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Jaguars’ Fischer to play baseball at BVU

NORTHROP — Ingenuity, persistence and impeccable timing paid dividends for Cayden Fischer.

The 2020 Martin Luther High School male Triple ‘A’ Award sectional nominee combined the above three qualities to merit a spot on the Buena Vista University baseball team’s list of recruits for the upcoming 2021 season.

“I wasn’t heavily recruited to play baseball by any college,” said Fischer, who earned selection to the 2019 Minnesota State High School League’s all-Section 2A baseball lineup for his all-around efforts on the mound and inside the batter’s box. “I took the initiative to market myself to college coaches by getting on their school websites and sending them emails about what I had accomplished (on the diamond).

“I figured if they weren’t interested, they probably wouldn’t respond, and if they were, they’d return my emails.”

Fischer’s never-give-up attitude resulted in Buena Vista University head baseball coach Steve Eddie asking him to make an official visit to the Storm Lake-based campus during January or February.

The National Honor Society member made the southern trip to have lunch with the Beavers’ baseball team, and he knew it was the place for him.

“The three biggest reasons for choosing BV were, one — it offered the major (kinesiology) I wanted; two, the school had just built new facilities for the sport; and three, the coaches and players made me feel like they were one big family,” said Fischer.

Fischer also received assurance from a graduating BVU senior standout who’s from his home town of Truman — Tyler Tennyson — that the Beavers’ coaching staff would make him “the best player he could be.”

“He’s a player that coaches really like. He listens, works hard in practice and in games, doesn’t complain, goes home, and comes back the next day ready to work hard again,” said 2019 Truman/Martin Luther/Granada-Huntley-East Chain Jaguars baseball mentor Scott Chirpich. “He definitely has good size at 6-2 or so, and throws with good velocity.

“BV will be a good fit for him, and their coaching staff will help him improve his mechanics and develop him into a quality pitcher.”

The hard-throwing right-hander produced an impressive 60 strikeouts in 40 innings pitched during his junior prep baseball campaign under Chirpich’s tutelage. Fischer also compiled a 3-3 record with three saves and a 3.68 ERA to complement a .294 batting average — including two home runs — to go with 15 RBIs and 13 runs scored from an offensive perspective.

“I wasn’t banking on a baseball scholarship to go to college, so when I lost my senior (high school) season (due to the coronavirus pandemic), I didn’t lose my future in baseball,” said Fischer.

Fischer, however, assembled a good enough senior basketball season to earn a look or two from small college hoops scouts, therefore creating a crossroads decision.

“I had thoughts of playing basketball at the next level, but when I struck out 60 batters last spring, I knew baseball was what I wanted to do,” said Fischer, who averaged a respectable 9.7 points per game, in addition to generating 94 rebounds, 66 assists and 46 steals during the Jaguars’ 27-game season in 2019-20.

Now, Fischer will continue to stay in shape by unloading freight trucks in the wee hours of the morning at a local grocery store in Fairmont since his job of preparing the Truman diamond for games during the summer was nixed when the Minnesota American Legion cancelled the entire baseball season.

“Cayden is not only a great athlete, but more importantly, he is an outstanding human being and that will lead him to have a lot of success in life,” said Jaguars head boys basketball coach Adam Walker.

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