Tide baseball enjoys late season success with three straight wins

First-year head coach Malik Love plans on an extensive off-season program to get ready for 2025

By Joe McConnell

The Everett High School baseball team (7-13) won’t make the postseason this year, but what it did to close out the regular season just might have provided a jumpstart to the 2025 campaign.

First-year head coach Malik Love saw his club rattle off three straight non-league wins against Greater Lawrence (4-2), Charlestown (5-4) and Greater Lawrence again on Senior Day at home on May 24 (12-2).

“We got things clicking in these three games. The players were executing, and playing really good baseball,” said Love. “It’s definitely a nice momentum builder heading into next year.”

Isaiah Goffigan started the first game against Greater Lawrence on the mound on May 20.   Goffigan pitched four-plus innings, before freshman Derek Soper came in to get his teammates out of a two on, one out jam in the fifth. Soper immediately induced a liner to shortstop Nordeivy Santana, who threw to first baseman Jose Portillo to complete the double play. He went on to pitch the final two innings to secure the win.

Goffigan also helped out on offense with a two-run double. Portillo knocked in a run on a fielder’s choice.

Soper came back to pitch five innings against Charlestown to record another triumph. Portillo and senior Alex Lara followed him to the hill, pitching one inning apiece to help keep their teammates in the game after the Townies jumped out to a 4-0 lead.

The Tide offense scored all five of their runs in the sixth to seal the deal. “We wouldn’t be in the position to stage a comeback if (Soper) didn’t keep us in it early, and that’s why I gave him the win,” said Love.

The Everett boys then turned their attention to Greater Lawrence again, but first they honored the three seniors on the varsity roster – Enrico Vega, Justin Longmore and Lara – on Senior Day last Friday.

“Justin Longmore has been in the program since his freshman year, but injuries have hurt him the last two springs. Vega grew up playing baseball, but this year he also had other commitments as an EHS band member,” said Love. “Lara has been a steady contributor for us, and I can’t thank him enough for the way he helped out the younger players on the roster, while also providing a good example for them in the field and at the plate.”

Lara pitched the first three innings in the backend of the home and home series with Greater Lawrence, and he didn’t disappoint. He was credited with the win by the coach after going the first three innings. Nordeivy Santana finished the game on the mound, before the home team got the run it needed in the home half of the sixth to invoke the mercy rule as a result of a single by Lara.

Goffigan drove home two with a double, and Portillo singled in a run to lead their teammates on offense.

Love sat down with his Greater Boston League (GBL) peers on Wednesday to select the all-star team after press deadline. He’ll then turn his attention to next year. “We now have one year together under our belts,” said Love. “I want baseball to create some noise in Everett like football and basketball have done through the decades.”

To that end, the off-season begins now. Love will first be bringing his underclassmen to The Base, an urban baseball academy located on Shirley Street in Roxbury throughout the month of June. He also plans to have them in Fall Ball Leagues, before engaging in a strength and conditioning program next winter.

Love’s assistant varsity coaches – Chris Miller and Luis Luciano – and JV coach Dave Peach will have them in the batting cages this summer. All of this extra work is design to make sure they are in next year’s state tournament.