Sports
Blue Sox Learn Semifinal Opponent
Lexington, Wakefield Merchants matched up for best-of-five series showdown.
The wait is over for the Lexington Blue Sox to start defending their three straight Intercity League championships.
Lexington will take on the Wakefield Merchants in a best-of-five semifinal series to get under way Thursday night at according to the schedule released by the league on Wednesday.
The Blue Sox (24-8) had a first-round bye after finishing the regular season in first place. They have won seven ICL titles in their 15 years. All but one have come since 2002.
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Wakefield advanced by taking two of three from the Testa Corp. Bombers in the first round. After losing the opening game, the Merchants (21-14) stormed back to take the final two games of the series 12-5 and 6-2 on Tuesday. The former was the completion of a game that was interrupted by a power outage in East Boston on Monday night.
Watertown and the Andre Chiefs (19-9-3) open their semifinal series at Tufts University in Medford on Wednesday. Andre had a first-round bye, while Watertown (18-10-4) swept the Reading Bulldogs (3-0, 6-2) in the first round.
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Lexington and Wakefield will play the first two games of the series at LHS on Thursday and Friday nights. Both games are slated to begin at 7:45 p.m.
Then the series shifts to Walsh Field, the Merchants' home, on Saturday. A start time has yet to be announced.
If-necessary games are scheduled for Sunday at Walsh and Tuesday at Lexington.
The Blue Sox should welcome the sight of the Merchants in the postseason. They took three of four from Wakefield during the regular season, including two wins in the final week – 3-1 on July 29 and 5-2 on Aug. 6.
Here are the full schedules for both semifinal matchups:
(4) WAKEFIELD MERCHANTS vs. (1) LEXINGTON BLUE SOX
G1 Thursday-Lexington HS, 7:45 p.m.
G2 Friday-Lexington HS, 7:45 p.m.
G3 Saturday-Walsh Field (Wakefield), TBA
G4 Sunday, Aug. 15-Walsh Field (Wakefield), TBA (if necessary)
G5 Tuesday, Aug. 17-Lexington HS, 7:45 p.m. (if necessary)
(3) WATERTOWN REDS vs. (2) ANDRE CHIEFS
G1 Wednesday-Tufts University (Medford), 5:30 p.m.
G2 Thursday-Tufts University (Medford), 5:30 p.m.
G3 Friday-Victory Field (Watertown), 7:00 p.m.
G4 Sunday, Aug. 15-Victory Field (Watertown), 7 p.m. (if necessary)
G5 Monday, Aug. 16-Tufts University (Medford), 5:30 p.m. (if necessary)
