Southeast Missouri State baseball player Fisher makes most of opportunity

JACKSON, Tenn. -- Southeast Missouri State sophomore Nolan Fisher was able to break into the Redhawks' lineup only after sophomore third baseman Andy Lennington suffered a season-ending injury several weeks ago.

Fisher made the most of his opportunity. He was among Southeast's hottest hitters down the stretch, including at the Ohio Valley Conference tournament that concluded over the weekend.

Fisher went 7 for 15 for a .467 average that ranked second on the squad as sixth-seeded Southeast (26-33) ended its season with a 2-2 showing and a fourth-place finish during the six-team tournament.

"It feels good, but at the end of the day it's all about what happens to the team," said Fisher, who received only three official at-bats while primarily serving in a pinch-running role as a freshman last year. "I was just trying to do my job."

Fisher will be among the numerous younger players eligible to return next season as the Redhawks' had only four seniors, all pitchers.

Nolan Fisher (5) went 7 for 15 (.467 average) for Southeast during the OVC Tournament. (Wayne McPherson ~ Special to the Missourian)

Fisher, who ended the year with a .313 average to rank fifth on the team and also was solid defensively at third base, believes the Redhawks -- decimated by injuries in 2012 -- have a bright future.

"These next couple of years are going to be big for us," he said.

Southeast coach Steve Bieser said he originally envisioned Fisher as nothing more than a valuable utility player, but his performance over the past few weeks changed that perception.

"Nolan did a really good job. He showed that he can be a starter, a full-time contributor," Bieser said.

OVC record

Sophomore second baseman Jason Blum's penchant for getting hit by pitches placed him at the top of the OVC record book.

Blum was hit twice in the OVC tournament and ended the year being plunked 23 times. He already held Southeast's single-season record and now also holds the OVC single-season mark.

"It doesn't really take much skill to get hit by a pitch," said a smiling Blum, whose crowding the plate is among the primary factors in his being hit so much. "It just happens. ... Any way to get on."

Blum, another among Southeast's group of younger core players, led Southeast with a .563 tournament average (9 for 16). He also paced the Redhawks in tournament play with nine runs scored, a .650 on-base percentage and an .875 slugging percentage, and was Southeast's lone representative on the all-tournament team.

Blum, whose 21 doubles are fifth on the school's single-season list, ended the season hitting .323, fourth on the team. He led the Redhawks with 53 runs scored, a .452 on-base percentage and a .496 slugging percentage.

Batting leaders

Sophomore right fielder Dalton Hewitt led Southeast on the season with a .345 average.

Junior left fielder Derek Gibson was second at .332 and freshman center fielder Clayton Evans third at .325.

Others above .300, in addition to Blum and Fisher, were junior first baseman Matt Tellor (.311) and junior center fielder Cole Bieser (.306, team-high 15 steals in 15 attempts), who missed the final 21 games of the season after suffering a wrist injury.

Tellor was Southeast's top power threat after transferring from Lindenwood University. He led the Redhawks with eight home runs and 46 RBIs.

Austin Peay three-peats

Austin Peay continued its impressive run by capturing its third straight OVC tournament title.

The second-seeded Governors (45-13) went 3-0 in the tourney, capped by Saturday's 6-3 win over fifth-seeded Eastern Kentucky (23-34). Austin Peay outsored its three opponents 25-9.