. Richardson (0-1) worked six innings and took the loss for Melrose.

The Americans travel to Ferullo Field in Woburn to meet the Tanners on Thursday at 8:00 PM. The Chiefs are off until Sunday afternoon when they meet the Arlington Trojans at Tufts University in a 5:00 PM start.

Malden, MA- Jared Freni threw a complete game three-hitter, striking out fourteen batters, and the Chiefs broke a 1-1 sixth inning tie on the way to a 3-1 win over the Arlington Trojans.

With their sixth straight win, the Chiefs improved to 20-5 on the season and in the process clinched themselves a first round playoff bye.

The start of the game was delayed fifteen minutes, then survived two more rain delays, as the scattered heavy rain showers plagued Maplewood throughout the evening.

Freni hooked up with lefty Jed Robinson, who impressed everyone in the yard while limiting the Chiefs to just four hits, two of the infield variety. The Trojans got a runner in scoring position in the top of the first inning courtesy of Tommy Lenane’s long two out double to the fence in left-center. Freni kept the Trojans off the board when he struck out Marcus Way to end the inning.

The Chiefs took a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the first inning. Tony Serino legged out a little dribbler in front of the plate for a single. Robinson then got Tony Deshler on a groundout. Deshler went to second on a wild pitch and moved to third when Nate Witkowski reached on a single to the left side of the infield. Peter Copa then delivered Serino with a warning track sacrifice fly to give the Chiefs a 1-0 lead. The inning ended when Paul Yanakopoulos flew to Eddie McDonald in right field.

Arlington tied things up in the top of third. Justin Mansfield and Conor Reensterma both drew walks before Way lined an RBI single to left.

It was all Robinson and Freni for the next three and half innings. Robinson retired twelve of the thirteen Chiefs he faced after giving up the run in the first. Freni meanwhile set the Arlington side down in order in the fourth, fifth and sixth innings.

After the second rain delay of the night, the Chiefs won it in the bottom of the sixth inning. Witkowski led off and drilled a Robinson pitch to left-center for a double. Copa then gave the Chiefs the lead when he singled to center scoring Witkowski. Copa went to second on the throw to get Witkowski at the plate and then moved to third on Yanakopoulos’ sacrifice bunt. Mike Barbati's grounder to second brought Copa home with the Chiefs’ third run of the game.

Sam Perkins walked to lead off the Arlington seventh and moved to second when Derek Pizzaro was thrown out at first on a bunt. Freni stranded Perkins and ended the game in style when he struck out McDonald and Mansfield in succession.

Freni goes to a perfect 9-0 with the win. Robinson, who dipped to 2-2, struck out five and walked a couple. The former Winchester and Avon Old Farms standout is transferring to Trinity after spending this past spring with the UConn Huskies.

The Chiefs are off on Tuesday and will return to action on Wednesday when they travel to Melrose to meet the Americans at Morelli Field at 7:15 PM. 

Wakefield, MA- The Chiefs climbed out of 2-0 hole, scoring a run in sixth and adding two more in the seventh inning, as they came from behind to beat Jarrod Marchesi and the Wakefield Merchants 3-2 at Walsh Field on Sunday.

The game featured a veteran pitching matchup between Marchesi and Chiefs’ right-hander Mike DiCato, who once again shined on the mound to pick up his third straight victory. The former Malden Catholic and UMass-Amherst standout retired the first ten Wakefield batters he faced before giving up a couple of runs (one earned) in the fourth inning.

Tony Serino led off the game with the first of his three singles on the day.  He got no further than first base when he was caught stealing after Marchesi got Tony Deshler to fly out and Juan Portes to pop up.

DiCato got the Merchants 1-2-3 in the bottom of the first inning and the Chiefs got a mini threat going in the top of the second. Peter Copa was hit by a Marchesi pitch before Nate Witkowski lined out hard to centerfield. Mike Andre then drilled a single to right center but they came up blank when Mike Barbati grounded into a 6-4-3 doubleplay.

DiCato retired the side in order again in the bottom of the second inning and a Serino two out single was all the Chiefs could generate against Marchesi in the top of the third.

It was nine up and nine down for Wakefield in the bottom of the third when DiCato struck out both Bobby Losanno and Justin Dahl and got Joe Barry to foul out to Copa.

The Chiefs threatened again in the top of the fourth inning. Marchesi struck out Portes for the first out before Copa singled to center and Witkowski singled to left. Andre followed and flew out to left-center, deep enough for Copa to tag and move to third. It stayed scoreless when Barbati grounded out to Scott Searles at shortstop to end the frame.

The Merchants drew first blood in the fourth. Nick Murray singled to right with one out and moved to second on a wild pitch. Brooks Townsend followed with another single to short right that Copa chased down. When Copa wheeled and airmailed the throw to the plate in an effort to keep Murray at third, the second baseman scampered home on the error to give Wakefield a 1-0 lead. With Townsend now on second, James Ramsey plated him with a single up the middle to make it 2-0.

Marchesi frustrated the Chiefs once more in the top of the fifth inning. Paul Yanakpoulos led things off with a long double to left-center. Nick Leva then grounded out for the first out of the inning. Ryan Gendron turned in the defensive play of the game when he bare handed a bunt attempt and threw out the fleet footed Serino by half a step at first. With Yanakopoulos now at third, the Chiefs came up empty again when Marchesi caught Deshler looking at strike three.

Barry’s single gave the Merchants a two out base runner in the bottom of the fifth before Leva threw out Taratino at first, on a chopper in front of the plate, to end the inning.

The Chiefs finally got on the board when they picked up a run in the top of the sixth. Portes hit a bomb down the left field line that got lost in the Wrigley Field type ivy and was deemed a ground rule double. Portes went to third on Copa’s grounder and scored on Witkowski’s fielder’s choice bouncer to Searles.

Townsend was hit with a pitch with one out in the bottom of the sixth. He was erased on an inning ending doubleplay when Ramsey hit a line drive seed back to DiCato who made the play and fired to Copa to easily catch Townsend off first.

Marchesi struck out Barbati leading off the seventh and the Chiefs were down to their last two outs before mounting their comeback. Yanakopoulos began the rally with a single to center. Leva fouled off three Marchesi offerings before dropping in a single to left. Enter Rob Machado who came on to pinch run for Leva. Serino followed and tied things up when he singled to right-center, scoring Yanakopoulos, with Machado sliding safely into third when the throw went to plate. Machado’s base running proved to be huge as Deshler then delivered him with a sacrifice fly to center, putting the Chiefs in front 3-2.

DiCato never left the issue in doubt in the bottom of the seventh. He struck out Gendren and got Seales and Lossano on infield grounders, the latter on a nice game ending scoop by Copa of a low Portes throw.

DiCato surrendered just four hits, three in the fourth inning, struck out four and didn’t issue a walk. Marchesi gave up ten hits and also struck out four and didn’t walk anyone.

With their fifth straight win, the first place Chiefs improved to 19-5 on the year. They are back in action on Monday night when they host the Arlington Trojans at Maplewood Park (Malden Catholic) starting at 8:00 PM.

Watertown, MA- The Chiefs rode the five hit pitching of Tim Dunphy and took advantage of some untimely Reds’ errors en route to 4-3 win at Victory Field on Wednesday night.

Paul Yanakopulos led off the Chiefs first with a single to center but was promptly erased when Mike Barbati bounced back to Reds’ starter Aric Dama who started a 1-6-3 doubleplay.

Dunphy got the Reds in order in the bottom of the first and the Chiefs got their leadoff man on again in the second inning when Mike Andre singled to left-center. Just like an inning earlier, the threat was derailed when Mike DiCato grounded into a 4-6-3 doubleplay.

The Reds put together a threat in the bottom of the second inning when Justin Forman and Will Brennan both singled but Dunphy got out of it with three ground ball outs.

The Chiefs took a 1-0 lead in the top of the third. Rookie Corey Brammer delivered the first hit of his ICL career, a one out double to right-center, that was just out of the reach of the diving Josue Feliciano. Dama then walked Yanakopoulos before Barbati hit a grounder that forced him at second and sent Brammer to third. Dama tried to keep Barbati close at first but threw low for an error, allowing Brammer to scamper home with the first run of the game. Nate Witkowski drew a walk and Barbati stole third, but Dama escaped when he got Peter Copa to pop up.

Dunphy kept the Reds hitless in the both third and fourth inning.

Bentley righty Scot Lueders came on for Dama and blanked the Chiefs in the top of the fifth.

Justin Knight hit a one out bomb double in the bottom of fifth. Kyle LaVinge followed and he grounded to Yanakopoulos at shortstop. As Yanakopoulos was fielding the ball, Knight collided with him and was he ruled out. Dunphy then had apparently picked LaVinge off first and he broke for second. Copa’s throw hit him off the helmet and skipped into right-center allowing him to go to third. Dunphy kept the Chiefs in the lead when he got Mac Jacobson to ground to Copa to end the inning.

The Chiefs took advantage of a couple of errors and scored three unearned runs in the sixth inning to take a 4-0 lead. Barbati reached on an infield error, was sacrificed to second by Witkowski, and moved to third on a passed ball. Peter Copa then walked before Lueders struck out Andre for the second out. The Chiefs caught a break when Knight’s throw on DiCato’s grounder to second pulled Forman off the bag allowing Barbati to score. Both Copa and DiCato moved to second and third on a wild pitch and Matt Boleski made it a 4-0 game when he dropped a single into short right field.

The Reds came back and picked up three runs of their own in the bottom of the sixth. Feliciano drew a leadoff walk before Dunphy got Sean Callahan to fly to deep right for the first out. Forman put the Reds on the board when he tripled down the right field line, scoring Feliciano, to make it 4-1. With the Chiefs infield playing back, Pete John picked up an RBI when he grounded out to Yanakopoulos, scoring Forman, to cut the lead to 4-2. More trouble loomed when Dan Chaisson lined a two out double to left. The Reds then picked up an unearned run of their own when Barbati kicked Brennan’s grounder that scored Chaisson, cutting the lead to 4-3.

Lueders kept the Chiefs off the scoreboard in the top of the seventh.

Dunphy recorded his only two strikeouts of the game, as he struck out LaVinge and Jacobson in succession, to open the seventh. Barbati then made amends for his sixth inning miscue when he a made an outstanding over the shoulder grab of a Feliciano blooper in short centerfield to end the game.

Dunphy needed just 78 pitches to raise his record to 4-3 on the year. Dama (1-2) took the loss for Watertown.

With the win, the first place Chiefs go to 18-5 on the season while the third place Reds dip to 12-10-1.

Malden, MA- For the second Monday in row the Chiefs rode the pitching of the DiCato Brothers to a doubleheader sweep at Maplewood. Matt handled things in a 3-2 win in the opener and Mike took care of matters in the nightcap 2-1,as the Chiefs took both ends of the twi-nighter from the Melrose Americans. 

Game One
The Americans jumped out to a 1-0 first inning lead when Mark Addesa walked, went to second and then third on infield grounders, and scored on Mike Cunningham’s RBI single.

The Chiefs tied the game up at 1-1 in the home half of the first inning. Melrose starter Mike Massuli experienced wildness and walked Tony Serino, Paul Yanakopoulos and Juan Portes in succession. Peter Copa then bounced into a 6-4-3 doubleplay that scored Serino. Massuli got out of his rocky start cheaply when he got Nate Witkowski to ground out to Mark Fusco at third to end the inning.

Matt DiCato held the Americans scoreless in the top of the second.

The Chiefs took a 3-1 lead in the bottom of the inning courtesy of a Matt Boleski double to left that scored Mike Andre (walk) and Mike Barbati (single).

Both clubs went in order in the third inning and the Americans made it a 3-2 game in the top of the fourth when Steve Chamberland singled, moved to second on a walk, to third on a an infield grounder, and scored on a passed ball.

Both Massuli and DiCato settled in nicely over the last two and a half innings as neither team could generate any scoring to account for the 3-2 final.

DiCato went the distance in 107 pitch effort to up his record to 4-0 on the season. The right-hander surrendered six hits, struck out three, and walked three batters.

Massuli gave up just three hits, struck out a couple, but walked six.

Game Two
Just as they did in opener, the Americans jumped out to 1-0 lead against Mike DiCato in the top of the first inning. Mike Addesa led things off with a single to left and stole second. Devin Perry promptly delivered Addesa with a long double down the right-field line giving Melrose a 1-0 lead.

To follow the game one script, the Chiefs came back to tie it up at 1-1 in the bottom of the inning but could have had more. Tony Serino walked and Paul Yanakopoulos dropped a nice bunt for a single. When the throw to get Yanakopoulos at first bounced a few feet away Serino kept running and went to third. Rob DiFranco then got Juan Portes swinging for the first out. Serino was picked off third when the throw to get Yanakopoulos, who was stealing second, was cut off by Perry and he fired to Mark Fusco who applied the tag. The Chiefs did salvage a run out of the inning when Peter Copa dropped a single into right-center that scored Yanakopoulos.

DiFranco and the elder DiCato took control from there as the game stayed 1-1 until the Chiefs got the game winner after two were out in the bottom of the sixth inning. Juan Portes drew a two out walk, stole second, and went to third when Gianni Esposito’s throw sailed into center-field. Copa then delivered his second RBI of the game when he drilled a DiFranco pitch to right to score Portes and putting the Chiefs in front 2-1.

DiCato struck out the first two batters of the seventh before getting pinch hitter Mike Kalfopoulos to bounce to Copa at first to end the game.

DiCato evened his season mark at 2-2 with the complete game win. The veteran scattered six hits, walked two, and struck out a season high nine batters.

DiFranco fell to 1-3 with the loss. The Bates College righty gave up just five hits (three to Copa) and also struck out five.

The now 17-5 Chiefs return to action on Wednesday night when they travel to Victory Field in Watertown to meet the Reds at 8:00 PM.