Golden Tornadoes Nipped by Lynn Classical on Senior Day

The Malden High softball team handed Lynn Classical a 2-0 loss last Friday behind the talented arm of Kiara Amos.

On Friday, the Rams repaid the favor.

Led by ace MacKenzie Coppinger, Lynn Classical scraped out a 3-0 victory over the 12th-ranked Golden Tornadoes on senior day in a non-league tilt at Callahan Park that featured two of the better squads in Division 1.

Both Malden (15-3, 8-0 GBL) and Lynn Classical (19-1, 16-0 Northeast Conference) went undefeated in league play this year and won their respective conference titles.

Coppinger (9-1) fired a complete game shutout, and made some big pitches when she needed to for the Rams, keeping Malden off the board.

“Copp was outstanding today,” said Lynn Classical head coach Chris Warren. “She had everything going ... She had a great supporting cast behind her.

“It’s a game that if you want to make a mark and open some eyes, you can do that.”

For the Golden Tornadoes, Amos (13-2) had a typical outing and certainly pitched well enough to win, but a few costly miscues behind her allowed the Rams to score early and seize the initiative.

Amos worked a complete game and fanned eight, while allowing just four hits but still found herself on the wrong end of the decision.

“It was a good game, Kiara pitched great,” said Malden head coach John Furlong. “You’ve got to make plays behind her, that was the difference.”

Lynn Classical scored a pair of runs in the first inning when Danielle Moran led off with a single, and Frankie Galeazzi legged out a bunt single. Hannah Byrne then stroked a single, and several ensuing throwing errors allowed both runners to score and just like that, the Rams had a lead which they wouldn’t relinquish.

“Lynn Classical came to play and we didn’t execute like we need to,” Furlong said. “Hopefully we get to see them again in the North finals.”

The Rams would add another run in the top of the sixth, and Malden came to bat in the home half of the inning with a clear sense of urgency.

With one away, Renee Santo (2-for-3) belted a double down the right field line, and Amos was intentionally walked. With two runners on and one out, the Golden Tornadoes weren’t able to get a sacrifice bunt down, and instead Bridget Furlong popped out to Coppinger who easily caught Amos off the bag at first for the double play.

“First and second in the sixth inning, you’ve got to get the bunt down,” said Furlong. “It can’t be a pop fly ... it’s a sacrifice bunt, those are the little things.”

Hannah Calderone was 2-for-3 for Malden, while Amos, Rebecca Krigman and Emily Hoffman all had base hits.

The Golden Tornadoes wrap up the regular season with a pair of games against Beverly on Monday, the first of which is a continuation of a suspended contest in which Malden leads 4-1 in the fourth inning.

“Hopefully we can come out of that with two wins to go 17-3,” said Furlong. “It’s been a great season.”

Santo, Ashley Powers and Francesca Richardson, all senior captains, were honored before the game as part of the senior night festivities. It’s worth noting that in the four years that the talented troika has been part of the Malden squad, the Golden Tornadoes have won four straight Greater Boston League titles—a feat unmatched in the annals of MHS softball history.