Published May 29, 2020
By Stephen Martellucci
MELROSE—The Melrose Americans baseball team moved to town back in 2013 from Medford and they play their Intercity League home games at Morelli Field.
In a normal year, the team would play 28 regular-season games starting in early June and, if they qualify, there are three rounds of playoffs ending in late August. However, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, this summer will look a little different.
On May 20, the league had a Board of Directors meeting on Zoom to discuss the 2020 schedule. At the meeting, the Board is planning on playing a 16-game schedule starting early July. A double elimination tournament will then follow in lieu of the traditional playoffs. The safety of the players, team officials, umpires, and fans are of the utmost importance to the Board according to what was posted on the league web site. If they do get to start the season in July, the next obstacle the league will face will be what each of the ICL’s cities and towns will permit on the their fields this summer. There might be some cases where teams have to play at neutral-site fields.
The Intercity League is one of the top amateur wood-bat leagues in the state and has been around since 1950. Several of their players have played at the minor-league level or at the Division 1 level in college.
This year, there will be nine teams as the Middlesex Expos will be making their debut. The Lexington Blue Sox, who are a perennial power, are the defending league champions.
Last summer, the Americans went 7-20 as they were in last place in the league. Melrose is run by 26th-year manager Kevin Burgoyne.
Two Americans, who made the Intercity League All-Star team last year, are Melrose residents Ian Libby (outfield-first base), and Nick Cordeau (outfielder). Libby hit .295 in his first year on the team while Cordeau, who was also in his first season with the squad, hit .284.
