Baseball beats Houston-Victoria, 3-1

Freshman Reed pitches the Falcons past the Jaguars

Casey Reed earned his first collegiate win tonight at Houston-Victoria

Victoria, TX - Behind a dazzling pitching performance from freshman Casey Reed (Ossipee, NH), the Fisher College Baseball team beat the University of Houston at Victoria tonight by a final score of 3-1.

Making his first collegiate start, the Kingswood Regional High graduate kept the Jaguar hitters off balance all night. He threw 8.0 innings allowing UHV to just four hits and one run while striking out eight. Reed also did not allow a walk but he did hit a batter.

"Tremendous." said Fisher College Head Coach Scott Dulin of Reed's performance. "Casey did more than we asked him to. This was the best win that we have had as a team that I can remember."

The Fisher bats came alive. After Reed allowed UHV to take the 1-0 lead in the third, the Fisher offense scored twice to take the lead that they never relinquished. Senior Alfredo Torres (Lawrence, MA) reached second to begin the inning after the UHV second baseman's error. He would come around to score when junior Reynaldo Nunez (Santiago, Dominican Republic) laced a line drive over the third basemen's outstretched glove. Fisher would score the second run via another UHV error. Courtesy runner, sophomore Richie Welch (Everett, MA) came around and scored when the shortstop booted a ground ball hit by senior Juan Eusebio (Union City, NJ).

In the fifth, senior Edwin Pena (Union City, NJ) who reach on an error to begin the frame. Welch was inserted as the courtesy runner and scored on Nunez's RBI double of the center field wall.

That was all that Reed would need to earn his first victory of the season despite the scare in the ninth. Reed, still on the mound, hit the first batter of the inning and then allowed a base hit. Coach Dulin then would come out and make the call to the bullpen. He summoned senior Patrick Shanahan (Haverhill, MA) to close it out. With runners on the corners and nobody out, Shanahan induced the first batter he faced to pop up in foul territory to the first basemen Torres. The UHV runner, that was on first base, was off with the pitch and Torres was able to make the catch and flip it to Shanahan who stepped on first and doubled off the runner. Now with two away, Shanahan struck out the next batter to end the game and preserve the win for the Falcons.

"I'm speechless. I mixed my pitches effectively and took advantage of their aggressiveness at the plate." said Reed after the win. "To be able to start such an important game is an honor. I'm glad that Coach Dulin gave me this opportunity tonight."

With the win, Fisher improves its record to 5-8 on the season and more importantly to 5-4 on their annual spring break trip. This is the first time in the short nine year history of the program that the Falcons have a winning record during the week long spring break trip.

Fisher College will resume the four game series with Houston-Victoria tomorrow afternoon. The double header will begin at 4 pm (cst).

Baseball splits the last two in Brownsville, TX

Game One: Texas-Brownsville 3, Fisher College 1

Rob Mondello took the tough luck loss in Game One

Brownsville, TX - Senior Rob Mondello (Haverhill, MA) used just 66 pitches through his six innings of work but Texas-Brownsville was able to scratch out three runs to defeat the Falcons in game one by a final of 3-1.

Texas-Brownsville got on the board quick as they scored twice in the opening frame and then added another run in the bottom of the fifth. Fisher would score their only run of the game in the top half of the sixth inning. Senior Edwin Pena (Union City, NJ) extended his hitting streak to five games when he laced a ball through the left side of the infield and into left. Sophomore Richie Welch (Everett, MA) was inserted as the courtesy runner and scored on a sacrifice fly from freshman Denon Rushing (Palmdale, CA).

"We had our opportunity to win the game," said Fisher College Head Coach Scott Dulin. "We had the runners on but we just couldn't get that one hit to break it open. Robbie (Mondello) threw a terrific ball game. It's unfortunate that we couldn't get him the win that he deserved."

Mondello pitched effectively in his start. He limited the potent Scorpion offense to just three runs (two earned) on five hits and struck out three in the complete game loss.


Game Two: Fisher College 6, Valley City State 5

Mark Dorso picked up his first win of the season in relief

Brownsville, TX - In what was the most exciting game of the young 2010 season, Fisher College came from behind and scored two runs in the bottom of the sixth to steal a win from Valley City and sweep the four game set.

Junior Kevin Michael (Ipswich, MA) gave the Fisher pitching a much needed quality start as he pitched five innings giving up eight hits while allowing five runs, in which only two were earned. Reliever Mark Dorso (Waterbury, CT) came in with a runner on in the sixth. He allowed that run, which was Micheal's fifth, to score on a bleeder that fell in shallow left field.

In the bottom half of the sixth inning, Rushing stepped up and drilled a 1-1 offering over the left field wall for his first collegiate home run and more importantly, a game tying home run. With two outs, Dulin sent a pinch hitter in freshman Sebastiano Petruzzelli (Saugus, MA) to the plate. He lifted a fly ball into shallow right field where the Viking second baseman dropped it and allowed the inning to continue. Welch then came on to run and scored on a bazaar play. Junior Jose Rodriguez (Clermont, FL) hit a pop up about 10 feet in front of home plate. After mass confusion between three VCSU players, the ball dropped and Welch scampered in for the go-ahead run.

Mondello then came on for the save and need just 12 pitches to dispose of the Vikings and earn his first save of the season.

Pena continued to stay red hot as he hit his first home run of the season, a game tying solo shot in the fifth, and extended his team leading hitting streak to six games.

With the win, Fisher College Baseball improves to 4-4 on their Texas trip. They will play a four game set in Victoria, TX against the University of Houston at Victoria. Game One will be starting at 7 pm (est) on Thursday, March 18, 2010.