Ryan Moreshi drove in three runs and Joe Bova and Liam Powers had a couple of RBI’s each when the Andre Chiefs beat the Malden Maddogs 15-8 at Lexington High on Tuesday night. It was the only game on the schedule. Michael McCarthy (3-0) tossed four innings to grab the win. A.J. Rourke worked the final three frames for the Chiefs….
The Stoneham Sabers beat the Lexington Blue Sox 16-8 in a slugfest at LHS on Monday night, Nick Bartalini and Greg Reed led the offense with two doubles each while combing for six RBI’s. Austin Brune drove in three runs and Cameron Flaherty (2-2) got the win in relief…..Emilio Berndt had a homer and three RBI’s to lead the Lexington Bulldogs to an 8-4 win over the Brighton Black Sox at Catholic Memorial. Matthew Fazzano and Jonah Weinstein each added a couple of RBI’s for the Bulldogs….
The Melrose Americans erased a 5-2 sixth inning deficit and scored 11 unanswered runs to go on and beat the Andre Chiefs 13-5 at Playstead Park. Tad Giardina led the comeback with a homer and three RBI’s while Chris Klein added a homer and drove in a couple of runs. Pat Costigan and Laz Giardina each had two RBI’s. Teddy Dziuba and Nolan Lopes accounted for all of the Chiefs’ runs with home runs. Luis Yorba (1-3) picked up his first win of the year……Josh Bohn hit a fourth inning three run homer to spark the Middlesex Expos to 7-5 comeback win over the Stoneham Sabers at Recreation Park. Colin Jaeba (2-2) and Eric Bridges allowed just six hits in the win. Bohn finished with four RBI’s while Xavier Nunez drove in a couple of runs……Christian Roncal went 4-4 and Jack Lee and Peyton Heisner both homered to lead the Bulldogs to an 8-4 win over the Malden Maddogs in Lexington. The Bulldogs used four pitchers in the game with Andrew Yen (1-0) throwing two scoreless innings to record the win…….
Alan P. Blumsack, 89, passed away peacefully on July 1, 2026, surrounded by the love of his family.
Al was the owner and operator of the Intercity League’s Powderhouse Pub and later the Gately Rams entry for many seasons.
Raised in his hometown of Somerville, Massachusetts, and a longtime resident of Malden, Alan was the son of the late Anna and Henry Blumsack. He was the beloved husband of Cheryl Blumsack of Stoneham for 49 years. He was predeceased by his brother, Robert Blumsack, and is survived by his sister-in-law, Marilyn Blumsack of Andover. He was also the brother of the late Joyce Gladstone and brother-in-law of her late husband, Karl Gladstone.
Alan is survived by his wife, Cheryl; his daughter, Lori Fallon, and her husband, Aidan, of Danvers; his son, Scott Blumsack, and his wife, Danielle, of Groton; and his son, Brian Blumsack, and his wife, Lindsay, of Stoneham. He was the proud grandfather of Jack and Cara Fallon, Ana and Max Blumsack, and Robert and Elizabeth Blumsack, each of whom brought him immeasurable joy.
Alan graduated from Somerville High School in 1954, where he excelled in both baseball and football. After a postgraduate year at Tilton Academy, he attended Boston University, where he continued his passion for baseball as a member of the Terriers. He went on to enjoy a distinguished legal career, practicing as an attorney in Somerville for more than 50 years. In addition to his legal career, Alan was the proprietor of the original Powder House Pub in Somerville and later Malden. He was also a longtime member of the Somerville YMCA.
Alan will be remembered as a hardworking attorney, a dedicated son, and a man whose love, generosity, and sense of humor endeared him to everyone who knew him. Above all, Alan’s greatest pride was his family. He was a devoted husband, father, grandfather, and friend who will be deeply missed.
Services are private.
In lieu of flowers, expressions of sympathy may be made to Boston Children’s Hospital www.childrenshospital.org or a charity of one’s choice.
Brady Gillis fired six shutout innings to lead the Stoneham Sabers to a 7-0 win over the Blue Sox in Lexington on Friday night. Greg Reed had a two RBI second inning double while Jet Jones and Nelson Correa both had RBI’s. Gillis (3-1) struck out seven and scattered just three hits…..The Andre Chiefs jumped out to an 11-0 second inning lead on the way to beating the Lexington Bulldogs 13-5 at Summer Street Field in Arlington. Rowan Oostman had a huge night hitting two homers and driving in six runs. Teddy Dziuba added three hits and Byron Woodman and Miles Reed chipped in with a couple of hits each. Joe Bova added a solo homer. Matt Doherty (2-1) got the win…..
Kevin Rodriguez and Jose Paulino both homered and Dan Shaw (3-2) picked up the win when the Middlesex Expos beat the Andre Chiefs 5-3 in a lights shortened five inning affair at East Boston Stadium…..The Stoneham Sabers used five pitchers to turn back the Malden Maddogs 10-8 at Minuteman Vocational. Jack Raimo (2-1) got the win while Drew Mello earned the four out save. Austin Brune drove in three runs, Danny Choate and Greg Reed had two RBI’s each, and Jack Keyo had three hits for the Sabers……
Intercity League Hall of Famer Justin “Jay” Crisafulli, Jr. has passed away. Justin played many seasons for the Medford Mustangs and was inducted into the ICL’s Hall of Fame in 2012. He was 76.
Baseball runs deep in the Crisafulli Family as he was the father of former ICL stars Paul Crisafulli and Justin Crisafulli, III of the Andre Chiefs.
Justin’s obituary is below:
Justin “Jay” Crisafulli, Jr., 76, passed away October 23, 2025. He was formerly of Medford and Somerville MA. Justin was the beloved husband of 54 years to Ann (Barter) Crisafulli. Raised and educated in Somerville, he was the son of the late Justin Sr., and Thelma (Frustaglia) Crisafulli.
Of his many passions his love for his faith in Jesus and the game of baseball was immeasurable and was the soundtrack of his life. From Little League fields in Somerville, through Semi-Professional ball with the Intercity League, and watching his children and grandchildren love the sport. He was inducted into the Intercity League Baseball Hall of Fame in 2012.
He was the devoted father of four children, Paul Crisafulli and his wife, April, Justin Crisafulli III, Cathy Krevy and her husband, Joshua and Lynne Crisafulli. He was the loving Papa to six grandchildren. He was predeceased by his two brothers, Anthony and Philip.
Relatives and friends are respectfully invited to attend. Visiting hours at the Dello Russo Funeral Home 306 Main St., MEDFORD, on Wednesday, October 29th, from 4 to 7 PM. A graveside service will be held on Thursday, October 30th, at 12 PM at Mount. Hope Cemetery, 1048 State St., Bangor, ME. Relatives and friends are invited to meet at the Superintendent’s Lodge for a procession.
In lieu of flowers contributions may be made in Justin’s memory to the St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, 501 St. Jude Place, Memphis, TN, 38105-9959. You may also leave a condolence at BrookingsSmith.com.
By Bruce Hack
Lexington Blue Sox Team Historian
Melrose – The Battle of Lexington was brought to an end Monday night when the Blue Sox defeated the Bulldogs 6-3 and won the 2025 Intercity League Championship.
This was the 17th title for the Blue Sox since they entered the league in 1995. It was the franchise’s 13th title since 2006 and the first since 2021.
Monday night, it was a come-from-behind victory, the first in this playoff run.
Emilio Berndt started the third-inning rally with a double to right. A single through the left side by Jay Voica and a walk to Mike Sibert loaded the bases with no outs. A balk was called on Sox starter Chris Wanat, bringing Berndt home with the first Bulldogs run. Voica was out at home on a nice play by third baseman Erick Ramirez to catcher Luke Maltacea for the first out. Brett Stone lofted a fly ball into shallow center that shortstop Luis Atiles caught, but Sibert was able to score on the sacrifice fly for the 2-0 lead.
The Blue Sox wasted no time in getting back into the game. They loaded the bases with no outs in the bottom half of the third. Owen McKiernan walked, Maltacea singled, and Brendan Jones walked to put a Sox runner on every base. Bulldogs’ starter Alec Peruzzi retired the next two batters and appeared to be a batter away from getting out of the inning. Julian Alvarez lined a single into left, and McKiernan came home, cutting the lead to 2-1. Atiles walked on a contested 3-2 pitch to bring in Maltacea with the tying run. Both Voica and Peruzzi thought the pitch to Atiles was strike three, but an appeal to the first base umpire resulted in a ball four call, and the Blue Sox runner was crossing the plate while the Bulldogs were trying to understand what had happened. Still with two outs, the Bulldogs thought they had ended the rally when Anderson Jimenez struck out, but the pitch got away from Voica, and his throw to first to get Jimenez for the third out sailed into right field. This allowed Brendan Jones to score the go-ahead run and Alvarez to come all the way around from second to give the Sox a 4-2 lead. Patrick Casserly stepped up to the plate and doubled down the leftfield line, scoring Atiles, and it was 5-2 Blue Sox.
Sox starter Wanat came out after five innings of work. He had two 1-2-3 innings, the second and fourth. He gave up four hits, walked two, and struck out three in earning his second win of the playoffs.
Peruzzi pitched 4.1 innings for the Bulldogs. He gave up six hits, six runs, walked five, and struck out three as his playoff record fell to 1-1.
The Bulldogs started the seventh with walks to pinch-hitter John Nordman and Shane Costello. Josh Becker came in from the bullpen for the Sox in relief of Luke Marshall. He struck out Voica, but a single through the right side by Sibert scored Nordtman, and it was 6-3. Becker induced a ground ball off the bat of Jaden Velis, which the Sox turned into a game-ending 4-6-3, Jimenez to Atiles to Casserly double play, and clinched the title.
The two hottest teams in the league reached the finals. The Bulldogs won their last five regular-season games and eight of their last ten. The Blue Sox ended the season on a team-record-setting streak, 16-0-1 over their final 17 games, the longest streak without a loss by the team since 2006
Now, for another year, the Intercity League season has come to a close. The lights went out at Morelli Field for the final time this summer, bringing to an end another season for the league, its players, and fans. The coaches and players of the Intercity League would like to thank all the fans for their attendance and support at games this season. They look forward to seeing everyone in 2026.
Melrose – The second skirmish in the Battle of Lexington went to Blue Sox with a 2-0 win over the Bulldogs. The Blue Sox lead 2-0 in the best-of-five series. The Sox are now a win away from the 2025 Intercity League Championship.
Matt Draper started for the Blue Sox and pitched six shutout innings to earn his second win of the finals. Draper pitched in and out of trouble all game, earning his only 1-2-3 inning in the fifth. The Bulldogs loaded the bases in the first with two outs on two singles and an error. Draper struck out Shane Costello, looking to end the threat. In the third, the Bulldogs again loaded the bases with two outs, this time on a double and two walks. Draper retired Costello again, this time on a groundout to third. The Bulldogs stranded 12 runners in the game, including two in the seventh and eighth innings. Draper finished the night with eight strikeouts, scattered four hits, and walked four.
Both Blue Sox runs came in the fourth. With one out, Julian Alvarez singled to start the rally. Luis Antiles and Anderson Jimenez singled to load the bases. David VanderZouwen hit a grounder to third, which Brett Stone fielded cleanly, but his throw home was low and went past catcher Jay Voica, allowing Alvarez to score the only run the Sox would need. Antiles attempted to score from second on the play, only to be out at the plate. Pat Casserly lined a single into leftfield, driving in Jimenez, giving the Blue Sox a 2-0 lead.
Ryan O’Rourke came out of the bullpen to close out the game for the Blue Sox and got the save. He hit the first batter and walked the second, putting runners on first and second with no outs. O’Rourke then got Ian Born on a wind-blown foul pop-up that Sox third baseman Erick Ramirez made a nice catch on. He struck out Jaden Valis and Stone, both looking to end the game.
Coley Schaefer made his second start of the playoffs for the Bulldogs. He pitched a complete game, giving up six hits, two runs, walking one, and striking out seven. In his first start, against Malden, he pitched six one-hit innings, while walking seven and striking out four.
This was only the second time the Bulldogs had been shut out in 2025. The first was 1-0 by Middlesex on July 20.
This was the first Blue Sox playoff shutout since August 6, 2024 in game one of the semifinals against Middlesex. In a game that was moved to East Boston Stadium, Draper started and blanked the Expos for seven innings. Unfortunately, his teammates could not get a run off of Middlesex starter Dan Shaw. Jake Zawatsky pitched the eighth for the Blue Sox and earned the win when the Sox walked off the victory in the bottom of the eighth.
The third game is Monday night at Morelli Field with first pitch set for 8:00 pm.
By Bruce Hack
Lexington Blue Sox Team Historian
Melrose – In the battle of Lexington, the first skirmish went to the Blue Sox as they earned an 8-7 walk-off win over their Center 1 Field co-occupants, the Bulldogs, Friday night at Morelli Field.
Will Norris started the bottom of the eighth with a walk. He moved to second on a passed ball and then to third on Luke Maltaceas’ sacrifice bunt. Bryan Acosta was sent in to pinch-hit and delivered the game-winner when he singled up the middle, scoring Norris for the win.
The teams reached this point thanks to the Bulldogs’ Nick Favazzo. Down 7-3, Favazzo turned on a 1-0 fastball and drove it over the left field fence for a game-tying grand slam. With one out, the Bulldogs loaded the bases on a hit batter, a single, and a walk. A walk to Seamus Condon brought in a run to cut the lead to 7-3. Matt Draper came in from the Sox bullpen, replacing Luke Marshall, and gave up the home run to Favazzo, his second of the playoffs. Draper retired the next two Bulldog batters to end the inning.
The Blue Sox stranded runners on second and third in the bottom of the seventh, and into extra innings the game went.
Julian Alvarez put the Blue Sox on the board in the third with a 2-run home run to left, which also scored Jake McElroy. It was his fourth career playoff home run with the Sox.
The Bulldogs’ first two runs were set up the same way. Nick Favazzo walked in the fourth and sixth innings. He stole second in both innings and took third on a throwing error by Sox catcher Luke Maltacea. In the fourth, Favazzo scored on Shane Costello’s RBI single. In the sixth, he came home on Emilio Berndt’s single.
The Blue Sox blew the game open in the fifth, taking a 7-1 lead, and looked to be on their way to a win. With two outs and no runners on, Luis Antiles walked to start the rally. He stole second base. With a 3-1 count on Alvarez, he was intentionally walked. Antiles stole third and came home on a throwing error by Bulldogs hurler Graham Seed as he attempted to nab Antiles at third. A walk to Anderson Jimenez loaded the bases. Owen McKiernan cleared them with a triple to right, and the Blue Sox had a 7-1 lead with two innings left.
The teams each started a left-hander on the mound. For the Sox, it was Michael O’Brien, coming off his save in game two against Melrose on Tuesday. The Bulldogs had Jack Sadowski on the hill, facing the Sox for the first time this season. Sadowski pitched four innings, gave up five hits, three runs, walked two, and struck out seven. O’Brien pitched five innings, surrendering three hits, one run, walking four, and striking out a regular-season and playoff career-high eight. The two starters combined for 12 Ks through the first three innings.
Draper earned the win in relief, his second career playoff win. He set down the side in the eighth on 10 pitches, all three on strikeouts.
Nigel Cross took the loss, pitching 1.1 innings. He gave up two hits, a run, walked two, and struck out one.
This was the second straight extra-inning game for the Blue Sox. They went nine innings in their 6-4 win over Melrose on Tuesday night.
Both teams came into the finals with 2-0 postseason records, having swept their semifinal rounds. This is the first time since 2023 that both teams entered the finals without a loss. That season, the Chiefs were 2-0, and so were the Expos. Teams also accomplished the feat in 2012 and 2010. In 2012, Andre and the Blue Sox were 3-0. In 2010, it was Watertown at 5-0 and the Blue Sox at 3-0.
By Bruce Hack
Lexington Blue Sox Team Historian