Published in the June 29, 2018 edition
By DAN PAWLOWSKI
MELROSE — The Melrose Americans aren’t messing around this year.
The Americans are currently 8-2, good for first place in the Intercity League. The Watertown Reds and reigning champion Lexington Blue Sox are both currently one game back.
The Americans have topped the Malden Maddogs and Andre Chiefs twice. They have also beaten the Reading Bulldogs, Blue Sox, and newcomer to the ICL, Alibrandis.
The bats have been working just fine at Morelli Field.
SHAWN SMEGLIN is off to a great start for the Americans. Smeglin has a .093 earned run average and 12 strikeouts in 15 innings pitched. (Donna Larsson File Photo)
Melrose currently ranks second in team batting average, runs scored and home runs. John Jennings has largely been leading the charge. His .515 average is second best in the ICL. Jennings also has two homers and is an on-base machine with a .758 OBP.
Dave Center has two home runs and 10 RBIs to pace Melrose.
Chris Hopkins, Will Shackelford and Casey Santos-Ocampo have also been steady contributors, while last year’s top slugger, Malcolm Nachmanoff just recently returned to the lineup.
The rotation is led by a trio of very solid pitchers, including Kyle Autillo (21 IP, 15 K’s, 2.00 ERA), Shawn Smeglin (15 IP, 12 K’s, 0.93 ERA) and Chris Mitchell (13 IP, 13 K’s, 1.08 ERA).
The Americans most recently beat the Maddogs on Tuesday for their sixth straight victory.
Autillo (3-1) got the win, going six innings, striking out five, scattering four hits and allowing two runs.
Jamie Weiss picked up the save.
The Americans got all four of their runs in the 5th inning. Santos-Ocampo and Shackelford each had RBI doubles in the innings. Jennings finished 3-for-4 with an RBI and two doubles.
The Americans faced the Maddogs and Somerville Royals after press time. They will play three straight road games before coming back home to Morelli on Monday, July 9 when they will host the Bulldogs at 7:30 p.m.
