(Melrose, MA)- Jake Barrett had a single, double, and two RBI’s, to lead the Melrose Americans to a 6-4 win over the Andre Chiefs in game one of their best of three semi-final series on Friday night at Morelli Field.

A Nick Valdario RBI single and a Teddy Dziuba three-run homer got the Chiefs out to a 4-0 lead in the top of the second inning.

The Americans came storming back against Chiefs’ starter Matt Doherty and tied things up at 4-4 in the bottom of the inning.

Melrose went ahead with a single run in the third and then added an insurance run in the home half of the fifth inning.

Daniel Ferris, Laz Giardina, Chris Cimino, and Alex Fernandes (double) all drove in a run for the Americans.

Nick Banforth picked up the win going 6.2 innings before giving way to Mike Nestor who got the one out save. Banforth struck out seven, gave up eight hits, and walked just one.

Game two of the series is scheduled for Monday, and if a game three is needed it will be played on Tuesday. Both games will be played at Morelli Field starting at 7:45 PM.

Lexington – Though it wasn’t quite the “shot heard round the world, the Blue Sox handed the Bulldogs a decisive defeat in game one of their semifinal series, 11-1.

The Blue Sox took advantage of Bulldogs’ starter Andrew Yen’s wildness in the first inning as Yen walked six batters, five consecutive, with three of those bringing in runs. The ninth batter of the inning, Jack Pasciak, got the first Blue Sox hit, an RBI single to right good for a 5-0 lead. Logan Our followed with the sixth walk of the inning, and it was 6-0.

The Sox added three more runs in the second. Julian Alvarez and Dylan Walsh singled with one out. Luis Atiles followed with a double to center that scored both runners, and it was 8-0 Blue Sox. Atiles stole third and scored on a ground out by Craig Corliss.

Frank Landeiro closed out the Blue Sox scoring with a solo home run in the fifth, his first in a Blue Sox uniform.

Matt Draper started for Lexington and cruised through the first six innings. He faced three batters in the first thanks to a 6-4-3 inning-ending double play. He had a 1-2-3 inning in the sixth. Draper gave up 5 hits, walked 2, and struck out 7 in his complete-game effort.

The Bulldogs got on the board in the top of the seventh. They loaded the bases with one out on a walk to Seamus Condon and singles by Nanu Adu and Ian Born. Peyton Heisner hit a comebacker to Draper, who tossed home for the force, and in an attempt to complete the 1-2-3 double play to end the game, catcher Cam Kelley’s throw was wild, allowing Adu to come home with the lone Bulldogs run.

Bulldogs’ starter Yen pitched two innings, giving up 5 hits, nine runs, and walked eight.

Blue Sox batters Jake McElroy and Our each walked three times and drove in a run. Walsh walked twice, added two hits, and scored three runs. Atiles scored twice and drove in three. Corliss walked twice and had two RBI.

Game two is set for Friday night in Lexington with first pitch scheduled for 7:45 p.m.

 

 

Dan Metzdorf and Michael O’Brien combined to fire a two-hitter to lead the Lexington Blue Sox to a 5-0 shutout win over the Middlesex Expos at East Boston Stadium on Thursday night. Anderson Jiminez, Jack Pasciak, Dylan Walsh and Erick Ramirez had two hits each for the Blue Sox. O’Brien (3-0) struck out six in five innings to earn the win……Both the Andre Chiefs at ADSL and the Malden Maddogs at Boston Blue Jays games were rained out…..

The Melrose Americans scored five times in the top of seventh to come back and beat the Andre Chiefs 7-3 at Playstead Park. Chris Klein homered and drove in a couple of runs for the Americans. Nick Colucci (1-0) picked up the win with two innings of relief…….. Kyle Ksander (2-3) tossed six innings to pitch the Sabers to a 6-1 win over the Lexington Bulldogs at Recreation Park in Stoneham. Leandro Quezada had two of the Sabers eight hits. Ksansder struck out eight….. The Malden Maddogs got three RBI’s from Braeden Homer and Danny Crossman hit a two run home run to lead them past the Middlesex Expos 8-7 at East Boston Stadium. Logan Gillis (1-0) recorded the win…..

Phyllis DeMarco, wife of longtime ICL President the late Les DeMarco passed away on July 14. She was considered the “First Lady of the ICL”. Mrs. DeMarco was instumental in the success of the league and was a regular figure at most Wakefield Merchants games. For years before the internet, Phyllis was the familar voice that took the game scores each night that were reported by the managers. She was always the cordial hostess when many ICL meetings were held over the years at the DeMarco home in Wakefield. A truly wonderful woman who will remembered and missed by the entire ICL community.

Mrs. DeMarco’s obituary is below. Her services were held on July 19.

Phyllis P. DeMarco, 97, a longtime Wakefield resident, passed away peacefully at home on July 14, 2026. She was born in Lynn on June 29, 1929, the daughter of the late Antonio and Anna (Cipriano) Stanco.

She was the beloved wife of the late Les DeMarco, longtime baseball coach of the Wakefield Merchants. For more than 50 years, she could be found at nearly every Merchants home game. She supported the team in countless ways, including making sure the players stayed hydrated during games and repairing uniforms afterward.

She enjoyed sharing homemade pizzelle with friends and neighbors. She also enjoyed spending time at the Wakefield Senior Center, especially playing bingo, taking trips to the casino, and enjoying seafood outings to Farnham’s. But more than anything, she treasured spending time with her family and her cherished friend, Diane Aiello.

She will be remembered for her generosity, quiet kindness, unwavering devotion to her family, and the many friendships she cultivated throughout her life.

Phyllis was the loving mother of Michael DeMarco and his wife Mary Ellen of Woburn, Sharon DeWyngaert and her husband Keith of Fair Haven, NJ, Susan Colson and her husband Jay of Belford, NJ, and Robert DeMarco and his wife Brenda of Middleton. She is survived by her eleven cherished grandchildren: Nicole Rideout and her husband Michael, Catherine DeWyngaert and her husband Finlay Boland, Lauren DeMarco and her husband Mateo Barbagelata, Christopher DeWyngaert, Alexandra DeWyngaert, Emilia DeWyngaert, Rachel DeMarco, Jessica DeMarco, Emily DeMarco and her fiancé Bryce Hewitt, Natalie Colson and Ian Colson. She is also survived by her two cherished great-grandchildren, Olivia and Madison Rideout, as well as many nieces and nephews. She was the sister of the late Anthony Stanco.

Visiting hours were held at the McDonald Funeral Home in Wakefield on Sunday, July 19.