Malden Softball Looks to Continue Winning Ways

The Malden High softball team has been a force in the Greater Boston League for almost 10 years now. After winning the league last season and making it to the Div. 1 North quarterfinals, the Golden Tornadoes could be poised to make it even further in the championship in 2011. 

Nine varsity players will return to the team this year, including GBL all stars Renee Santo (first base), Rebecca Krigman (short stop), Emily Hoffman (catcher) and two-time league MVP Aiara Amos (pitcher). 

“We have a lot seasoned returners and a couple of girls coming up from the J.V. that are good players,” said first-year head coach John Furlong. “Out of the returners, four of them were GBL all stars last year and (Amos) has been MVP of the league since her freshman year.”

The combination of Amos and Hoffman will sure to be a strength for Malden this season as the two will look to once again dominate on the mound and behind the plate. 

“(Amos and Hoffman) have been together since they were nine,” said Furlong. “They call each other’s game. We’ll be strong up the middle... and these kids swing the bat pretty good to so hopefully we can put it all together and have a good year.”

Rounding out Malden’s lineup will be senior center fielder Francesca Richardson, senior  left fielder Ashley Powers, sophomore third baseman Melissa Light, sophomore second baseman Bridgette Furlong and sophomore Jessalyn Brown. 

“Some of the people that graduated we have to fill those holes the best we can,” said Furlong, who coaches the Malden travel team. “The youth program in Malden has been very productive in being a feeder system for the high school. The travel program plays in tournament and plays against top-level competition so by the time they get back to the high school season they’ve already played against some of the better players in the state.”

With years of experience in the youth league, Malden’s team is almost like a family, with most of the roster having played together for years. 

“Every girl on the team I’ve coached since they were nine years old,” said Furlong. “A lot of these girls give up their summers to play weekend tournaments. A lot of the girls are really trying to make themselves better players.”

Malden’s season will kick off on Friday, April 1 with a 3:30 p.m. home game against Revere.