
2025 Intercity League Champions – Lexington Blue Sox

Blue Sox Sweep Bulldogs to Take 2025 Championship
INTERCITY LEAGUE NEWS & NOTES
Chiefs Rally to Take 2-0 Series Lead, Blue Sox-Reds Even at 1-1
Tony Deshler and Juan Portes hit back to back homers in the top of the eighth inning when the Chiefs rallied back from a 2-1 seventh inning deficit to go on and beat the Bulldogs 5-2 at Morelli Field. Mitchell Clegg went the distance to get the win. Kyle Devin gave Reading their 2-1 lead with a solo homer in the fourth. Cody Hall pitched well for the Bulldogs. The Chiefs lead the series 2-0. In Lexington, Drew Leenhouts tossed a four-hit shutout to lead the Blue Sox to a 4-0 win over the Reds and even their series at 1-1. Dan Graham had two RBI’s for Lexington and Jeff Vigurs added two hits. Aric Dama took the loss. Semi-final action continues on Tuesday with game three of each series scheduled. The Bulldogs and Chiefs will play at Maplewood (8:00 PM) while the Reds and Blue Sox meet in Watertown at 7:45 PM.
Chiefs & Reds Go Up 1-0 in Semi-Finals, Games at Morelli & Lexington Tonight at 8
UPDATED 11:53 AM– PLEASE NOTE THAT DESPITE A REPORTING ERROR IN TODAY’S BOSTON HERALD, TONIGHT’S GAME TWO BETWEEN THE READING BULLDOGS & ANDRE CHIEFS WILL BE PLAYED AT MORELLI FIELD IN MELROSE STARTING AT 8:00 PM. GAME TWO OF THE LEXINGTON BLUE SOX & WATERTOWN REDS WILL BE PLAYED TONIGHT AT LEXINGTON HIGH AT 8:00 PM. The Andre Chiefs and Watertown Reds both took opening game wins in their respective best of five semi-final series on Sunday night. The Chiefs got a 10 strikeout performance from Jared Freni, in his return to the rotation, to lead them to a 3-1 win over the Reading Bulldogs at Maplewood. Freni went five innings plus to get the victory and Tim Dunphy (6th inning) and Anthony Sullivan (7th inning, save), supplied the relief as Chiefs’ pitching struck out a dozen. Juan Portes, with a first inning double, and Mike Andre, who had a fourth inning single, had the RBI’s for the Chiefs. Jack Burke worked the first five innings for the Bulldogs before giving way to Colby Morris. E.J. Martinez drove in the Reading run with an RBI single in the sixth inning. In Watertown, Bill Sullivan went the distance and allowed just four hits when the Reds beat the Lexington Blue Sox at Victory Field, 4-1. Mike Samko, who had two hits in the game, drove in the game winner with a sacrifice fly in the bottom of the fourth. In an oddity, three of the five runs scored in the game did so on wild pitches. Sullivan, struck out six and didn’t issue a walk. He threw 110 pitches in his route going outing. Ryan Filipowoicz, (4.0 innings, 2 earned runs, 4 hits, 5 K’s) and Jeff Blount (2.0 innings, 2 runs, 0 earned, 3 hits, 4 K’s ) worked for the Blue Sox. Dave Ahern (double, single) had two of Lexington’s hits. ICL semi-final action continues on Monday with the second game of both series on tap. The Chiefs and Bulldogs meet at Morelli Field in Melrose and the Reds and Blue Sox tangle at Lexington High. Both games will start at 8:00 PM.
Reading Sweeps Melrose, Bulldogs-Chiefs & Blue Sox-Reds Semi-Finals Start Sunday
The Reading Bulldogs beat the Melrose Americans 3-1 on Friday night at Morelli Field to sweep their best of three first round series and advance to the ICL’s semi-finals. The Bulldogs got a five inning, three hit, outing from Wayne Lundgren, who got the win. Johnny Hayes drove in two of Reading’s runs while Kyle Devin drove in the third. Mike Taylor had a perfect three for three night at the plate for Reading. Cody Hall went the final two innings, allowing just one hit, to get the save. Shawn Smeglin (3.0 innings) and Kevin McGlinchy (4.0 innings) worked on the mound for the Americans. The Bulldogs will now meet the Andre Chiefs in a best of five semi-final series that begins on Sunday night at Maplewood Park (Malden Catholic) at 8:00 PM. In the other semi-final series, the Lexington Blue Sox and Watertown Reds will also get underway on Sunday. Game One of that series will be played at Victory Field in Watertown starting at 7:30 PM.
Blue Sox Edge Royals 4-3, Win Series 2-1
Julian Alavarez doubled home Thomas Russo with what proved to be the winning run when the Lexington Blue Sox beat the Somerville Royals 4-3 in Lexington on Thursday night. With the win, the #3 Blue Sox take the series 2-1. The defending champs will now move on to meet the #2 Watertown Reds in a best of five semi-final series that begins on Sunday night at Victory Field at 7:30 PM. Wagner Gomez put the Royals in front 2-0 with a two run homer in the top of the first inning. The Blue Sox tied things up in the bottom of the second when Dan Graham hit a two run homer of his own. The Blue Sox pulled in front at 3-2 on Taylor Ferguson’s sacrifice fly before Alvarez supplied the eventual game winner in the bottom of the third inning. The Royals cut the lead to 4-3 in the top of the fourth, and had the tying run thrown out at the plate, on singles from Gomez, Adam Johnson, Luke Ronchi, and Paul Pollano. Drew Brzozowski went four innings to get the win. Rob DiFranco retired eight of the nine batters he faced to get the three inning save. Steve Sinatra allowed only five hits in six innings, but took the loss.

