Andre Chiefs

Medford, MA- Dylan Ellis won his fourth consecutive start of the season, this time a neat two-hit shutout over the Lexington Blue Sox, and Mike Baillargeon whacked two opposite field homers to lead the Chiefs to an 8-0 win at Tufts University’s Huskins Field on Tuesday. Ellis was once again in control from start to finish on the way to recording his fifteenth career win in a Chiefs uniform.

Former Boston College centerfielder Pete Frates opened the Lexington first inning with line single to right but Ellis promptly picked him off first. The pickoff proved to be big as Rollins’ Ben Hewett then drew a walk and went to second on a wild pitch. Steve Gath followed with the best hit ball of the night off Ellis, drilling a shot labeled for the left-center gap. Hal Landers got a good jump on the ball and made a nice running catch. Landers then threw to second to double up Hewett and end the inning.

Landers traded his glove for his bat and led off the bottom of the first with a double to left-center. Baillargeon then went the other way and drilled a Drew Brzozowski fastball over the right-field wall for a quick 2-0 Chiefs lead.   

 After Ellis got the Sox in order in the second, the Chiefs used five hits and three Lexington errors, to score four times in the bottom of the inning to take a 6-0 lead. The frame started quietly enough when Justin Crisafulli flew to Frates in center for the first out. Mike Andre got things started when he lined a Brzozowski pitch to right for a single. Bob McCarthy followed and drilled another single to right that Dan Capra let get away from him for an error, sending Andre to third. Brian Macrina then hit a RBI grounder to shortstop that scored Andre. Macrina went to second and McCarthy to third when the throw to get Macrina at first was low. After Landers flew out, Baillargeon hit a little chopper to third, which appeared he was going to beat out, scoring McCarthy. Hewett’s late throw to first went wide and Macrina came all the way around from second to score the Chiefs fifth run. When Mike Gedman followed with another RBI single that scored Baillargeon, the Chiefs were out to a 6-0 lead.

After a scoreless third inning, Frates led off the Blue Sox fourth when he beat out an infield single up the middle. He was quickly erased when Hewett bounced into a Baillargeon unassisted to first baseman Matt Anderson doubleplay.

The Chiefs lead went to 8-0 off reliever Mike O’Brien in the bottom of the fourth when Baillargeon hit his third round tripper of the year, scoring Landers ahead of him who had singled.  

Ellis, who lowered his ERA to 0.79, struck out five, walked two and allowed just the two singles to Frates. He threw 85 pitches and recorded his third complete game of the season.

The Chiefs homestand continues on Wednesday when they send Jared Freni (1-1) to the mound against the Watertown Reds at 6:00 PM.

Medford, MA- Over the course of a long summer of ICL baseball there are usually several nights that a team would like to forget. One of those nights that fit under the “forgetful column” took place for the Chiefs at Tufts University on Monday night.

The Testa Corp. Bombers, along with leaving nine men on base, had a lot to do with a Chiefs lackluster performance as they saw their six game winning streak come to a halt, 4-1.

The tone for this one was set early as the Bombers came up with two first inning runs and were poised to put up more, if not for a costly base running blunder that got the Chiefs out of the inning rather cheaply.

Chiefs starter Tim Dunphy hit leadoff man Mark O’Flynn with the first pitch of the game. Two pitches later it was 1-0 Bombers when veteran Pete John drilled a long double to straightaway center that scored O’Flynn. It quickly went to 2-0 when Dave Lightbody took Dunphy’s next pitch to the left-field corner for a double that scored John. Dunphy then settled a bit and struck out Mike Addesa for the first out. Sam Bean followed with a single to left and the throw to third was off the mark allowing Bean to take second. Dunphy and the Chiefs escaped further damage when Bean got hung up between second and third on Lemarre Rey’s routine grounder to Tony Deshler at shortstop. Deshler tagged out Bean and then fired home to catcher Bob McCarthy to get Lightbody for an unusual inning ending doubleplay.

The Chiefs squandered early scoring opportunities in the first inning (McCarthy single, Gedman walk) and again in the second when Justin Crisafulli singled and reached third with one out on consecutive wild pitches.

Lightbody made it a 3-0 game in the top of the third inning when he deposited a Dunphy fastball to the right of the 367’ foot sign in left-center for a solo homer.

Bombers starter and winner Jeff Rowan (1-1) of the University of Rochester, pitched out of trouble once again in the bottom of the third as a Landers walk and a Gedman single put two more runners on with one out. Rowan got out of the inning unscathed when Peter Copa fouled out and Matt Anderson grounded out.

Dunphy settled in and retired six of the last seven batters he faced in the fourth and fifth innings.

Rowan kept the Chiefs frustrated in the fourth when they left another runner on base and again in the bottom of the fifth when they wasted a Landers leadoff double.

Michigan lefty Jeff DeCarlo, who was making his first appearance for the Chiefs since 2006, replaced Dunphy to begin the sixth inning and retired the first two batters he faced on a groundout and a strikeout. He then walked Vin Eruzione who stole second and came around to score on Derek Sturkel’s RBI single to left.

Rowan retired the Chiefs in order in the sixth inning on three straight outfield fly balls (Anderson, Mike Andre and Crisafulli). Tufts right-hander Pat O’Donnell worked the top of the seventh and once again looked impressive, recording two K’s.

Former UConn southpaw Mike Hashem took over for Rowan to start the seventh and the Chiefs scored their only run without the benefit of a hit. Hashem, who was making his first appearance of the year, experienced some wildness and issued three walks to Deshler, pinch-hitter Matt Boleski and McCarthy that loaded the bases with one away. Gedman finally got the Chiefs on the board with a RBI infield grounder that scored Deshler. Copa followed and was representing the tying run when he hit a fairly deep fly to the right-center gap that was run down by Bean to end the game.

Rowan, who had lost a 2-0 decision to the Chiefs last week, allowed just four hits, walked two and struck out four. Dunphy (0-1) surrendered seven hits, struck out four and hit a batter in his five innings of work.

The now 7-2 Chiefs continue their homestand on Tuesday when they face the 6-1 Lexington Blue Sox at 6:00 PM.

The season is still young, but Andre Chiefs left-hander Dylan Ellis already has three victories after tossing a six-hit, 2-0 shutout against Testa Bombers.

In the process, the Gloucester native lowered his ERA to a sparkling 1.07.

“He has good stuff, typical lefty stuff,” Andre Chiefs manager Chuck Andre said of Ellis, who earlier blanked Arlington Trojans, 7-0. “I saw him pitch his first college game when he beat Rollins College in Winter Park, Fla., when he played with my son, Mike (Andre) at Merrimack College. This is his fourth year with us, and he’s been consistent. He pounds the strike zone. He gets the job done, and he gets a ton of ground-ball outs. He’s got a good slider and mixes up his pitches well.”

The 21-year-old Ellis concluded his Merrimack career second in the program’s history in innings pitched (215), strikeouts (185) and ERA (3.05).

“So far good. I don’t know (what the secret is). I’m pitching the way I’ve been all my life, the way all my coaches taught me,” said Ellis, who owns a 2.38 ERA in 155 career innings of Intercity League play. “I try and pick my spots. I usually start with the fastball and try and get ahead in the count and then work with the slider and changeup. It’s been great so far.

“Last year, we lost in the championship (to Lexington), so we’re looking to get back there. We need to get back there. It’s summer ball, but it’s a lot more serious because there’s a lot of guys that played college ball. It’s a fun atmosphere.”

Medford, MA- Local sports legend Tony Lucci, owner of the former Medford Square Sporting Goods, has died at age 88.

Tony was instrumental in the creation of the Chiefs franchise in 1957 and supplied most ICL teams for decades.

The following is quoted from "The History of the Chiefs."

"During the winter of 1957, Medford baseball players Ernie Ardolino and Freddie Knox were hanging out in front of Tony Lucci’s Medford Square Sporting Goods, that was then located on High Street, next to the old Depositor’s Trust Bank. They began to talk about the idea of starting a semi-professional team in Medford. They get some of their local buddies to commit to playing, get a bunch of raffle chances printed up and attempt to raise some money to start a team. The fundraising does not go over well and their dream of a semi-pro team in Medford looks doomed.

As it was to become his custom over the next six decades, Tony Lucci hears about what’s going on and the boys dream of having a semi-pro team in Medford. He surprises the guys and fronts them the uniforms and equipment for the team without having to put up any money. Of course, there was the promise that when their fundraising was complete they could pay the bill. With Medford players like Tommy Cangiano, Freddie Walsh, Jackie Callahan, Frank “Sonny” Sollitto and Richie DiGiacomo, along with other area notables like Everett first basemen George Catieys, Bob Ware and Johnny Mastrangelo of Chelsea, Jerry Cohen from Revere, and Stoneham’s Ellis “Sonny” Lane, the franchise is born and is initially named the Medford City Club.

Nobody sells their raffle tickets and the fundraising effort is a disaster. Ardolino and Knox are stuck with the responsibility of the team’s operating expenses and they owe Lucci a hefty tab for uniforms and equipment. True to the legendary Lucci form, Tony gets the boys off the hook when he picks up the tab himself.

In 1958, the boys landed a full time sponsor in Hosmer Pontiac of Mystic Avenue. Pontiac's trademark symbol was an Indian Chief. The boys start to think about what to call their new Medford based team. While sitting in the showroom, Knox notices a new Pontiac “Star Chief” bearing an Indian Chief as a hood ornament. The “Star-Chief” was Pontiac’s premier sports car in 1957 and later replaced by the Firebird. Knox points it out to the rest of the group and the answer to their question becomes obvious, they call themselves The Chiefs.

Without Tony Lucci the Chiefs franchise would have never begun. Up until his death some 53 years later on Thursday, Tony remained a Chiefs fan. Tony was the Chiefs team outfitter for decades, until Medford Sq. Sporting Goods closed a couple of years ago.

He will be missed!

Below is his complete obituary. 

LUCCI, Anthony “Tony” Of Medford, formerly of Everett, on June 17.

Beloved husband of Camille (Pizzano). Loving father of Stephen Lucci of Medford, Patricia Bagarella and her late husband Ronald of Everett and Debra Ryan and her husband Richard of Medford. Loving brother of Florence Ciardello of Everett and the late Robert and Ralph Lucci, and Eleanor Joyce. He is survived by his three loving grandchildren, April Obremski, Christie Pace and Matthew Ryan, and two loving great grandchildren, Jason and Jaxon Pace, and many loving nieces and nephews.

Funeral from the Salvatore Rocco & Sons Funeral Home, 331 Main St., EVERETT, on Tuesday, June 22, at 8:30 a.m. Funeral Mass at St Francis Church, Medford at 10 a.m. Relatives & friends are kindly invited. Visiting hours are Monday only 4-8 p.m.

Donations in Tony’s memory may be made to the M Club, C/O Medford High School, 489 Winthrop St., Medford, 02155 or the E Club of Everett, PO Box 490135, Everett, MA 02149. Interment Woodlawn Cemetery, Everett. Tony was a longtime owner of Medford Square Sporting Goods. Complimentary valet parking at Main St. entrance. Rocco - Carr - Henderson Funeral Home 1-877-71-ROCCO.

Woburn, MA- The Chiefs scored nine unanswered runs to pick up their fifth straight win, 12-4 over the Mooney Dental Tanners at drizzly Ferullo Field on Thursday night.

The Chiefs squandered a 3-0 first inning when the Tanners scored four unearned runs in the third inning to take a 4-3 lead.

Hal Landers got things going in the Chiefs first with a leadoff single. After Mike Baillargeon popped up, red hot Brendan Pyburn singled and cleanup man Peter Copa walked to load the bases. Mike Andre then gave the Chiefs a 1-0 lead when he delivered an opposite field single that scored Landers. Brian Macrina followed with a RBI groundout that scored Pyburn to make it 2-0. Catcher Bob McCarthy added the third run when he drilled a RBI single to left scoring Copa.

Chiefs starter Jared Freni cruised through the first two innings before the Tanners used some shoddy Chiefs defense and four straight singles to take a 4-3 lead after three.

The Tanners lead was brief as the Chiefs came storming back scoring five times using two big Tanner errors in the top of the fourth. Justin Crisafulli led off and reached on an infield throwing error. Brandeis star Tony Deshler followed and delivered his first career ICL hit up the middle to put runners at first and second with nobody out. Landers then beat out a bunt single to load the bases. Baillargeon was next and his grounder to shortstop was then thrown away allowing both Crisafulli and Deshler to score as the Chiefs retook the lead at 5-4. Pyburn then delivered once again, this time with his fourth double of the season, scoring Landers to make it 6-4. Back to back deep sacrifice flies from Copa (scoring Baillargeon) and Andre (scoring Pyburn) jumped the lead to 8-4.

Freni retired the Tanners side in order in the top of the fourth.

The Chiefs margin went to 9-4 in the fifth when Deshler reached on the Tanners third error of the night and stole second. Landers then delivered him with his third hit of the game.

Rob Machado came on in relief of Freni and threw a scoreless sixth inning.

Baillargeon put it out of the reach when he took a Brady Hesslein offering over the left field fence for a three run homer to make it a 12-4 game.

Chiefs Notebook….Tufts University ‘s Pat O’Donnell made his Chiefs debut in the bottom of the seventh. The right-hander looked impressive retiring the side in order, including two strikeouts, to end the game.....With the win Freni evened his record a 1-1......The 6-1 Chiefs wrap up their three game road trip on Friday when they travel to Summer Street Field in Arlington to meet the Trojans at 7:00 PM. Righty Mike DiCato (1-0) will get the start…..Eric Rosenberg saw his first ICL action when he pinch hit for Brian Macina in the sixth. Defensively, Rosenberg also stated a 3-6-3 doubleplay to end the Tanners inning...