Andre Chiefs

Medford, MA- Rightfielder Phil Costello drilled a seventh inning bases loaded single capping a furious Chiefs comeback and giving them a dramatic 4-3 win over the Wakefield Merchants in their ICL opener at Tufts University on Thursday evening.

Merchants starter Jarod Marchesi and Chiefs starter David Garcia matched zeros until the Chiefs took a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the fourth. Justin Crisafulli singled to left and Mike Andre followed with a single to right. Costello then dropped a perfect sacrifice bunt moving Crisafulli and Andre up a base. Marchesi then got Paul Koslowski to groundout to second baseman Matt Nuzzo for out number two. Rookie catcher Matt Lawlor got the Chiefs on the board when he drilled an infield single off Marchesi’s glove scoring Crisafulli and giving the Chiefs a 1-0 lead.

Wakefield wasted no time in erasing the Chiefs lead off Garcia in the top of the fifth when they scored three times on four singles to take a 3-1 lead. The Chiefs went quietly in the bottom of the fifth.

Bryant University righty Chris Foundas came on in relief of Garcia to start the sixth and picked up right where he left off from his outstanding pre-season, setting the Merchants down in order.

The Chiefs tied the game in the bottom of the sixth. Costello drilled a long leadoff triple to left. After a Koslowski groundout, Lawlor delivered Costello with a RBI single to right center to cut the lead to 3-2. Mike Barbati came in to run for Lawlor and Angel Valdez, pinch hitting for Matt Boleski, drilled a long double to left center scoring Barbati and knotting the score at 3-3. Marchesi got tough and stranded pinch runner Nick Dunn, who was running for Valdez, at second base when he struck out Brendan Pyburn swinging and got Brenden Shepard to groundout.

Foundas again shut the Merchants down in the top of the seventh setting up Costello’s heroics. Former Princeton star Andrew Hanson, who was 3 for 4, got things started in the seventh with an opposite field double down the left field line. Crisafulli was intentionally walked and Andre was hit by a pitch to load the bases with nobody out. Costello then drilled a 1-2 Marchesi pitch through the drawn infield into centerfield giving the Chiefs the comeback win.

Garcia worked five innings, surrendering three runs on seven hits with four strikeouts. Marchesi (0-1) took the loss giving up twelve hits and striking out five. With two strong shutout innings, Foundas, (1-0) picked up the first win of his Chiefs career.

Dylan Ellis will get the start when the Chiefs travel to Playstaed Park to take on the Medford Americans on Friday at 6:00 PM. On Sunday the Chiefs travel to Ferullo Field in Woburn in an 8:00 PM start. Ace right-hander Keith Forbes will get the starting nod in that one.