Chiefs & Merchants Take Series Openers

The Andre Chiefs and the Wakefield Merchants took 1-0 leads in the their respective best of three first round series on Sunday afternoon.

The Chiefs got a complete game outing from righty Zach Kirby to beat the Reading Bulldogs at Morton Field 6-3. Ben Waldrip led the Chiefs’ offense with a homer and two RBI’s while Kyle Dembrowski (single) and Andrew Caulfield (fielders’ choice) each had an RBI for the Chiefs.

Tyler Cedneo had two hits, including an RBI double, for the Bulldogs.

Kirby allowed five hits and struck out 11. Jack Wallace went three innings and was charged with the loss and Kyle Wollman worked the final four frames. The duo allowed just four hits but were victimized by three errors.

Game two of the series will be played at Maplewood on Monday at 8:00 PM.

The Merchants beat the Malden Maddogs 3-1 at Walsh Field.

Joseph Maguire tossed a four-hitter to lead the Merchants to the win.

The Merchants scored all of their runs in the bottom of the third inning as veterans Bobby Losanno and Mike Sorrentino drove home the runs. The Merchants erased a 1-0 Maddogs’ lead as a Derek Bauer RBI scored Jack Wharf in the top of the inning.

Sorrentino ended up with two of the Merchants six hits and two RBI’s. Wharf and Kevin Alexy had a couple of hits each for the Bulldogs.

Maguire, who was 6-3 in the regular season, struck out four and didn’t walk a batter.

Blaine McLean went the distance for Malden and allowed just six hits.

Game two of the Malden-Wakefield series will be played at Morelli Field in Melrose on Monday at 8:00 PM.