Gold squad holds off Black, wins series

For the second time in the past 10 days, Connor Fisk failed to allow an earned run against the Southern Miss baseball Black squad in a 4-3 series, clinching a Golden Eagle Gold squad win on Tuesday afternoon at Pete Taylor Park.

“I had success commanding my fastball on the outside part of the plate and kept hitters off balance working my slider ahead in the count,” Fisk said. “We have been working hard all fall, from early morning workouts to working with Coach Federico. I felt really prepared when I was out there. “

Fisk earned the win for the Gold squad, becoming the first Southern Miss Breast Cancer Awareness World Series Most Valuable Player. In two games, both wins, Fisk allowed a single unearned run on only five hits in 10 1/3 innings with one walk and 12 strikeouts.

“It’s a great honor being a pitcher winning the MVP and just being able to go out and help my team win two games,” Fisk said. “Winning this award is just icing on the cake.”

The Gold team struck early in the first inning on Tim Lynch’s run, scoring double off Black team starter A.J. Glasshof. Glasshof suffered his second loss of the series after a strong five-inning performance in which he allowed two runs on six hits with six strikeouts.

“The teams really came out here and competed today, fighting until the final out,” Head Baseball Coach Scott Berry said. “The world series accomplished just what I wanted it too.”

Bradley Roney added a solo home-run in the fifth, his second home-run of the World Series, giving the Gold team a 2-0 lead. This held until the seventh, when Lynch and Joey Harris knocked in a pair of runs with RBI singles, giving the home team a 4-0 advantage.

The Black squad was not nearly done yet, though.

Senior Blake Brown got things started in the ninth with a one out double off reliever Mason Robbins. Freshman All-American closer Bradley Roney replaced Robbins with two outs after he issued a walk to Travis Creel.

Chase Fowler greeted him with an RBI single, plating Brown. Dillon Day followed with a two run single, closing the gap to a single run. Roney finally closed things out, getting Brown to pop up in foul territory to end the game with the tying run on base.

Fowler and Breck Kline led the Black team at the plate with two hits apiece.

“I was really impressed with the fans that came out to the Thursday night and Sunday games,” Berry said. “We were also able to raise money for the Pink Ribbon Foundation. This is definitely something we can build on for next season, and hopefully we will be able to make a fall classic out of this.”

Overview

Brown led the Black squad with a .381 average in the series, with Fowler knocking in four runs and carrying a .333 average in the four games. Daniel Wineski anchored the Black team on the mound, pitching six scoreless innings out of the bullpen, earning the lone win.

Isaac Rodriguez led the Gold team at the dish, hitting an impressive .400 with six runs batted in. Robbins added five runs batted in of his own, hitting .391 with a home run, and Roney led all players with two home runs.

In addition to Fisk, Jake Drehoff had a quality start, allowing two runs in 5 1/3 inning of work, striking out seven batters and earning a win. James McMahon, Jake Winston, and Paxton King combined for 8 1/3 scoreless innings out of the bullpen with three appearances apiece.