Toby Fisher enters his third season as pitching coach for his alma mater La Salle and his fourth overall. In his first year as pitching coach, Fisher inherited a staff with a total of 98 innings pitched the prior season (23% of the total innings in 2007) and seven freshmen. The first-year pitchers combined for 246 innings (57% of innings thrown), won 10 games, and struck out 148. They earned a pair of Atlantic 10 Rookie of the Week awards, and, at the end of the season, Kevin Fuqua earned All-Rookie Team honors after ranking second in the conference in innings, fourth in strikeouts, and 12th in ERA and saves. There was a dramatic improvement in the pitching staff in Fisher's second season with those experienced pitchers. In 2009, the pitching staff lowered its ERA by almost a half run (0.49), won three more games, had five more saves (8 total), and combined for three shutouts. They also allowed 38 fewer hits, 73 fewer runs, walked 52 fewer batters, and struck out 24 more hitters. Previously, Fisher worked for Temple University under Skip Wilson as the Owls' pitching coach for three seasons (2003-05) and helped rebuild the Germantown Academy program from 2000-02 as its pitching coach and hitting instructor. He began his collegiate career at VCU before transferring to La Salle in 1995. He was a team captain from 1997 through 1999 and led the Explorers to the A-10 Conference Championships his senior year with a .370 batting average and an 8-2 record on the mound. A 1999 graduate of La Salle with a degree in criminal justice, Fisher is an Upper Merion police officer and resides in Willow Grove, PA. |
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