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

LAWRENCEVILLE, GA. – The Fisher College Baseball team's season came to an end this afternoon at the 2025 Continental Athletic Conference tournament, hosted by Georgia Gwinnett College. The Falcons scored five runs in the bottom of the eighth to hold on for a 9-6 win over Spartanburg Methodist before falling in the championship game to nationally ranked #2 Georgia Gwinnett.

Game One: Fisher College 9, Spartanburg Methodist College 6 (Final)

Junior Armando Torres (Vega Baja, Puerto Rico) laced an RBI single through the left side in the 8th inning to break a 4-4 tie and sophomore Jatnier Torres (Santa Isabel, Puerto Rico) cleared the bases with a 3-RBI double to highlight a five-run inning in which the Falcons held on for a thrilling 9-6 win over Spartanburg Methodist in the second straight elimination game.

Fisher (27-24) would all of those runs as the Pioneers threatened in the top of the ninth. With one away, SMC rallied to plate two runs and had the tying run at the plate before junior Jan Melendez (Yabucoa, Puerto Rico) slammed the door shut with a pair of strikeouts for his first save of the season and sending the Falcons to the championship game.

The story of the game, however, was the brilliant pitching performance from junior Maylo Sierra (Bartlesville, Okla.). The veteran right-hander overcame some early jitters and tossed 8.1 innings of gutsy work. Sierra did not allow a run from the second inning until his exit in the ninth. He finished the contest with 11 strikeouts to improve to 3-1 on the season while allowing six runs (five earned) on nine hits and walking four.

Trailing 1-0, Fisher responded loudly with a two-run opposite field home run off the bat of junior Yariel Salinas (San Juan, Puerto Rico). The towering blast, his 13th of the season, left a dent in the Gwinnett scoreboard and gave the Falcons a 2-1 lead.

Spartanburg Methodist was able to scratch across three runs in the top of the second off of a few Falcons miscues however Armando Torres' two-out, two-RBI single to center tied the game which remained that way until his single in the 8th.

SMC starter Blake Exizian matched Sierra for the entirety of his outing as the right-hander went seven innings surrendering four runs (two earned) on eight hits and fanning seven. Miles Feldner received the loss as he gave up three runs in the eighth without recording an out.

Armando Torres and junior Gabriel Rivera (Miramar, Fla.) each went 3-for-4 with two runs scored to pace the 13-hit attack for the Falcons. Armando Torres collected three RBI as did Salinas (2-for-4) and Jatnier Torres (1-for-4) in the win.

Dario Astudillo led the Pioneers with a 3-for-4 afternoon and Matt Smith finished with three RBI on his 2-for-5 showing at the dish.

Game Two: #2 Georgia Gwinnett College 30, Fisher College 0 (Final)

For the fifth consecutive year, the Falcons and Grizzlies matched up in the conference tournament championship round with Fisher needing to defeat the nationally ranked #2 Georgia Gwinnett (49-4) squad twice in order to capture their first conference title since 2011. Unfortunately for the Falcon faithful, the Grizzlies were too much to overcome as the blasted five home runs en route to a 30-0 win and the 2025 CAC Baseball Tournament crown.

Senior Michael Wright (Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada) was the lone bright spot offensively as he finished his career with a 2-for-3 performance at the dish.

Post-game, the conference announced their All-Tournament team in which Vance Serrano, Maylo Sierra and Armando Torres were awarded for their outstanding performances over the weekend.
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#2 Georgia Gwinnett, champions of the CAC, will be one of the 10 NAIA host sites for the National Tournament Opening Round which is set to start on Monday, May 12th.

This concludes the 2025 season for Fisher College. The program, under the direction of Scott Dulin – who finished his 24th season at the helm – ends the year with a 27-25 record. It was the eight consecutive season with a .500+ record and seventh straight season of 20+ wins for the Falcons. The program is now 646-513-2 overall in 24 seasons played.