Amos, Hoffman Lead Malden Past Lexington

Kiara Amos has garnered the majority of the attention whenever the subject of the Malden High softball team has come up this year.

And rightfully so. The Golden Tornadoes golden-armed hurler struck out 186 over 121 innings during the regular season, with an earned run average below 1.00, putting her squarely amongst the state’s best.

But it was the bats that got the job done at Callahan Park yesterday as number three Malden walloped 14-seed Lexington 11-3 to seal a spot in the MIAA Division 1 North Sectional quarterfinals for the second straight season.

The Golden Tornadoes fell to Central Catholic 3-2 on a heartbreaking obstruction call last year.

“I’m very pleased with how we hit the ball today,” said Malden coach John Furlong. “We executed well offensively...It was a very good win.”

Emily Hoffman (3-for-4) led the attack for Malden with three RBIs, falling just a home run short of hitting for the cycle, while Jessalyne Brown (2-for-3, two RBIs, two runs scored) and Bridget Furlong (2-for-4, two RBIs) also made significant contributions.

“Malden is a very good team,” said Lexington coach Frank Pagliuca. “They can hit the ball, and they’ve got good pitching...We battled the (Amos) hard, we put the ball in play. It just wasn’t our day today.”

The Minutemen managed to scrape together three runs on just four hits against Amos, all coming in the third inning. 

Offensively, Jackie Oram, Danielle DelGreco, Katie Goodwin and Amanda Charlton—who replaced Joslyn Battite after she was struck by a batted ball while in the on deck circle—accounted for Lexington’s hits, with Danielle DelGreco and starting pitcher Erin Hanson driving in runs in the losing effort.

Hanson worked 3 1/3 innings, allowing six hits and six runs before being lifted for Danielle DelGreco in the fourth inning.

On the opposite bench, Amos fired a complete game, allowing three runs on four hits and striking out seven.

“(Amos) always throws well,” Furlong said. “A couple of spots, I thought she threw some really good pitches and she didn’t get the calls to go her way...She’s just always there. In my opinion, she’s the best pitcher in the area.”

The Golden Tornadoes drew first blood in the bottom of the second, when Brown led off the frame by getting in the way of a Hanson offering, and Furlong followed with a single. Senior Francesca Richardson plated Brown when she reached on an error, and Rebecca Krigman brought Furlong around with an RBI fielder’s choice. Hoffman then knocked in Malden’s third run of the inning with a sacrifice fly.

Lexington retaliated quickly, however, and pushed across three of their own in the top of the third.

“I was proud of the kids for battling back when we got down 3-0,” Pagliuca said. “We showed some character there, especially against a quality pitcher like (Amos).”

Amos struck out Abbey Brainard looking to start the inning, but Katy DelGreco followed with a single, and Oram legged out a ball hit on the infield and beat the throw to first. Danielle DelGreco stepped in to the box and cracked a double that bounded over the centerfield fence, clearing the bases. Hanson then grounded out to second, but Danielle DelGreco was able to score from third with the Minutemen’s third and final run of the afternoon.

The Golden Tornadoes went ahead for good in the bottom of the fourth, when senior Ashley Powers reached on an infield single with one away, and Krigman followed with a single of her own. Hoffman then stood in and rapped a two-RBI triple down the right field line plating both baserunners—including Powers with what proved to be the winning run. Renee Santo then drove in Hoffman with an RBI single.

Not content to rest on its laurels, Malden pushed across four more in the bottom of the sixth to put the contest effectively beyond the reach of Lexington.

If there was one area that Furlong was concerned with yesterday, it was defensively. Malden made some great plays behind Amos, but also some gaffes, that, against any of the remaining teams in the bracket, could prove costly.

“”I wasn’t happy with the way we fielded the ball today in some situations,” he said. “We can’t afford to do that again. If we do that in the next round, it could easily be a different outcome.”

Lexington reached the North Final last season, but was unable to recreate that feat with its senior-less squad this year. But with every player coming back next year, the Minutemen should be a preseason favorite to make quite a ruckus in the Middlesex League.

Malden will face Bishop Fenwick in the quarterfinals, a team that Furlong knows will be no pushovers.

“(Fenwick's Tyler Callahan) is an excellent, excellent coach,” he said. “But this team is prepared. These girls are ready to play. This is a big step for us...We’ve got some work to do, but I’m looking forward to it, and I think the girls are too.”