St. Mary’s baseball back in North final

LYNN – The St. Mary?s Spartans? stellar season continues, as a 4-1 win over No. 10 Whittier Tech on Wednesday night at Fraser Field earned them a trip to the Division 3 North finals.
?It?s what we?ve worked for,” said No. 6 St. Mary?s coach Derek Dana. “I?m excited for the kids.”
St. Mary?s will take on top-seeded Austin Prep (20-3) on Saturday at LeLacheur Park in Lowell.
It wasn?t the Spartans? cleanest game, but some timely hitting got the job done.
Antonio Felix got things started for the Spartans with a leadoff triple in the fourth. Catcher Brent Lozzi drove him in and then scored on John Gaeta?s triple to deep right-center field as the Spartans grabbed a 2-1 lead.
?(Gaeta) gives everything he has. He?s a heads-up player,” said Dana. “He?s come up with huge hits for us and he hustles. He runs the bases as well as anyone.”
Felix finished the night 2-for-2, and was intentionally walked in the fifth with two runners on base.
?He has all the tools,” Dana said of Felix. “He?s worked hard to improve on defense, and he?s won games with his bat and his glove.”
It was a strange night on the mound for starter Clay Yianacopolus. The lefty allowed just one hit, but struggled with command. Whittier Tech?slone run scored in the second when Yianacopolus walked the bases loaded and walked in a run. He issued nine free passes, yet struck out eight.
But it was enough.
?It?s his 11th start, and it wasn?t his sharpest,” said Dana. “But he competed. He held it together until he got a couple of runs.”
The Spartans got in a jam in the sixth, as Yianacopolus walked two batters with a strikeout in between. Matt Costanza came in to relieve the starter and ended the threat with a fielder?s choice out at third and a strikeout. Costanza retired all five batters he faced in relief.
The Spartans added some insurance in the sixth and took advantage of two walks as Ryan Borders singled in two runs.
?It wasn?t the go-ahead hit, but it sure helped us breathe a sigh of relief,” said Dana. “He?s done that multiple times for us this year.”
The Spartans have some history with Whittier Tech (15-8), as St. Mary?s was knocked out of the north sectionals a couple of years ago by the Wildcats. It felt good, Dana said, to prevail over a tough team to move on to the final round of the Division 3 North tournament.
?It was a great team win,” Dana said.Katie Morrison may be reached at [email protected]. Follow her on Twitter @KatieMo61.