Malden Catholic softball falls short against Archbishop Williams (photos) (2025)

REVERE — The first ever matchup between Archbishop Williams and Malden Catholic softball provided plenty of fireworks Tuesday night.

The contest came down to the last batter in the bottom of the seventh, and the Bishops prevailed, beating the Lancers 7-6.

“I thought that Archbishop Williams was a well-coached, senior laden, and good team,” Malden Catholic coach Lenny Parsons said. “It was a very competitive game, I don’t think you see many high school softball games with diving catches, home runs, this was a very well played game.

“I would play them 10 games out of 10 if I could. I think our girls learn from it, I think our girls get better from it and I really appreciate the coach coming down to play us.”

Right from the start, the Bishops challenged the Lancers. The first two batters walked against Sophia Clarke and after a strike out, Kathryn McLeish drove in the first round of the game on a single.

Clarke, though, wasn’t phased by the run as she struck out the next batter and forced a ground out with bases loaded to keep the deficit to just one.

In the bottom of the first, Malden Catholic struggled to get things going against Archbishop Williams senior pitcher Ciara McMenamin.

Aside from a Lyla Hollingsworth double, McMenamin didn’t allow a baserunner in the first inning and held onto the 1-0 advantage.

Although she hasn’t typically worked from the circle in the past for the Bishops, McMenamin rose to the occasion this season.

“[McMenamin hasn’t pitched for us in three years, she got one start last year,” Archbishop William coach Charlie Conners said. “She’s going to college next year to play outfield. We had a hole at pitcher this year and Ciara had done it as a kid so she stepped back in and she’s been great all year for us.”

To start the top of the second, Clarke walked another batter but quickly got a double play ball to her shortstop. Although the Lancers only got one out on the attempt, they got rid of the lead runner.

The next batter, McMenamin, sent a low line drive to center field where Emma Hollingsworth happily awaited.

The sophomore dove to make the out then hopped up to throw out the runner attempting to return to first. The diving play was nothing new for Hollingsworth.

“She’s been making catches like that since her freshman year,” Parsons said of Hollingsworth. “She maybe had one error this year and she was down on herself, upset after the game and I said ‘Emma, you have made so many plays for this team and kept us in so many games.

“She’s just an incredible outfielder. She’s fast to the ball, if it’s near her glove, she’s gonna catch it. She basically plays left center, center, and right center for me every game.”

In the bottom of the frame, Chloe O’Neil got things going with a double for Malden Catholic but was later thrown out trying to steal third. The next two batters struck out and Archbishop Williams kept the train rolling into the third inning.

To kick off the third, the Bishops put together two hits and two walks to go ahead 2-0. With the bases loaded, Mave Brophy scored the runner from third to make it 3-0 as Malden Catholic’s shortstop took the out at first on her ground ball.

In the bottom of the third though, the Lancer offense woke up. With two on, Lyla Hollingsworth stepped to bat and launched a three-run home run to tie the contest, 3-3.

Ryleigh Jones then tripled and was driven in by O’Neil to give Malden Catholic their first lead of the contest.

The Bishops though were ready to swing right back. With two outs and a runner on second, the team’s No. 3 hitter sent her own towering fly ball over the fence in center field, to take a 5-4 lead.

“Monica’s been great, Monica hits the ball hard,” Conners said. “There’s not many girls where when I’m coaching third, I have to make sure I’m on my toes. She hits it hard and she’s been working on going middle with the ball and going the other way and today she did great.

“She went dead center on the home run and even later in the game she went to right field for a sacrifice fly.”

After the home run, Parsons went to Lyla Hollingsworth in the circle and she quickly quieted things down again. After ending the fourth, Hollingsworth struck out a pair in the fifth to keep things tight.

On the other end though, Malden Catholic mustered just three hits in the fourth, fifth and six innings. After a double from Regan Parr and a Monica Kelley sac fly in the sixth, the Lancers faced a 7-4 deficit.

Entering the bottom of the seventh trailing, Malden Catholic had the top of the order coming to bat.

After an Emma Hollingsworth put-out, Isabella Bennett walked and Lyla Hollingsworth once more came to the plate with a runner on.

Once again, the sophomore delivered, launching her second home run of the game to make it 7-6.

“I’m surprised they pitched to her that last time,” Parsons said of Hollingsworth. “Honestly, she struggled last year. Because they’re such good players, Her and Emma struggled the first five to seven games of the season because the pitching was so slow for them.

“Now they’ve kind of adjusted to the slower pitcher, they’re gonna be a menace for the next two and a half years.”

Though they drew within one run and put runners on second and third with a single and a double, Malden Catholic could not complete the comeback.

A failed bunt attempt and strikeout, ended the contest 7-6, Bishops.

Following the loss, the Lancers have six days off before a very challenging week of games.

“We just gotta work on our basics and let our fight carry us through the next game,” Parsons said. “We got a couple of tough games coming up. Saint Paul in Worcester might be one of the best teams we play all year and we have them coming up next Thursday.

“Peabody’s always good, we have them coming up on Tuesday and we have Fontbonne on Monday. So, we have a tough week ahead.”