2024 Intercity League Champions – Andre Chiefs
Chiefs and Blue Sox Gain Shutout Wins, Maddogs Beat ADSL
INTERCITY LEAGUE NEWS & NOTES
Chiefs Sweep Americans
(Malden, MA)- The Andre Chiefs got three RBI’s each from Byron Woodman, Teddy Dziuba, and Anthony Perry, on the way to beating the Melrose Americans 13-7 at Maplewood on Thursday night. The win gives the Chiefs a 3-0 semi-final series sweep and a ticket to the ICL’s Championship Series where they will have the opportunity to defend their 2023 title. They will await the winner of the Middlesex Expos-Lexington Blue Sox series which remained tied at 1-1 after last night’s rainout. The Chiefs never looked back after Woodman gave them a quick 3-0 lead when he drilled a three run homer in the bottom of the first inning scoring Teddy Dziuba and Mitchell Schroeder, who had both singled, ahead of him. Aidan Barry’s RBI single, off Chiefs’ starter Evan Walsh, cut the lead to 3-1 in the top of the second. The Chiefs put up three more runs and took a 6-1 lead in the bottom of the second on an RBI single from Tyler Ferdinand and a two RBI double from Dziuba. Chris Klein’s RBI groundout made it a 6-2 game in the top of third. It became an 12-2 affair when the Chiefs tallied six more times in the bottom of the third inning on singles from Woodman, Nate Witkowski, Perry (2 RBI), a Dziuba sacrifice fly, and a Schroeder double. The Americans closed the gap to 12-7 when they put up a couple of runs in the top of the fifth and then added three more in the sixth. The Chiefs scored the game’s final run in the bottom of the sixth to account for the 13-7 final. Klein (2 hits) led the Melrose 14 hit offense with three RBI’s and Nestor, Ian Libby, and Ted Giardina had two hits each. Evan Walsh went five innings to record the win. The lefty gave up nine hits and struck out three. A.J. Rourke (1 inning, 5 hits, 3 runs, 1K) and Cameron Breault, who threw a hitless seventh, also worked for the Chiefs. Brandon McMahon went two innings and took the loss. Bailey Taylor Black, David Hunter, and Ronnie Luke also pitched for the Americans. The Chiefs will enter the ICL finals with an overall record of 22-6 . The Americans finish the 2024 campaign with an overall record of 16-10-1 which included an eight game winning streak to conclude the regular season. Games three and four of the Expos-Blue Sox series are now scheduled for Minuteman Vocational in Lexington on Friday at 7:00 PM and Sunday at 6:45 PM. If a game five is required it will be played on Monday at a time and location to be determined.
Lexington and Middlesex Make History
Lexington – The Blue Sox and Expos became the first Intercity League teams since 2006 to play consecutive 1-0 games in the playoffs. The teams accomplished this Wednesday night when Middlesex defeated Lexington 1-0 one night after the Blue Sox opened the semifinal series with a 1-0 win. There have now been 11 1-0 playoff games with Lexington playing in six with a 3-3 record. Middlesex has participated in the last four games going 2-2. The other time two 1-0 games were played in a playoff season was in 2010. On August 8 Testa Corp. defeated Wakefield 1-0 and four days later Watertown edged Andre 1-0. List of 1-0 playoff games August 7, 2006 at Cassell 1, Wakefield 0 August 16, 2007 at Cassell 1, Watertown 0 August 8, 2010 Testa Corp. 1, at Wakefield 0 August 12, 2010 Watertown 1, at Andre 0 August 23, 2013 Andre 1, at Lexington 0 August 21, 2018 at Lexington 1, Alibrandis 0 August 14, 2019 at Lexington 1, Andre 0 August 10, 2022 Middlesex 1, at Lexington 0 (Morelli) August 16, 2023 Andre 1, at Expos 0 (MC) August 6, 2024 at Lexington 1, Middlesex 0 (8) (EBS) August 7, 2024 at Middlesex 1, Lexington 0 (MRVTHS) By Bruce Hack Lexington Team Historian Sportstats
Frisoli Pitches Chiefs to 2-0 Series Lead
(Malden, MA)- Veteran righty Paul Frisoli tossed a complete game six-hitter to lead the Andre Chiefs to a 7-2 win over the Melrose Americans on Wednesday night at Maplewood. The win gives the Chiefs a 2-0 series lead. Game three of the best of five semi-final set will be played tonight (Thursday) back at Maplewood starting at 8:00 PM. The Chiefs jumped out to a 1-0 lead off Melrose starter Nick Colucci in the top of the second inning when Mitchell Schroeder drilled a solo homer. The Chiefs sent a dozen men to the plate and opened the lead to 7-0 in the top of the fourth. The six run inning was keyed by Ruben Rodriguez, Jr (single), Joe Bova (RBI, double), Nick Valdario (RBI, sacrifice fly), Tyler Feedinand (single), and Miles Reid (RBI, single). Shawn Nestor picked up an RBI for the Americans, when he drove home Owen Duggan (single), with a sixth inning sacrifice fly that cut the Chiefs’ lead to 7-2. Miles Reid led the Chiefs’ eight hit offense with two hits and Teddy Dziuba added a first inning double. Frisoli struck out eight and walked just one. Colucci went 4.2 innings and took the loss. Ben Cassavoy (1.1 inn) and Bailey Taylor-Black (1 inn) also worked for the Americans.
Middlesex evens series with 1-0 win
Lexington – The Middlesex Expos turned the tables on Lexington and won their own 1-0 game Wednesday night at Minuteman Vocational Technical High School in Lexington. The win evened the series at 1-1. Game three will be held at Lexington High School if the field is playable. If it is not playable the teams will return to Minuteman Tech. The Expos got on the board in the bottom of the fifth. Aidan Sengenberger reached on an error to start the inning. After a strikeout, Manny Castro grounded a ball into the shortstop hole, Blue Sox shortstop Charlie Walsh made a sliding stop and tried to get Sengenberger at second, but his throw was late. Jose Paulino then blooped a ball down the right field line that dropped in fair, and Sengenberger raced home with the game’s only run. Matt Donovan started for Middlesex and pitched a 3-hit complete-game shutout. He walked four and struck out six. Donovan set down eight straight Blue Sox from the third through sixth innings. He only allowed two Sox runners to reach in the sixth when Max Dushney singled and Jake McElroy walked to put runners on first and second. A fly ball out to center allowed Dushney to move to third, the second Blue Sox to reach third. Pinch-hitter Julian Alvarez hit into a fielder’s choice to end the threat. Lexington starter Ryan O’Rourke pitched a 2-hitter over six innings. The southpaw walked two and struck out seven. He set down 10 of 11 Expos from the first through fourth innings. The only extra-base hit in game two was a first-inning double by Lexington’s Ben Leonard. The offense has been tough to generate for both teams in the first two games of the series. The Expos and Blue Sox have combined for two runs, 12 hits, and two extra-base hits. The five pitchers used, have combined for 32 strikeouts in 28.2 innings. By Bruce Hack, Lexington Team Historian