2024 Intercity League Champions – Andre Chiefs
Blue Sox and Bulldogs Grab Tuesday Wins
INTERCITY LEAGUE NEWS & NOTES
Services for Dave Ahern
AHERN, David M. of Bedford. Passed away peacefully surrounded by his family on Sunday Sept. 4, 2016. He was 28 years old. Beloved son of Joseph and Denise (Cajolet). Loving brother of Joseph Ahern and wife Catherine Middleton of Los Angeles, CA, Michael “Chip” Ahern of Boston and Rachael Ahern of Somerville. Boyfriend of Mia Morgan of Bedford, NH. Grandson of Alice Cajolet of Cambridge and Irene Ahern of Medford. Nephew of Kathleen Friedman of Lexington, Karen DiRusso of Medford and Paul Ahern of Medford. Also survived by many cousins. David was an accomplished baseball player. He played right field and pitcher at Babson College. During his senior year he was awarded All American. Most recently he played for the Lexington Blue Sox. Relatives and friends are invited to attend visiting hours in St. Agnes Church, 30 Medford St., Arlington on Friday from 3-8 pm. A funeral mass will be held in church on Saturday at 11:30 am. Burial in Westview Cemetery, Lexington. In lieu of flowers donations may be made to the Michael Neely Foundation c/o www.camneelyfoundation.org For directions, donations, or to send a condolence visit www.keefefuneralhome.com
Dave Ahern, #41, has made it home
IN MEMORY OF DAVE AHERN November 2, 1987-September 4, 2016
Intercity League champion Lexington Blue Sox pray for stricken teammate
The following story appeared in the Boston Globe on August 28. By Marvin Pave GLOBE CORRESPONDENT AUGUST 28, 2016 The Lexington Blue Sox captured their second straight Intercity League baseball title on Tuesday night with a 5-4 victory over Andre Chiefs at Morelli Field in Melrose. But their celebration was subdued, their thoughts quickly turning to prayers for their stricken teammate, Dave Ahern. A 28-year-old outfielder/pitcher who starred at Bedford High and then Babson College, Ahern has been treated at Tufts Medical Center since going into cardiac arrest last Thursday. According to his family and Blue Sox manager Rick DeAngelis, Ahern had not regained consciousness since last week. He had suited up for the Blue Sox in the quarterfinals and semifinals of the Intercity League playoffs. His No. 41 uniform was displayed in the Blue Sox dugout and also delivered to his hospital room where family, friends and teammates – past and present — have congregated. Blue Sox players also wore navy blue AHERN 41 t-shirts under their game uniforms and ‘DA’ decals on their helmets and caps as they swept the three-game series against the Chiefs. “Dave started playing for us in 2012 and right away became a major contributor, a team leader and a mentor to our younger players,’’ said DeAngelis. “We rallied around Dave Ahern and his family this past week because he is a special young man and a tremendous human being.’’ A post on the team’s Facebook page said: “Dave, we took pressure off the game and put things in perspective. We all love you, we’re praying for you to make a full recovery . . . your contributions to our championship are immeasurable.’’ Another Facebook posting, by Ahern’s sister, Rachael, said, in part, “your prayers are appreciated. We are all holding David close to our hearts.’’ Last Thursday, before he was stricken at his home, Ahern went to the Granite Links Golf Club to sharpen up for a tournament the following day benefitting the Babson baseball program. He works fulltime as a sales manager. As a Babson senior, he hit .438 while compiling a 5-2 record on the mound with a 1.19 earned run aveage. He broke or tied nine of the program’s game, season or career records. He was Babson’s Male Athlete of the Year for the senior class. “He’s the best player I’ve ever had at Babson,’’ said Matt Noone, who has coached at the Wellesley school for 15 seasons. “Dave has a larger than life personality and he was the guy our team looked to for strength. He was our rock. We’re all hoping and praying that Dave’s strength leads to his recovery.’’ To help defray Ahern’s medical bills, student loans, and rent, his friends have set up GoFundMe page, www.gofundme.com/DaveNeedsUs. Marvin Pave can be reached at marvin.pave@rcn.com
This One’s for Dave
Lexington wins 12th ICL Championship By Bruce Hack Lexington Blue Sox Media Relations Director Melrose – Determined to win for their stricken Blue Sox brother and teammate, Dave Ahern, Lexington held on for a hard-fought 5-4 win and a sweep of the Andre Chiefs for its 12th Intercity League Championship in 22 seasons. For the third straight game, and fifth consecutive playoff game against Andre, the Sox scored in the first inning. After a leadoff out, Taylor Ferguson (Holden/Rollins) singled and Dan Graham (Lowell/Central Connecticut) walked on four straight pitches to put Blue Sox on first and second. Julian Alvarez (Boston/Lee) followed with a double to the gap in left center and it was 2-0 Lexington as Graham beat the throw to the plate. The Chiefs did not wait long to strike back. In the bottom of the first, Tony Deshler (Pepperell/Brandeis) reached on an infield single into the hole at short. After a Billy Mottram (Haverhill/Dowling) fly out to left, Pete Copa (Malden/UMass-Amherst), was hit by the first pitch from Sox starter, Matt Karis (Southborough/Gettysburg). Chief’s catcher, Jordan Pallazola (Rockport/Framingham State) singled into left and Deshler scored cutting the lead to 2-1. Lexington scored three more in the third for all the runs it would need. With one out, Chiefs starter Jared Freni (Malden/UMass-Amherst) walked Ferguson and Graham for his second and third walks of the game. It was the fourth walk to Graham by Freni in the last five plate appearances between the two veterans. Alvarez doubled down the right field line and Ferguson scored for a 3-1 lead. Then with two outs, Dorian Rojas (Boston/Cumberland) singled up the middle to drive in Graham and Alvarez and it was 5-1 Blue Sox. Karis had gotten on a roll and retired eight straight Chiefs from the second through fourth innings before Mike Barbati (Melrose/Endicott) doubled to left to begin the bottom of the fifth. Barbati moved to third when Tony Serino reached on a fielder’s choice and scored on an infield single by Deshler, his second infield hit of the game. The Chiefs were not finished as Copa walked to start the sixth and Lexington manager Rick DeAngelis came out to talk to his ace. After a brief discussion Karis left the game to a loud round of applause and in came side-armer Rob DiFranco (Melrose/Bates). On a 0-1 pitch, Pallazola took DiFranco deep over the center field fence at the 385-foot sign and suddenly the Blue Sox lead was down to one at 5-4. DiFranco regrouped and got designated hitter Mike Andre (Medford/Merrimack) on a foul pop up to third and then retired Barbati and pinch-hitter Ryan Sonberg (Windsor, CT/Bates) on ground balls to short that ended any further scoring opportunities for the Chiefs. For Lexington’s veteran hurler, Karis, it was his second win of the postseason and the eighth straight year he has had two wins in the postseason. He pitched five innings, scattering five hits, allowing three runs, walked two, and struck out four. It was a different story for Freni the Chiefs ace, who had been a nemesis for Lexington over the past six seasons. Maybe it was the date or the memories of what happened exactly a year ago, but Freni had the shortest start of his career against Lexington in the playoffs. In four innings he gave up four hits, five runs, all earned, and uncharacteristically walked five Sox batters. After Alvarez’ double in the first, Freni set down six straight Lexington hitters, before Ferguson started the third inning rally with a walk. This championship featured the awarding of the Les DeMarco Intercity League Championship Trophy for the first time. The trophy lists all the ICL champions since 1960. For both teams it was the culmination of a long summer of baseball. The Chiefs had swept Lexington in all four regular season games, for the first time since 2006. The Chiefs finished 20-7-1 in the regular season for 41 points and in first place for the third time in the last four summers. The Blue Sox found themselves finishing in third place at 19-8-1 for 39 points, which had them not receiving a first-round bye and playing an extra round of playoff games for the first time in over a decade. That did not deter the Sox as they defeated Somerville 2-0, then Watertown 3-1 in the semis before sweeping the Chiefs 3-0 in the finals. For the third straight season, the league champion was crowned at Morelli Field in Melrose and the games were well attended by ICL fans that were treated to outstanding baseball. Now for final time the lights have been turned off at Morelli and the boys of summer will be heading back to college or work and only have memories of the 2016 season. All of the league teams say thank to the fans for coming out and cheering on the players and supporting the teams and look forward to the 2017 season. – 30 –