Spring Sports earn their first win!

Both the Fisher College Baseball team and Softball team recorded their first victories of the 2011 season today. Baseball was able to sneak past the University of Maine-Farmington, 4-3 and 3-2 to improve to 2-18 while Softball beat Southern Vermont College, 6-4.


Baseball 


Game One: Fisher College 4, Maine-Farmington 3

Junior Mike Flynn

Fisher College scored two runs in the bottom of the seventh as they came from behind to beat the University of Maine-Farmington, 4-3 to capture their first win of the 2011 season.

The Falcons (1-18) got on the board first as sophomore Sebastiano Petruzzelli (Saugus, MA) doubled home junior Mike Flynn (South Pasadena, CA). Freshman Davidson Peguero (Boston, MA) followed that with a double of his home that chased Petruzzelli home for an early 2-0 lead.

Maine-Farmington (0-5) was able to scratch two runs off of Fisher starting pitcher Micheal Hashem (North Andover, MA) in the third and took the lead in the seventh with two outs.

Trailing 3-2 in the home half of the seventh, Fisher would mount an incredible come back. Senior Mike Oliveira (Tewksbury, MA) began the frame with a sharp single through the right side. Flynn then followed with a double down the right field line to put runners at second and third. With the infield playing back, junior Gary Lunetta (North Andover, MA) hit a ground out to the second basemen which allowed Oliveira to score and Flynn to move to third. After an intentional walk issued to senior Reynaldo Nunez (Santiago, Dominican Republic), Petruzzelli hit a dribbler just to the left side of the mound. UMF pitcher Ian McAlister fielded the ball cleanly and threw home. Flynn was able to beat the throw with a head first slide to give Fisher the victory.

Oliveira finished the game going 2-for-3 with a run scored while Petruzzelli knocked home two RBIs in his 1-for-3 performance. Freshman Andrew Hurd (Barnstable, MA) recorded his first collegiate victory as he recorded the final out in the seventh.

Hashem finished the game pitching 6.2 innings, allowing 3 runs (all earned) on 6 hits while striking out six and issuing just three walks.

Game Two: Fisher College 3, Maine-Farmington 2

Senior Kevin Micheal

Senior Kevin Micheal (Ipswich, MA) tossed a complete game as Fisher Baseball was able to complete the double-header sweep with a 3-2 win.

Micheal held the Farmington bats in check as UMF was able to record their first hit in the top of the fourth. In total, he allowed the Beavers to score just two runs (one earned) on four hits while striking out three and issuing just one walk.

The Falcons (2-18) were able to score single runs in the first, third and fourth while UMF (0-6) scored their runs in fourth and seventh.

Flynn and Peguero recorded RBI's while seven out of the starting nine had base hits.

Fisher Baseball will return to action on Wednesday afternoon when they travel to Holbrook, NY to face Briarcliffe College. The double-header will begin at 2pm and the game will have live streaming play-by-play. You can stay up to date with all of your Fisher College Athletics on Facebook (www.facebook.com/fishercollegeathletics) or Twitter (@FisherFalcons).

Sunrise Conference Champions!

Hammond & Pursell with the SC Championship

Windham, Maine- The Fisher College Men’s Basketball are Champions once again. The #1 seeded Falcons (15-14) were able to edge the #2 seed, Maine-Fort Kent, 69-68 in the 2011 Sunrise Conference Championship Game in front of about 120 people at Windham High School in Windham, Maine.

It was the fifth time in the ten year history of the Sunrise Conference that these two schools have matched up against each other in the Conference Tournament finals. With the win, Fisher improves to 4-1 against Fort Kent (14-11) in the Tournament finals. The Falcons have earned an automatic berth in the NAIA national tournament which will be held March 9-15 in Point Lookout, Missouri. This is Fisher's second championship in the past three years and fifth title overall.

“It feels real good,” exclaimed senior Louis Williams (Burlington, VT) when asked about his second Sunrise Conference title in three years. “I feel like we had to go out on top and my teammates helped us out and we got our Championship.”

Sunday's title game was played before a boisterous crowd and both teams didn't disappoint those in attendance as the action went back and forth throughout the day.In the end it was a pair of free throws by senior Casey Pursell (Seattle, WA) that that carried Fisher to the win.

Brown with the SC Champioship Plaque

Fort Kent started the game on a 7-2 run before Fisher settled into their offensive and tied the game at 9-9 with 15:05 on the clock.  Fort Kent countered with a 14-5 run that stretched their lead to 23-14 just six minutes later.  The Bengals eventually led 36-34 at halftime.

In the second half the Bengals pushed the lead into double digits on two separate occasions before the Falcons made their final spurt down the stretch to surge ahead.  With 6:34 left to play an innocent field goal by senior Oscar Brown (Buffalo, NY) set the stage for a 12-0 run. Fisher would take its first lead of the half with 2:30 left (65-64) when Brown made a lay-up off of a fantastic pass from Pursell. A made field goal by UMFK’s Manny Odugbela and a timeout by Fisher College Head Coach Dave Lindberg set the stage for one of the best finishes in Sunrise Conference Tournament history.

Trailing 68-67 with less than 20 seconds left, an initial shot by senior Christiaan Hammond (Seattle, WA) missed the mark but it was Pursell who made an athletic play to grab the offensive rebound. He was fouled on the put back and sent to the line for two shots.  The senior calmly sank both attempts. With no timeouts, Maine-Fort Kent’s last second shot was off the mark and Brown was able to collect the rebound to give Fisher the one point win.

“I already knew I was going to make the free throws.” Said Pursell following the game. “Even though I had a tough night (1-for-6 from the floor, including 0-4 from behind the arc) we just came too far to not finish the deal.”

Hammond scored a game-high 24 points and made four steals to lead Fisher. Brown added 17 points and nine rebounds while junior Dennis Norford (New Haven, CT) contributed 14 points and five rebounds.

Williams cuts down the net following the win

This also marks the end of the Sunrise Conference Tournament. The Conference will be disbanding following the completion of the 2011 spring season. In the short ten year history of the Tournament, Fisher College has won a record five times (2005, 2006, 2007, 2009 and 2011). Maine-Fort Kent beat Fisher in the finals last year, 81-63 for their only Championship.

“It was a sweet feeling, real emotional.” Said Williams about beating Maine-Fort Kent. “After the run we made last year (20 game win streak) without finishing on top, I feel like we deserved it. We were blessed to be in the position we were in and we never gave up on each other.”

Next up is the NAIA Division II National Tournament which is held at the College of the Ozarks in Point Lookout, Missouri. In their previous four National Championship Tournament appearances, Fisher has a 0-4 record. The last loss came in 2009 against the then #1 Oklahoma Wesleyan, 115-74.

“We are the underdogs” said Pursell. “We are going to go to practice this next week and a half; we are going to work hard and go with the mindset that as long as we believe in ourselves, we can do anything.”

Sunrise Conference Player of the Year, Williams, leads Fisher to finals

Williams (above) is 38 pts shy of 2,000

Windham, ME – For the third straight year, Fisher College will play for the Sunrise Conference Tournament Championship.

The top seeded Falcons (14-14/9-3/1-0) defeated the #4 seed, College of Saint Joseph’s, 80-65 in the first semi-final game here at Windham High School.

Senior Casey Pursell (Seattle, WA) got the game started as he drilled a 3 pointer just 15 seconds into the game. That would the only lead Fisher would have until the 10:21 mark when senior Christiaan Hammond (Seattle, WA) laid one up to give Fisher the 17-16 lead. Over the next two minutes, Fisher would extend their lead to six before CSJ came roaring back. Trailing 26-24 with three minutes left, junior Dennis Norford (New Haven, CT) scored a basket and hit the ensuing free throw, as he was fouled on the shot, to give the Falcons a 27-26 lead. They would hold on to the lead as the teams traded baskets for the remainder of the half. Senior Oscar Brown’s (Buffalo, NY) buzzer beating tip in gave Fisher a three point lead, 36-33 as the horn sounded.

The second half was all Fisher as two-time Sunrise Conference Player of the Year, senior Louis Williams (Burlington, VT) scored 12 of his team high 20 points in the second stanza.

“It was a good win.” Said Williams, who is just 38 points away from 2,000 in his career. “We did what needed to do (win the first game), now it’s all about tomorrow!”

Fisher took control of the game at the 13 minute mark of the second half. After a missed 3-point attempt by freshman Elijah Chisholm (East Boston, MA), Hammond was able to collect the rebound and lay it in to put the team up 52-43. Inside the final 5 minutes, Fisher would continue to limit the St. Joseph’s offense as they allowed the Fightin’ Saints just 7 points while their offense exploded for 14 points.

The Falcons received double-digit point games from Williams (20 points) and Hammond, who added 18. Norford also recorded 17 points while shooting an impressive 6-for-7 from the floor.

The game was won at the free throw line. The Falcons, who entered today’s game shooting at 60%, went 23-for-27 (85.2%) in the victory.

Senior Daniel Nance (Brooklyn, NY) was the defensive standout of the game. His presence inside the paint and ability to take the charge, led the second half surge for Fisher.

Fisher will now take on the winner of the other semi-final game between #2 University of Maine-Fort Kent and #3 Vermont Technical College. Earlier this season, the Falcons were able to beat Maine-Fort Kent twice while dropping two against Vermont Tech.

The 2011 Sunrise Conference Championship Game will be played tomorrow at 3 pm.