Andy Fisher was brilliant Thursday.
The senior pitched a five-hitter and struck out nine to lead Bowling Green’s baseball team to a 2-1 win
over Mansfield Madison in a Division I district semifinal at Carter Park.
The Bobcats scored in the first and fifth innings, and allowed only a run in the fifth to advance to
Saturday’s district championship game. PHOTO
GALLERY
Fisher
walked one and hit one, and the Madison run was unearned — the result of a throwing error that allowed
the run to score.
The Eastern Illinois-bound Fisher was masterful, throwing 64 of his 93 pitches for strikes.
“I had good control,” said Fisher, who has an 0.80 earned-run average in 44 innings.
He’s allowed just 17 runs (five earned) on 25 hits, striking out 66 and walking 17.
“All of my pitches were working. I could throw whatever I wanted,” Fisher said. “I was able to get a lot
of ground balls. I was on.”
Fisher had great command of his fastball, curve ball and slider, and even mixed in a handful of
changeups. He pounded the strike zone, keeping Madison’s hitters off-balance and preventing them from
having good swings.
Five of his strikeouts came against the 3-4-5 hitters, including the No. 4 hitter three times.
In addition to the nine strikeouts, 10 more of the Rams’ 21 outs resulted from ground balls.
“I’m getting better with every start and that comes with the weather as it gets warmer,” Fisher said.
“Every game, I have a little bit better control.”
The Bobcats scored in the top of the first on Clark Mayberry’s comebacker to the mound with the bases
loaded.
Instead of throwing home to start a potential inning-ending double play, Madison’s pitcher threw to first
— allowing Fisher to score.
Fisher led off the game with an infield single to shortstop, took second on a fielding error by the third
baseman and moved to third on Spencer Schultz’s opposite-field single to left.
Schultz’s hit capped a great at-bat which saw him single on a 1-2 pitch after fouling off two two-strike
pitches.
“Scoring first is big,” Fisher said. “It allows you to throw the pitches you want. You don’t have to be
afraid of anything because even if they score, you’re still going to be tied.
“There’s nothing to worry about when you’re ahead.”
The Bobcats increased their lead to 2-0 in the fifth when Joe Cohen singled home Jack Schaller with two
out.
Schaller reached on a fielder’s choice and moved to third on Mason Apple’s hit-and-run single. Apple
lined a single where the shortstop would have been had BG not been stealing.
“That second run was huge because it gives you some breathing room,” Fisher said.
Cohen also had a double, while Apple finished with three singles.
The Bobcats had a chance to put the game away during the first five innings, but they left 12 runners on,
including seven in scoring position.
After Madison scored to make it 2-1, Fisher recorded a strikeout to end the inning with runners on first
and third.
The Rams also had runners at first and second with two out in the seventh, but a popup ended the game.

The throwing error was BG’s only miscue of the game. BG also turned a double play to end the third.
“Our defense is getting better every game and they were solid again,” BG coach Bob Schultz said. “It’s a
testament to the hard work we’ve been putting in during practice.”
BG, 15-11 overall, faces Northern Lakes League rival Anthony Wayne for the district championship at 1
p.m. AW won both league meetings against BG.
“We’re jelling as a team and playing as a team,” Fisher said.
BGHS 2, MANSFIELD MADISON 1
BGHS 100 010 0—2 10 1
MADISON 000 010 0—1 5
1
BATTING LEADERS
HITS —(BG) Apple 3, Cohen 2, Fisher, Riggs, Chambers, Schultz, Fouts; (M) Ackerman, Galco, Harris,
Curvin, Gowitzka. 2B — (BG) Cohen. RUNS — (BG) Fisher, Schaller; (M) Hallabrin. RBI — (BG) Mayberry,
Cohen. SB —(BG) Richardson. LOB — BGHS 11, Madison 5. DP — BGHS.
PITCHING SUMMARY
IP H R ER BB SO
MADISON
Penney (LP) 4 2-3 7 2 1 2 4
Curvin 2 1-3 3 0 0 1 1
BGHS
Fisher (WP) 7 5
1 0 1 9