Post 45's playoff run ends against Billerica

The firing of Medford High soccer coach Mike Petrides continued to be a subject of debate last week around Medford, and a group of players, led by team captain John Pires, met with high school Headmaster Paul Krueger on July 18 to discuss the decision. On July 19, Krueger informed the team in a letter that his resolve to replace Petrides was unshaken, although no specific reasons for Petrides’ termination have been given. Petrides led the Mustangs to a 14-3-5 mark last season and all the way to the MIAA Division 1 North Quarterfinals.

The Medford School Committee will hold a meeting on July 25 to discuss the district’s policies on the hiring and retention of athletic coaches in the wake of Petrides’ firing.

But the row over Petrides’ dismissal was far from the only game in town last week, as all of Medford’s myriad summer baseball leagues were in action, with Medford American Legion Post 45 playing a pair of games in the District 5 Chairman’s Cup as well.

Here’s the rundown.

American Legion

Medford Post 45 opened up its playoff campaign in fine fashion with a 9-3 win over Concord in the opening round of the double elimination Chairman’s Cup tournament. Recent MHS graduate Chris Salvati fired a complete game, while Danny Gilchrist paced the offense, going 4-for-4 with a home run, two RBIs and three runs scored. Kyle Heath, another former Mustang, went 2-for-4 with a double and an RBI, while Nolan Brennan (Belmont Hill) went 2-for-4 with a double. John Lavoie and Pat Duffy (both MHS) each added two RBIs.

The game featured a minor flap over a timeout awarded to Post 45‘s James McConville, which Concord head coach John Morrissey and starting pitcher Brandon Napolitano felt was too late, and during Napolitano’s delivery. Napolitano was subsequently ejected for his protestations, while Morrissey chose to let the matter drop rather than risk being sent off himself. The incident played no part in the outcome of the game.

Facing top-seeded Billerica in the next round on July 20, Post 45 looked like it had the game well in hand, before a Billerica rally ended Medford’s season on a heartbreaking note, with a 10-9 defeat.

Post 45 led by 7-1 at one point and 8-4 at another, but Billerica kept chipping away and eventually broke a 9-9 tie in the fifth inning with a sac fly that plated their tenth and decisive run. Malden Catholic’s Paul Covelle—who led Post 45 in every offensive category this summer—went 3-for-4 and scored three runs, while Duffy was 2-for-4 with a home run and two RBIs. James McConville also collected three hits and two RBIs.

Intercity Baseball League

Andre Chiefs

The week started off with a crosstown tilt against the Medford Americans on July 18 at Tufts University, and the Chiefs took the battle of Medford, 8-2, behind Jared Freni (5-0), who continued his terrific season with an 11-strikeout performance. Matt Boleski (3-for-5) led the Chiefs offense, driving in five runs and clubbing a home run, while Mike Baillargeon, Justin Crisafulli, and Mike Barbati all had an RBI. Gilchrist provided the lone RBI for the Americans, while Mike Burgoyne posted a pair of singles.

On July 20, the Chiefs faced the Reading Bulldogs, and held on for a 7-6 win behind strong games at the plate from Vinny Pennell and Barbati. Pennell went 1-for-3 with two RBIs, while Barbati also plated two. Crisafulli went 2-for-3 on the day.

The Chiefs suffered their lone setback of the week on July 21, falling to the Testa Corp. Bombers, 5-1, but bounced back to swamp the Mooney Dental Tanners, 13-5, on July 22. 

The Chiefs are 14-8, and currently nudging out the Wakefield Merchants for second place in the league standings.

Medford Americans

The Americans led off the week on the wrong foot, with their loss to crosstown rivals, the Andre Chiefs, and were never able to recover, dropping the rest of their games this week and extending their losing streak to eight games. Medford hasn’t won since it took the second half of a doubleheader against the Arlington Trojans on July 10.

The Reading Bulldogs beat the Americans on July 21 by an 8-5 margin, despite RBIs from Joe Nixon, Joe Sheehan, Dan Gunn and Kyle Rufo. Sheehan also posted a double.

July 22’s game against the league-leading Lexington Blue Sox was one that the Americans would no doubt just assume forget, as Lexington plastered them with an 18-0 blowout. Mike Kalfopoulos had two of Medford’s three hits on the day, while McConville picked up the other.

Medford is 5-18 and currently propping up the league table.

Yawkey League

The Medford Maddogs (11-8) played a pair last week, but came out on the wrong end on both occasions.

In the summer edition of the Malden-Medford rivalry, the Maddogs took on the Ted Williams Division-leading Malden Bulldogs on July 19, and the result was an epic pitcher’s duel between Medford’s Zach Rubin and Malden’s Mike Cook, who both went the distance. Luis Lara knocked in the winning run for Malden in the bottom of the seventh, giving Malden the walk-off 1-0 win.

The next night would provide no relief for the Maddogs, who were blasted by the Somerville Alibrandis, 10-2, at Trum Field. Marty Dunlap went 4-for-4 at the plate with an RBI, while Johnny Cunningham was 2-for-3.

Medford currently sits in fourth place in the Williams Division.