Chiefs Win Third Straight Game

– Bruce Tillman

Mike Gedman had three hits and three RBI’s and Jared Freni threw five shutout innings when the Chiefs blanked the Arlington Trojans 10-0 at Maplewood Park on Monday night. With the win, the Chiefs go to 3-0 on the season.

Gedman, son of former Red Sox catcher Rich Gedman, has been on an early season tear and leads the ICL in hitting with a .600 average over the first three games of the year. He returned to the Chiefs last season, for the first time since 2010, after spending three years in the professional ranks. He led the way at the plate against the Trojans with a first inning RBI double and RBI singles in both the fourth and fifth innings.

Freni (2-0), who threw a no-hitter against Reading last week, picked up his second win in as many starts on the young season. The former UMass right-hander allowed four hits and struck out eight. Matt DiCato worked his third straight 1-2-3 inning of the season in the sixth and older brother Mike DiCato did the same when he got the Arlington side in order in the seventh.

Chicago Cub draftee Billy Mottram drove in a couple of runs with a fifth inning triple and a sixth inning sacrifice fly. Former Merrimack captain Mike Andre (pictured) of Medford and Peter Copa, who played in the California Angels system, each went 2-3 with an RBI.

Mike Burgoyne and Nate Witkowski added doubles, and Medford native and 2014 ICL MVP Johnny Welch, Tony Serino, and Mike Barbati all had RBI singles to round out the Chiefs’ 14 hit offense.

The Chiefs scheduled game against the Blue Sox in Lexington on Tuesday was rained out.

The defending champs will return to Maplewood Park (Malden Catholic) to host the Melrose Americans on Wednesday at 8:15 PM.