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Old Forge Baseball

Yanniello making an expedition to Mars

Old Forge alum accepts partial scholarship to school in NC

By Rick Notari rnotari@psdispatch.com
Pittston Sunday Dispatch Staff Writer

At this time last summer, Old Forge resident Jared Yanniello was off playing baseball in the land of tornados in Wichita, Kansas. His experience there got him ready for what will come this fall.

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At right, former Old Forge shortstop Jared Yanniello signs his Letter of Intent to attend Mars Hills College. Pictured are Yanniello with his parents Cathy and John Yanniello.

photo by rick notari

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Yanniello signed a Letter of Intent this week to play at Division II Mars Hills College. The Lackawanna College infielder will receive a partial scholarship along with a grant-in-aid package from the Asheville, NC-school. Yanniello also considered the University of St. Mary’s, an NAIA school in Leavenworth, KS; and Division I Rhode Island University.

“(Lackawanna) Coach (Scott) Penzek told me about this school and thought it would be a good fit for me,” said Yanniello. “They recruited a player from Lackawanna a few years ago, so we sent out some tapes and they liked what they saw.”

Yanniello will play third base for the Lions – a position he has become familiar with while playing at Lackawanna.

“The coaches at Mars Hill told me I will play third, and that I should fit right into their lineup come next year,” said Yanniello. “I am looking forward to playing.”

The Mars Hill roster features mostly players from south of the Mason Dixon line, but also includes a few from New York and one from Tunkhannock.

Corey Rau is a junior righthanded pitcher who played at Cecil Community College in Maryland before moving on to Mars Hill last season.

The transition to playing in North Carolina should be an easy one, according to Yanniello, since he played in Kansas all last summer.

“It’s a small town, a college town,” said Yanniello of Asheville. “Playing in Kansas last summer let me know that I am capable of being away from home.

“I am very excited about going.”