FOR OPENERS, A WIN: Malden Baseball blanks Salem Academy to start season, 10-0

Wins first game in Golden Tornado First Pitch Classic; plays Lynn Tech in Game Two

By Nick Toscani

Senior righthander Ryan McMahon took the ball for his third consecutive season opener, and Malden High Golden Tornado baseball got the same result as in the previous two years: a win. The lanky 6-1 veteran did what he does best, mixed up a veritable smorgasbord of effective pitches, to keep visiting Salem Charter Academy hitters at bay in a 10-0 shutout.

It was the first game of the season for both teams and also the first matchup of the Fifth Annual Golden Tornado Club First Pitch Classic. Malden will host Lynn Tech on Saturday, April 11, in Game Two of the tourney, while Salem Charter will also take on the Tech Tigers later this season.

In addition to the sterling pitching — McMahon allowed no runs, no hits and struck out 10 in four innings of work — Malden also got some big noise on the offensive side. In what was a school record (and probably a Greater Boston League team record) performance, Malden hitters banged out six triples on the day. The Tornados only had three other hits (two singles, one double).

McMahon himself helped his own cause with a first-inning three-spot just inside the third base line. He scored on a triple by the next batter, sophomore Nick D’Anna. D’Anna later added a second triple and finished with four RBIs. Also hitting triples were cleanup hitter and senior captain Jackson Tourkantonis, Joe Ewing and Josh Dionne. Senior Billy Gavin pitched a no-hit inning with three strikeouts.

Malden High Baseball opens its Greater Boston League schedule with a home game vs. Everett on Monday, April 6, with a 4:00 p.m. start at Pine Banks.