Story written and posted by Anthony Perry '08, Fisher College Associate Director of Athletics

MARION, N.C. – It was an eventful first day of action from Big League Camp as the Fisher College Baseball program split the Continental Athletic Conference double-header this afternoon with Florida National University. The Falcons fell in extra innings for a 2-1 game one final before rallying back with a 12-run sixth inning to steal a victory to end the day. Fisher is now 1-5 on the season while the Conquistadors slide to 5-4 overall.

Game One: Florida National 2, Fisher 1 (Final/8-inn.)

In what turned out to be an epic pitcher's duel, Florida National was able to scratch across the game-winning run in the eighth to take the series opener, 2-1.

Junior Vance Serrano (Las Vegas, Nev.) was stellar over his 7.2 innings of work. The right-hander allowed just two runs (one earned) on seven hits while striking out three and issuing just one walk. He was matched pitch-for-pitch from FNU junior Luis Ayesa (Valencia, Venezuela), who received the no-decision after six innings of one-run ball and six strikeouts.

Trailing 1-0 entering the home half of the fourth, the Falcons would string together a couple of hits to tie the game. Senior Jose Aybar (Santo Domingo, D.R.) laced a sharp single to right-field which allowed sophomore Yariel Salinas (San Juan, P.R.) to scamper home to knot things up.

Fisher had an opportunity for a walk-off victory in the seventh, however a well-placed throw with two outs from FNU junior Daniel Reyes (Miami, Fla.) to the plate prevented that and forced the extra frame.

The Conquistadors scored the game-winner with two outs in the eighth on an RBI single from Reyes. Sophomore Maylo Sierra (Santo Domingo, D.R.) picked up the save working around a one-out walk in the home half of the inning.

Game Two: Fisher 18, Florida National 14 (Final)

Both offenses exploded in the second game of the afternoon alongside Lake James as the two teams combined for 32 runs and 30 hits to close out the day.

Fisher once again found themselves trailing after a six-run fourth inning helped the Conquistadors to what seemed like a commanding 13-5 lead heading into the home half of the sixth. The Falcons then began their largest single-inning run output since last April when they plated 14 runs in the second inning at Maine-Farmington.

Back-to-back walks is what got the frame started for Fisher as Salinas and junior Michael Wright (Winnipeg, Manitoba) registered RBI knocks which chased game one winner and FNU reliever Jayce Kirkham from the game. The Falcons proceeded to keep the scoring going with two outs to eventual tie the game and take the lead.

RBI singles from Aybar and freshman Fernando Verde (Miami, Fla.) trimmed the deficit to 13-11 and the tying run crossed the plate on a balk. After an RBI single from senior Emanuel Rosado (Bayamon, P.R.), Salinas put an exclamation point on the inning by launching a 3-run home run deep into the North Carolina twilight for an 18-13 lead.

Florida National threaten in the seventh as they had the bases loaded with two outs and already scored a run. Freshman Joziel Carmona (Comerio, P.R.) entered the game and got the only batter he faced to groundout as Carmona recorded his first collegiate save and gave the Falcons a thrilling victory.

Salinas finished the game going 3-for-5 with six RBI and three runs scored. Wright and Rosado each went 2-for-4 with two RBIs and Verde finished 2-for-3 with an RBI.

Junior William De Gracia (Canovanas, P.R.) received the victory on the mound as he was the pitcher of record during the 12-run rally. Senior Ronald Luke (Malden, Mass.) was the starter for the Falcons and surrendered nine runs (four earned) over 3.1 innings of work.

FNU saw junior Yordangel Gonzalez (Miami. Fla.), sophomore Matthew Gonzalez (Santiago, D.R.), and junior Jose Carpena (Humacao, P.R.) register three-hit games with Matthew Gonzalez recording three RBI. Junior right-hander Brock Lambert (Shreveport, La.) was credited with the loss on the mound.
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Fisher and Florida National will resume their four-game series tomorrow morning as the originally scheduled 12pm double-header has been moved up to an 11am start from Big League Camp.