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Cougar Baseball Wins Season Opener

Baseball USF Athletics

Cougar Baseball Wins Season Opener

The University of Sioux Falls baseball team opened its 2014 season and three-game series with Colorado State University-Pueblo with an impressive 4-3 win in eleven innings at Rawlings Field in Pueblo, Colo.

The Cougars (1-0, 0-0 NSIC) used a myriad of contributions made by various players to notch a season-opening victory for the third straight year.

There was, in no particular order, a solid start from reliable ace Derek Fischer, Noah Coleman's game-saving catch in the eighth, Ryan Fobes taking one base at a time for the game-winning run in the eleventh, and Connor Gibson's first collegiate save to make it all official.

The game was scoreless until the top of the third, when Fobes beat out an infield single before crossing home plate on a sacrifice/hit by pitch/fielder's choice sequence for the Cougars' first run of 2014.  That left the Cougars with Coleman on first and the speedy sophomore Noah Durkin standing 90 feet from home plate.

Seventh-year head coach Matt Guiliano called for the first, third double steal and one of the most exciting plays in the game was executed perfectly, as Austin Richey belted a two-out single that plated both runners to give USF the 3-0 lead.

Hard-throwing senior righty Derek Fischer beaned two of the first three batters he faced in the game but pitched out of the jam by inducing a ground out before fanning CSU-Pueblo right fielder Scott Hoyt on four pitches.

Fischer walked the leadoff batter in the fourth and then wasn't touched again for a long time. He didn't allow a hit until the fifth inning—a single up that middle that was sandwiched by two USF fielding errors, which would ultimately lead to the Wolves' game-tying RBI grounder in the fifth.

Fischer tossed six innings for USF, allowing three runs (none earned) on four hits with two walks and a pair of strikeouts. The Cougars used five pitchers in a game that was sent to extra innings as the teams combined to leave six runners stranded in the sixth and seventh frames.

Freshman southpaw and Colorado native Elijah Thornquist (1-0) picked up his first collegiate victory in relief, allowing four hits over 2.1 scoreless innings.

CSU-Pueblo starter Mike Fabrizio recovered from his scuffled start to throw five scoreless innings before being knocked out at the end of regulation. He allowed three runs (all earned) on eight hits, walking four and fanning eight.

In the bottom of the eighth, the Wolves had runners on second and third with two outs after a one-out single and a balk. Mario Sanchez lashed an infield hit to right that had the distinct look of a winning hit. Noah Coleman, who had just moved to first base after tossing 1.1 innings of relief, was shading Sanchez toward the line and made the catch to retire the side.

Fobes knocked the first pitch he saw to center field and stole second to set up USF's game-winning run in the eleventh. He then moved to third on a come-backer to reliever Kolby Rimer (0-1).  CSU-Pueblo then intentionally walked Noah Durkin before erasing him with a pick-off at first. However, Trevor Crow drew a walk before a botched pickoff attemptallowed Fobes to score.

Connor GibsonIn the bottom of the 11th, CSU-Pueblo loaded the bases with one out before USF freshman Connor Gibson made his collegiate debut, and the Torontian did not disappoint, getting the crucial ground-out before earning his first save and K on a called third strike.

Noah Durkin paced the Cougars at the plate, going 3-for-4 with two walks and a run scored.  Fobes finished 2-for-6, while Coleman and Austin Richey tallied one RBI apiece.  USF collected 10 total hits and left 13 men on base.

Hoyt and senior catcher Eddie Williams both went 2-for-6 to lead the CSU-Pueblo (2-2) offense.

The teams will play the middle game of the series on Saturday at noon and will then close out the set on Sunday at 11 a.m.
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Players Mentioned

Noah Coleman

#19 Noah Coleman

LHP/OF
5' 10"
Freshman
Derek Fischer

#29 Derek Fischer

RHP/INF
6' 1"
Freshman
Ryan Fobes

#4 Ryan Fobes

INF
5' 8"
Freshman
Trevor Crow

#23 Trevor Crow

OF
6' 0"
Freshman
Noah Durkin

#15 Noah Durkin

OF
5' 11"
Freshman
Connor Gibson

#51 Connor Gibson

LHP
6' 2"
Freshman
Austin Richey

#41 Austin Richey

C
5' 9"
Redshirt Freshman
Elijah Thornquist

#28 Elijah Thornquist

LHP
6' 0"
Freshman

Players Mentioned

Noah Coleman

#19 Noah Coleman

5' 10"
Freshman
LHP/OF
Derek Fischer

#29 Derek Fischer

6' 1"
Freshman
RHP/INF
Ryan Fobes

#4 Ryan Fobes

5' 8"
Freshman
INF
Trevor Crow

#23 Trevor Crow

6' 0"
Freshman
OF
Noah Durkin

#15 Noah Durkin

5' 11"
Freshman
OF
Connor Gibson

#51 Connor Gibson

6' 2"
Freshman
LHP
Austin Richey

#41 Austin Richey

5' 9"
Redshirt Freshman
C
Elijah Thornquist

#28 Elijah Thornquist

6' 0"
Freshman
LHP