Central’s Clay Cope will play baseball for the SCC Saints

With current, former and future coaches looking on, along with his family, New Madrid County Central High School senior Clay Cope signs his letter of intent to play for Shawnee Community College in Ulin, Illinois. Seated from left are Jason and Jenny Cope, Clay Cope and NMCC Eagles coach Joseph McClarty. Also pictured standing are Craig Cope and coaches Bobby Sullivan, Todd Pennington, DeRay Ivie, Blake Dewitt, Tyler Fullhart, Jonathan Haddon and Kendall Reichert. (Jill Bock, Staff)

NEW MADRID, Mo. — New Madrid County Central High School baseball coach Joseph McClarty remembers his first conversations with Clay Cope as a freshman. It was about Cope’s dream of playing college baseball.

Now, four years later McClarty was watching as Cope’s dream came true. In April, Cope signed a letter of intent to play for Shawnee Community College in Ullin, Illinois.

“He knew the work he would have to put in for it. He has done all that and he has earned this opportunity to continue his career,” McClarty said about Cope.

McClarty described Cope, who plays middle infield and pitches for the NMCC Eagles, as an extremely hard worker and a team leader.

“He is not a very vocal leader - but that is OK. He lets his work ethic and his ability show the other kids what you need in order to move forward and play at the next level,” the coach added. “I think he will be a good fit at Shawnee.”

Kendall Reichert, head coach at SCC, agreed.

He said when he first saw Cope play he thought the young man would be an asset to his team as they continued rebuilding.

“He has the ability to play different positions. I like guys that can play two ways rather than one,” Reichert said. “It is all about recruiting the right kind of guys and I think he is one of those. When you recruit the right kind of guys the team gets better.”

Cope began playing baseball with Little League.

With the cancellation of the 2020 season due to COVID, Cope was only able to play high school baseball three years, however each year he was a starter for the team and anchored its pitching staff. With the Eagle’s season still under way, Cope has a .305 batting average with 32 RBIs driven in during his career and as a pitcher has struck out 112.

In addition to playing baseball in high school, Cope played summer ball with the Sikeston Red Dogs and more recently with the Missouri Bulls.

With the SCC Saints, he signed on as a utility.

Cope said he decided to sign with Shawnee after visiting the school.

“I am looking to furthering my athletic and academic career and getting better at both. I thought Shawnee would be a good option for me,” he said, adding he plans to major in business.