Senior left-handed pitcher signs letter of intent at ceremony at St. Mary’s
WAKEFIELD RESIDENT Clay Yianacopolus (front row, center) signed his letter of intent to attend Assumption College as his parents, Valerie and Glenn, are on the left and right of the St. Mary’s senior. In the back row (from left to right) are Athletic Director Jeff Newhall, Coach Derek Dana and Principal Mark DiFabio.
LYNN — Wakefield resident Clay Yianacopolus, a senior at St. Mary’s High School in Lynn, made his college choice official during a letter of intent signing ceremony at the school.
Yianacopolus, a lefty pitcher, will play baseball at Div. II Assumption College.
“Assumption was the best fit for me academically,” said Yianacopolus, who plans to study engineering. “It’s a small school and it’s a Catholic school – both of which I wanted.”
Yianacopolus transferred to St. Mary’s from BC High as a sophomore. In addition to baseball, he is also a captain of the St. Mary’s boys’ hockey team.
“I’m extremely proud of him,” said his mother, Valerie. “He’s worked very, very hard and I know he’ll continue to at the next level.”
“He’s put in a lot of time off season, conditioning and training,” said his father, Glenn.
Over the summer, Yianacopolus played for the U18 Boston Scorpions. He earned all-tournament team status for his one-hit shutout that featured 13 strikeouts at the Perfect Game National Championship in Fort Myers, Fla.
The Scorpions, comprised primarily of North Shore area players, went 5-1 in pool play last summer. They made it to the “Sweet 16” before losing to the top-ranked East Cobb Astros from Georgia.
On the weekend of Aug. 9-10, the Scorpions reached the quarterfinals of the Diamond Nation tournament in New Jersey.
Yianacopolus pitches and plays first base and outfield for the Spartans.
Yianacopolus also pitched against Wakefield Memorial last May and led the the Spartans to a 4-1 victory in a non-league game at Fraser Field.
McNall hit a sole home run in the sixth for Wakefield’s lone run off Yianacopolus. Yianacopolous hurled six innings before being relieved in the seventh in that contest.
Yianacopolus also drew a walk to open the third inning in that game and scored a run in the three-run frame.
