Locals star for Northeast softball in Bay State Games

Several local student-athletes were on the bronze medal-winning Northeast softball team in the Bay State Games this year.The team won bronze with a 17-2 decision over Central on Sunday.Lynners Jennie Erekson and Mackenzie Coppinger both played for Northeast. They were joined by fellow North Shore-area players Cheyenne Griffin (Fenwick), Kate Silvestri (Beverly) and Christine Smaltz (Peabody).Northeast ended up going 3-1-1.Coppinger was solid on the mound, according to Northeast coach Mark Kulakowski, and pitched well in the bronze medal game, giving up just two hits in four innings. She went undefeated in the tournament. She also had a big hit in the championship game, a two-run double.Kulakowski praised Erekson for her play at third base, adding that she contributed “numerous” key hits and four or five RBI. He added that she “hustled and (was) every kind of coaches’ dream. I loved her attitude.”