THE WAKEFIELD 12-year-old Williamsport All-Stars had a great summer run come to an end on Monday night. Wakefield went 2-2 in District 13 play. (Courtesy Photo)
WAKEFIELD — The Wakefield 12-year-old Williamsport All Stars came up just short in their tournament run with an 8-0 loss at the hands of Andover on Monday night at Fernald Field.
The score was deceptive as the visitors from the Merrimack Valley put up six runs in the bottom of the 5th to put the game out of reach.
On the hill for Wakefield was Michael Yianacopolus and he was dynamic, scattering 5 hits over 4-plus innings while striking out 7 Andover batters and giving up 2 runs, only one earned.
Malcolm Kelton led of the game with a base hit to center but was quickly erased on a 6-3 double play after Bradley Kaufman laced a groundball up the middle and the Andover shortstop was in perfect position to field and throw to first, completing the double play.
Yianacopolus struck out the leadoff batter but Andover got out to a 1-0 lead on a solo home run by the No. 2 hitter on a ball that just cleared the fence and was just out of reach of centerfielder Kelton.
Yianacopolus settled down after the homer, mixing in some off-speed pitches to go along with an outstanding fastball and struck out the next two batters.
Mason Lowe looked to even the game in the top of the 2nd but his long fly to deep left was caught at the fence by the Andover left fielder. After a strikeout, Ryan Millward smashed a ball that the shortstop couldn’t field cleanly and the speedy third baseman beat the throw to first and raced to second when the throw got by the first baseman. Up stepped the red-hot Quinn McGourty and he ripped a two-out single that was destined to score Wakefield’s first run however Millward slipped rounding third. The athletic Millward was able to right himself and still made it a very close play at the plate.
A leadoff error and two seeing-eye singles gave Andover a 2-0 cushion. Catcher Kevin Fabbri kept those runners at bay by flashing his speed and skill to stop everything the hard-throwing Yianacopolus was dealing. The damage also could have been much worse were it not for Kelton who while tracking a deep, high fly ball, stumbled, fell to the ground and caught it while on his back leaving the bases loaded and keeping Wakefield within striking distance.
Matt Doto led off the 3rd with a sharp base hit to left but the Andover pitcher was mixing in some very good curveballs and struck out two to leave Doto stranded at third.
Yianacopolus struck out two more in the bottom half of the 3rd to keep Wakefield in it.
Lowe led off the 4th with a single but alas, the Wakefield 12’s couldn’t scratch another hit as the Andover hurler was finding a groove with his curveball despite the efforts of pinch hitter Rohit Dhulapati who fouled off a number of pitches before succumbing to the curve.
After an error put the leadoff Andover batter on in the next half inning, Yianacopolus was able to pick up a K and a pop out but loaded the bases on a walk and a single. The young fireballer reached back and struck out his 7th and final batter to get out of the jam.
Wakefield went down in order in the top of the 5th despite a great at-bat by pinch hitter Paige Eriksen who went down swinging.
Yianacopolus hit his pitch limit after a single in the bottom of the 5th and gave the ball up to starting shortstop Will Robertson who pitched well but gave up a couple of bloop hits and one double down the left field line to plate a few more runs.
In stepped mighty Joe Shea in relief of Robertson and he also pitched well but as Andover did all night they hit the ball where the Wakefield fielders were not. Shea ended the inning with a big strikeout but the damage was done as Wakefield trailed 8-0 going into the 6th.
After a strikeout and a Yianacopolus walk, Ryan Dodge hit a missile of a line drive to centerfield for a single but the Andover pitcher left those runners stranded with his outstanding curveball.
Wakefield finished at 2-2 on the All Star season losing to only the top two teams.
Wakefield seemed to draw the tougher bracket for District 13 as Andover (new to District 13) and North Reading, who will play for the championship tonight, both won their respective districts as 11-year-olds last season and were the only teams to beat the young Warriors.
Wakefield played hard, finished their small diamond careers with class and should be proud of themselves. The future is bright for these young ballplayers.