Andre Chiefs

Wakefield, MA- The Chiefs and Wakefield Merchants battled to a sloppy 3-3 tie at Walsh Field on Sunday evening. Both teams squandered chances to win the game and had to settle for one point each. With the tie, the Chiefs move into sole possession of second place with a 7-3-2 mark, good for 16 points.

The Merchants used singles from John Zaggaria and Steve Langone, an outfield throwing error and a miscue at shortstop to score an unearned first inning run and take a 1-0 lead off Chiefs starter Dylan Ellis (Gloucester, MA/Merrimack College)

The Chiefs capitalized on some equally shoddy Merchants defense to take a 3-1 second inning lead off Wakefield veteran starter and former Chicago Cub farmhand Steve Coffey. Justin Crisafulli and Paul Koslowski both singled and Mike Andre's infield grounder was thrown wide of first allowing Crisafulli to score. Torrid shortstop Brenden Shepard (Boxford, MA/Stonehill College) who is now 12 for 29, .414, then delivered Koslowski with a sacrifice fly to center for a 2-1 Chiefs lead. After Matt Boleski grounded out, catcher Matt Lawlor reached on another Merchant infield error allowing Andre to score that extended the margin to 3-1.

The Chiefs threatened to expand the lead in the third (Andrew Hanson leadoff single), the fourth (singles from Mike Andre and Lawlor) and the sixth (Nate Leva leadoff single), but came up empty on each occasion before the Merchants tied the game up.

In the sixth, Mike Sorrentino reached on a throwing error and Dana D'agostino drew a one out walk. Kevin Johnson then singled to right to load the bases. Closeer Chris Foundas (Needham, MA/Bryant University) was summoned from the bullpen to replace Ellis and experienced some control issues, walking both Matt Russo and John Davison to force in two runs before getting out of the jam with a strikeout and a popup.

The Chiefs got a runner in scoring position with one out in the seventh via a long Hanson gap double. Coffey stranded Hanson there when Crisafulli grounded out and Koslowski's long fly ball to right was tracked down by Taylor von Kriegenbergh to end the inning and another Chiefs scoring chance.

Foundas surrendered a a two out walk to Von Kriegenbergh in the bottom of the seventh but it ended in a tie when Doug Heald gobbled up Dana D'Agostino's grounder and fired to Koslowski at first to conclude the night for both teams.

Ellis worked 5.1 innings and allowed six hits while striking out one. Coffey, in his first start of the season, gave up eight hits and also struck out one in a gutty complete game effort.

Monday's scheduled game against the Medford Americans was postponed due to heavy rain showers.
The Chiefs and Americans will try again on Tuesday at Tufts at 6:00 PM. On Wednesday the Chiefs host the Cassell Club and on Thursday the defending champion Lexington Blue Sox pay a visit to Tufts.