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Schools

Athlete of the Week: Mike Yates

This Marlborough High School junior became passionate about baseball after playing just one game.

Name: Mike Yates

Graduating Class: 2013

Team: Marlborough Panthers Varsity Baseball

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"I love pitching because I feel like I'm in control of the game," Yates explained, "I also love hitting because when I was growing up my best trait was hitting until my pitching improved."

Yates started playing baseball when he was a preschooler, about 3 or 4 years old. "My cousins needed a player so I played that game and after it I just got hooked to baseball. I wanted to play everyday and my parents practiced with me all the time."

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Stats: Yates, thus far this season, has a 4-2 win-loss pitching record with a 1.51 earned run average (ERA) and 40 strikeouts. His batting average is .360.

What's next: In the summer, Yates is attending the Bay State Games and two other showcases in NY and RI. "I would like to go to college and major in physical therapy while playing college baseball," Yates shared, "I want to pitch in college, but right now I don't know where I would like to attend."

Highlight: When Yates was asked to recall some of his shining moments, he said, "My freshman year I went 7-0 pitching for varsity with under a 1.3 ERA. Sophomore year I had a game where I had 15 strikeouts and ERA of 1.7 and [this year] I threw a no hitter and am hitting over .350."

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